Receptor-mediated delivery of magnetic nanoparticles across the blood-brain barrier

In vitro and in vivo studies on the transport of PEGylated silica nanoparticles across the blood-brain barrier

Transport of PEGylated silica nanoparticles (PSiNPs) with diameters of 100, 50, and 25 nm across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was evaluated using an in vitro BBB model based on mouse cerebral endothelial cells (bEnd.3) cultured on transwell inserts within a chamber. In vivo animal experiments were further performed by noninvasive in vivo imaging and ex vivo optical imaging after injection via carotid artery. Confocal fluorescence studies were carried out to evaluate the uptake of PSiNPs by brain endothelial cells. The results showed that PSiNPs can traverse the BBB in vitro and in vivo. The transport efficiency of PSiNPs across BBB was found to be size-dependent, with increased particle size resulting in decreased efficiency. This work points to the potential application of small sized silica nanoparticles in brain imaging or drug delivery.

Enhanced blood-brain barrier transmigration using a novel transferrin embedded fluorescent magneto-liposome nanoformulation

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is considered as the primary impediment barrier for most drugs. Delivering therapeutic agents to the brain is still a big challenge to date. In our study, a dual mechanism, receptor mediation combined with external non-invasive magnetic force, was incorporated into ferrous magnet-based liposomes for BBB transmigration enhancement. The homogenous magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), with a size of ∼10 nm, were synthesized and confirmed by TEM and XRD respectively. The classical magnetism assay showed the presence of the characteristic superparamagnetic property. These MNPs encapsulated in PEGylated fluorescent liposomes as magneto-liposomes (MLs) showed mono-dispersion, ∼130 ± 10 nm diameter, by dynamic laser scattering (DLS) using the lipid-extrusion technique. Remarkably, a magnetite encapsulation efficiency of nearly 60% was achieved. Moreover, the luminescence and hydrodynamic size of the MLs was stable for over two months at 4 ° C. Additionally, the integrity of the ML structure remained unaffected through 120 rounds of circulation mimicking human blood fluid. After biocompatibility confirmation by cytotoxicity evaluation, these fluorescent MLs were further embedded with transferrin and applied to an in vitro BBB transmigration study in the presence or absence of external magnetic force. Comparing with magnetic force- or transferrin receptor-mediated transportation alone, their synergy resulted in 50-100% increased transmigration without affecting the BBB integrity. Consequently, confocal microscopy and iron concentration in BBB-composed cells further confirmed the higher cellular uptake of ML particles due to the synergic effect. Thus, our multifunctional liposomal magnetic nanocarriers possess great potential in particle transmigration across the BBB and may have a bright future in drug delivery to the brain.

Engineered magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications

In the past decades, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been used in wide range of diverse applications, ranging from separation to sensing. Here, synthesis and applications of functionalized MNPs in the biomedical field are discussed, in particular in drug delivery, imaging, and cancer therapy, highlighting also recent progresses in the development of multifunctional and stimuli-responsive MNPs. The role of their size, composition, and surface functionalization is analyzed, together with their biocompatibility issues.

In situ 111In-doping for achieving biocompatible and non-leachable 111In-labeled Fe3O4 nanoparticles

The present study reports a new approach for synthesizing (111)In-radiolabeled biocompatible Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Radioactive (111)In is doped in situ into the lattice of Fe3O4 nanoparticles to achieve robust radiolabeling for accurately tracing PEGylated Fe3O4 particles in vivo.

A method for evaluating nanoparticle transport through the blood-brain barrier in vitro

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents a formidable barrier for many therapeutic drugs to enter the brain tissue. The development of new strategies for enhancing drug delivery to the brain is of great importance in diagnostics and therapeutics of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In this context, nanoparticles are an emerging class of drug delivery systems that can be easily tailored to deliver drugs to various compartments of the body, including the brain. To identify, characterize, and validate novel nanoparticles applicable to brain delivery, in vitro BBB model systems have been developed. In this work, we describe a method to screen nanoparticles with variable size and surface functionalization in order to define the physicochemical characteristics underlying the design of nanoparticles that are able to efficiently cross the BBB.

68Ga-labeled gold glyconanoparticles for exploring blood-brain barrier permeability: preparation, biodistribution studies, and improved brain uptake via neuropeptide conjugation

New tools and techniques to improve brain visualization and assess drug permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are critically needed. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a highly sensitive, noninvasive technique that allows the evaluation of the BBB permeability under normal and disease-state conditions. In this work, we have developed the synthesis of novel water-soluble and biocompatible glucose-coated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) carrying BBB-permeable neuropeptides and a chelator of the positron emitter (68)Ga as a PET reporter for in vivo tracking biodistribution. The small GNPs (2 nm) are stabilized and solubilized by a glucose conjugate. A NOTA ligand is the chelating agent for the (68)Ga, and two related opioid peptides are used as targeting ligands for improving BBB crossing. The radioactive labeling of the GNPs is completed in 30 min at 70 °C followed by purification via centrifugal filtration. As a proof of principle, a biodistribution study in rats is performed for the different (68)Ga-GNPs. The accumulation of radioactivity in different organs after intravenous administration is measured by whole body PET imaging and gamma counter measurements of selected organs. The biodistribution of the (68)Ga-GNPs varies depending on the ligands, as GNPs with the same gold core size show different distribution profiles. One of the targeted (68)Ga-GNPs improves BBB crossing near 3-fold (0.020 ± 0.0050% ID/g) compared to nontargeted GNPs (0.0073 ± 0.0024% ID/g) as measured by dissection and tissue counting.

In vivo tomographic imaging with fluorescence and MRI using tumor-targeted dual-labeled nanoparticles

Dual-modality imaging combines the complementary advantages of different modalities, and offers the prospect of improved preclinical research. The combination of fluorescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides cross-validated information and direct comparison between these modalities. Here, we report on the application of a novel tumor-targeted, dual-labeled nanoparticle (NP), utilizing iron oxide as the MRI contrast agent and near infrared (NIR) dye Cy5.5 as the fluorescent agent. Results of in vitro experiments verified the specificity of the NP to tumor cells. In vivo tumor targeting and uptake of the NPs in a mouse model were visualized by fluorescence and MR imaging collected at different time points. Quantitative analysis was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of MRI contrast enhancement. Furthermore, tomographic images were also acquired using both imaging modalities and cross-validated information of tumor location and size between these two modalities was revealed. The results demonstrate that the use of dual-labeled NPs can facilitate the dual-modal detection of tumors, information cross-validation, and direct comparison by combing fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) and MRI.

T1-T2 dual-modal MRI of brain gliomas using PEGylated Gd-doped iron oxide nanoparticles

To overcome the negative contrast limitations of iron oxide-based contrast agents and to improve the biocompatibility of Gd-chelate contrast agents, PEGylated Gd-doped iron oxide (PEG-GdIO) NPs as a T1-T2 dual-modal contrast agent were synthesized by the polyol method. The transverse relaxivity (r2) and longitudinal relaxivity (r1) of PEG-GdIO were determined to be 66.9 and 65.9 mM(-1) s(-1), respectively. The high r1 value and low r2/r1 ratio make PEG-GdIO NPs suitable as a T1-T2 dual-modal contrast agent. The in vivo MRI demonstrated a brighter contrast enhancement in T1-weighted image and a simultaneous darken effect in T2-weighted MR image compared to the pre-contrast image in the region of glioma. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of PEG-GdIO NPs was confirmed by the in vitro MTT cytotoxicity and in vivo histological analyses (H&E). Therefore, PEG-GdIO NPs hold great potential in T1-T2 dual-modal imaging for the diagnosis of brain glioma.

Synthesis of nanobioconjugates with a controlled average number of biomolecules between 1 and 100 per nanoparticle and observation of multivalency dependent interaction with proteins and cells

Multivalency of nanoparticle and associated cooperative binding with biological interface is an important aspect in the development of nanoparticle based bioimaging probes. However, the preparation of such a nanobioconjugate with a controlled number of biomolecules per nanoparticle, typically between 1 and 100, is challenging. Here we report a generalized two-step bioconjugation method to prepare nanobioconjugates with a varied average number of biomolecules between 1 to 100 per nanoparticle that can be applied to different nanoparticles and biomolecules. Following this approach we have successfully synthesized quantum dot (QD) based bioconjugates with controlled average numbers of glucose or folate and found their number-dependent interaction with proteins and cells. We propose a method for exploiting the nanoparticle multivalency effect toward various biological interactions and preparing such nanobioconjugates for best performance.

Mussel-inspired polydopamine: a biocompatible and ultrastable coating for nanoparticles in vivo

Bioinspired polydopamine (PDA) has served as a universal coating to nanoparticles (NPs) for various biomedical applications. However, one remaining critical question is whether the PDA shell on NPs is stable in vivo. In this study, we modified gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with finely controlled PDA nanolayers to form uniform core/shell nanostructures (GNP@PDA). In vitro study showed that the PDA-coated GNPs had low cytotoxicity and could smoothly translocate to cancer cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis demonstrated that the PDA nanoshells were intact within cells after 24 h incubation. Notably, we found the GNP@PDA could partially escape from the endosomes/lysosomes to cytosol and locate close to the nucleus. Furthermore, we observed that the PDA-coated NPs have very different uptake behavior in two important organs of the liver and spleen: GNP@PDA in the liver were mainly uptaken by the Kupffer cells, while the GNP@PDA in the spleen were uptaken by a variety of cells. Importantly, we proved the PDA nanoshells were stable within cells of the liver and spleen for at least six weeks, and GNP@PDA did not show notable histological toxicity to main organs of mice in a long time. These results provided the direct evidence to support that the PDA surface modification can serve as an effective strategy to form ultrastable coatings on NPs in vivo, which can improve the intracellular delivery capacity and biocompatibility of NPs for biomedical application.

Ligand-mediated endocytosis of nanoparticles in neural stem cells: implications for cellular magnetic resonance imaging

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have great prospects in therapy for neurological disorders. However, the correlation between improved function and stem cell transplantation has not been fully elucidated. A non-invasive method for stem cell tracking is crucial for clinical studies. In the present study, NSCs were infected with lentiviral vectors, and the expression of transferrin receptor (TfR) in neural stem cells after lentivirus transfection (TfR-NSC) was confirmed by western blot analysis. TfR-NSCs were incubated with 1.8 nM ultra-small super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (USPIOs) or transferrin (Tf)-conjugate of USPIO nanoparticles (Tf-USPIOs). Tf-USPIO enhanced the cellular iron content in TfR-NSCs 80 ± 18 % compared to USPIOs. These results demonstrated that TfR overexpressed in neural stem cells specifically internalized Tf-USPIOs. Furthermore, the results indicate that TfR reporter imaging may be a valuable way to evaluate the efficacy of neural stem cell treatment.

Understanding the particokinetics of engineered nanomaterials for safe and effective therapeutic applications

Increasing numbers of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are being developed for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. However, the tunable and varied physicochemical properties of ENMs pose a new challenge for understanding their biological behavior, trafficking, and biodistribution. Herein the concept of "particokinetics" is introduced to address the dynamic biological behavior of ENMs at the molecular level (including gravitational sedimentation, dispersion, aggregation, and interaction with biomolecules in suspending media), cellular level (including cellular uptake, transport, biotransformation, and elimination), and whole-organism level (including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion in vivo). Several mathematical modeling methods are introduced which guide a quantitative description of their biological behavior at different levels. Examples are also provided to delineate the impact of the physicochemical properties of ENMs on their particokinetics. A comprehensive understanding of the in vivo and in vitro particokinetics of ENMs will facilitate the design of tailor-made functional ENMs that act as highly effective and controllable drug-delivery systems with minimal side-effects.

Development of drug loaded nanoparticles for tumor targeting. Part 2: Enhancement of tumor penetration through receptor mediated transcytosis in 3D tumor models

We report that receptor mediated transcytosis can be utilized to facilitate tumor penetration by drug loaded nanoparticles (NPs). We synthesized hyaluronan (HA) coated silica nanoparticles (SNPs) containing a highly fluorescent core to target CD44 expressed on the cancer cell surface. Although prior studies have primarily focused on CD44 mediated endocytosis to facilitate cellular uptake of HA-NPs by cancer cells, we discovered that, once internalized, the HA-SNPs could be transported out of the cells with their cargo. The exported NPs could be taken up by neighboring cells. This enabled the HA-SNPs to penetrate deeper inside tumors and reach a much greater number of tumor cells in 3D tumor models, presumably through tandem cycles of CD44 mediated endocytosis and exocytosis. When doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded onto the NPs, better penetration of multilayered tumor cells was observed with much improved cytotoxicities against both drug sensitive and drug resistant cancer spheroids compared to the free drug. Thus, targeting receptors such as CD44 that can readily undergo recycling between the cell surface and interior of the cells can become a useful strategy to enhance the tumor penetration potential of NPs and the efficiency of drug delivery through receptor mediated transcytosis.

Surface-functionalized nanoparticles for biosensing and imaging-guided therapeutics

In this article, the very recent progress of various functional inorganic nanomaterials is reviewed including their unique properties, surface functionalization strategies, and applications in biosensing and imaging-guided therapeutics. The proper surface functionalization renders them with stability, biocompatibility and functionality in physiological environments, and further enables their targeted use in bioapplications after bioconjugation via selective and specific recognition. The surface-functionalized nanoprobes using the most actively studied nanoparticles (i.e., gold nanoparticles, quantum dots, upconversion nanoparticles, and magnetic nanoparticles) make them an excellent platform for a wide range of bioapplications. With more efforts in recent years, they have been widely developed as labeling probes to detect various biological species such as proteins, nucleic acids and ions, and extensively employed as imaging probes to guide therapeutics such as drug/gene delivery and photothermal/photodynamic therapy.

Shuttle-mediated nanoparticle delivery to the blood-brain barrier

Many therapeutic drugs are excluded from entering the brain due to their lack of transport through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The development of new strategies for enhancing drug delivery to the brain is of great importance in diagnostics and therapeutics of central nervous diseases. To overcome this problem, a viral fusion peptide (gH625) derived from the glycoprotein gH of Herpes simplex virus type 1 is developed, which possesses several advantages including high cell translocation potency, absence of toxicity of the peptide itself, and the feasibility as an efficient carrier for delivering therapeutics. Therefore, it is hypothesized that brain delivery of nanoparticles conjugated with gH625 should be efficiently enhanced. The surface of fluorescent aminated polystyrene nanoparticles (NPs) is functionalized with gH625 via a covalent binding procedure, and the NP uptake mechanism and permeation across in vitro BBB models are studied. At early incubation times, the uptake of NPs with gH625 by brain endothelial cells is greater than that of the NPs without the peptide, and their intracellular motion is mainly characterized by a random walk behavior. Most importantly, gH625 peptide decreases NP intracellular accumulation as large aggregates and enhances the NP BBB crossing. In summary, these results establish that surface functionalization with gH625 may change NP fate by providing a good strategy for the design of promising carriers to deliver drugs across the BBB for the treatment of brain diseases.

Magnetic targeting of nanoparticles across the intact blood-brain barrier

Delivery of therapeutic or diagnostic agents across an intact blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains a major challenge. Here we demonstrate in a mouse model that magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) can cross the normal BBB when subjected to an external magnetic field. Following a systemic administration, an applied external magnetic field mediates the ability of MNPs to permeate the BBB and accumulate in a perivascular zone of the brain parenchyma. Direct tracking and localization inside endothelial cells and in the perivascular extracellular matrix in vivo was established using fluorescent MNPs. These MNPs were inert and associated with low toxicity, using a non-invasive reporter for astrogliosis, biochemical and histological studies. Atomic force microscopy demonstrated that MNPs were internalized by endothelial cells, suggesting that trans-cellular trafficking may be a mechanism for the MNP crossing of the BBB observed. The silica-coated magnetic nanocapsules (SiMNCs) allow on-demand drug release via remote radio frequency (RF) magnetic field. Together, these results establish an effective strategy for regulating the biodistribution of MNPs in the brain through the application of an external magnetic field.

Image guided biodistribution and pharmacokinetic studies of theranostics

Image guided technique is playing an increasingly important role in the investigation of the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of drugs or drug delivery systems in various diseases, especially cancers. Besides anatomical imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), molecular imaging strategy including optical imaging, positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) will facilitate the localization and quantization of radioisotope or optical probe labeled nanoparticle delivery systems in the category of theranostics. The quantitative measurement of the bio-distribution and pharmacokinetics of theranostics in the fields of new drug/probe development, diagnosis and treatment process monitoring as well as tracking the brain-blood-barrier (BBB) breaking through by high sensitive imaging method, and the applications of the representative imaging modalities are summarized in this review.