Facile Synthesis of Folic Acid-Modified Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Targeted MR Imaging in Pulmonary Tumor Xenografts

Mol Imaging Biol. 2016 Aug;18(4):569-78. doi: 10.1007/s11307-015-0918-5.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop folic acid (FA)-modified iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) for targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of H460 lung carcinoma cells.

Procedures: Water-dispersible Fe3O4 NPs synthesized via a mild reduction method were conjugated with FA to generate FA-targeted Fe3O4 NPs. The specificity of FA-targeted Fe3O4 NPs to bind FA receptor was investigated in vitro by cellular uptake and cell MRI and in vivo by MRI of H460 tumors.

Results: The formed NPs displayed good biocompatibility and ultrahigh r 2 relaxivity (440.01/mM/s). The targeting effect of the NPs to H460 cells was confirmed by in vitro cellular uptake and cell MRI. H460 tumors showed a significant reduction in T2 signal intensity at 0.85 h, which then recovered and returned to control at 2.35 h.

Conclusions: The results indicate that the prepared FA-targeted Fe3O4 NPs have potential to be used as T2 negative contrast agents in targeted MRI.

Keywords: FA; H460 cells; Iron oxide nanoparticles; MRI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Death
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Endocytosis
  • Ferric Compounds / chemistry*
  • Folic Acid / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Particle Size
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays*

Substances

  • Ferric Compounds
  • ferric oxide
  • Folic Acid