Fluorescent Magnetic Nanoparticles for Magnetically Enhanced Cancer Imaging and Targeting in Living Subjects

ACS Nano

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/nn301670a

The authors describe a way to accumulate single superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles (NP) at tumor sites.  Silanization coating chemistry was performed on the SPIO which increased the NP size from 8 nm to 87 nm and also left mercapto and amino groups on the surface.  Next, they attached fluorophores and RGD on the surface for imaging and tumor angiogenesis marker targeting.  They were able to target tumor tissue by placing a Ni wire mesh over the tumor area and using a magnet to attract the SPIO NP to the tumor site.  The half-life of tumor signal decay in vivo decreased from 6 days to .9 days when no magnetic targeting and magnetic targeting were compared, respectively.