Towards potential nanoparticle contrast agents: Synthesis of new functionalized PEG bisphosphonates

Hybrid multimodal contrast agent for multiscale in vivo investigation of neuroinflammation

Neuroinflammation is a process common to several brain pathologies. Despites its medical relevance, it still remains poorly understood; there is therefore a need to develop new in vivo preclinical imaging strategies to monitor inflammatory processes longitudinally. We here present the development of a hybrid imaging nanoprobe named NP3, that was specifically designed to get internalized by phagocytic cells and imaged in vivo with MRI and bi-photon microscopy. NP3 is composed of a 16 nm core of gadolinium fluoride (GdF3), coated with bisphosphonate polyethylene glycol (PEG) and functionalized with a Lemke-type fluorophore. It has a hydrodynamic diameter of 28 ± 8 nm and a zeta potential of -42 ± 6 mV. The MR relaxivity ratio at 7 T is r1/r2 = 20; therefore, NP3 is well suited as a T2/T2* contrast agent. In vitro cytotoxicity assessments performed on four human cell lines revealed no toxic effects of NP3. In addition, NP3 is internalized by macrophages in vitro without inducing inflammation or cytotoxicity. In vivo, uptake of NP3 has been observed in the spleen and the liver. NP3 has a prolonged vascular remanence, which is an advantage for macrophage uptake in vivo. The proof-of-concept that NP3 may be used as a contrast agent targeting phagocytic cells is provided in an animal model of ischemic stroke in transgenic CX3CR1-GFP/+ mice using three complementary imaging modalities: MRI, intravital two-photon microscopy and phase contrast imaging with synchrotron X-rays. In summary, NP3 is a promising preclinical tool for the multiscale and multimodal investigation of neuroinflammation.

Biological Fate of Magnetic Protein-Specific Molecularly Imprinted Polymers: Toxicity and Degradation

Magnetic nanoparticles coated with protein-specific molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are receiving increasing attention thanks to their binding abilities, robustness, and easy synthesis compared to their natural analogues also able to target proteins, such as antibodies or aptamers. Acting as tailor-made recognition systems, protein-specific MIPs can be used in many in vivo nanomedicine applications, such as targeted drug delivery, biosensing, and tissue engineering. Nonetheless, studies on their biocompatibility and long-term fate in biological environments are almost nonexistent, although these questions have to be addressed before considering clinical applications. To alleviate this lack of knowledge, we propose here to monitor the effect of a protein-specific MIP coating on the toxicity and biodegradation of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, both in a minimal aqueous degradation medium and in a model of cartilage tissue formed by differentiated human mesenchymal stem cells. Degradation of iron oxide nanoparticles with or without the polymer coating was monitored for a month by following their magnetic properties using vibrating sample magnetometry and their morphology by transmission electron microscopy. We showed that the MIP coating of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles does not affect their biocompatibility or internalization inside cells. Remarkably, the imprinted polymer coating does not hinder the magnetic particle degradation but seems to slow it down, although this effect is more visible when degradation occurs in the buffer medium than in cells. Hence, the results presented in this paper are really encouraging and open up the way to future applications of MIP-coated nanoparticles into the clinic.

Synthesis and modification of uniform PEG-neridronate-modified magnetic nanoparticles determines prolonged blood circulation and biodistribution in a mouse preclinical model

Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with uniform sizes of 10, 20, and 31 nm were prepared by thermal decomposition of Fe(III) oleate or mandelate in a high-boiling point solvent (>320 °C). To render the particles with hydrophilic and antifouling properties, their surface was coated with a PEG-containing bisphosphonate anchoring group. The PEGylated particles were characterized by a range of physicochemical methods, including dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and magnetization measurements. As the particle size increased from 10 to 31 nm, the amount of PEG coating decreased from 28.5 to 9 wt.%. The PEG formed a dense brush-like shell on the particle surface, which prevented particles from aggregating in water and PBS (pH 7.4) and maximized the circulation time in vivo. Magnetic resonance relaxometry confirmed that the PEG-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles had high relaxivity, which increased with increasing particle size. In the in vivo experiments in a mouse model, the particles provided visible contrast enhancement in the magnetic resonance images. Almost 70% of administrated 20-nm magnetic nanoparticles still circulated in the blood stream after four hours; however, their retention in the tumor was rather low, which was likely due to the antifouling properties of PEG.

In Situ In Vivo radiolabeling of polymer-coated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles to track their biodistribution in mice

The imaging of healthy tissues and solid tumors benefits from the application of nanoparticle probes with altered pharmacokinetics, not available to low molecular weight compounds. However, the distribution and accumulation of nanoprobes in vivo typically take at least tens of hours to be efficient. For nanoprobes bearing a radioactive label, this is contradictory to the requirement of minimizing the radiation dose for patients by using as-short-as-feasible half-life radionuclides in diagnostics. Thus, we developed a two-stage diagnostic concept for monitoring long-lasting targeting effects with short-lived radioactive labels using bone-mimicking biocompatible polymer-coated and colloidally fully stabilized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAP NPs) and bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals. Within the pretargeting stage, the nonlabeled nanoparticles are allowed to circulate in the blood. Afterward, ^99mTc-1-hydroxyethylidene-1.1-diphosphonate (^99mTc-HEDP) is administered intravenously for in situ labeling of the nanoparticles and subsequent single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) visualization. The HAP NPs, stabilized with tailored hydrophilic polymers, are not cytotoxic in vitro, as shown by several cell lines. The polymer coating prolongs the circulation of HAP NPs in the blood. The nanoparticles were successfully labeled in vivo with ^99mTc-HEDP, 1 and 24 h after injection, and they were visualized by SPECT/CT over time in healthy mice.

Solid Phase Stepwise Synthesis of Polyethylene Glycols

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and derivatives with eight and twelve ethylene glycol units were synthesized by stepwise addition of tetraethylene glycol monomers on a polystyrene solid support. The monomer contains a tosyl group at one end and a dimethoxytrityl group at the other. The Wang resin, which contains the 4-benzyloxy benzyl alcohol function, was used as the support. The synthetic cycle consists of deprotonation, Williamson ether formation (coupling), and detritylation. Cleavage of PEGs from solid support was achieved with trifluoroacetic acid. The synthesis including monomer synthesis was entirely chromatography-free. PEG products including those with different functionalities at the two termini were obtained in high yields. The products were analyzed with ESI and MALDI-TOF MS and were found close to monodispersity.

Phosphonic acid: preparation and applications

The phosphonic acid functional group, which is characterized by a phosphorus atom bonded to three oxygen atoms (two hydroxy groups and one P=O double bond) and one carbon atom, is employed for many applications due to its structural analogy with the phosphate moiety or to its coordination or supramolecular properties. Phosphonic acids were used for their bioactive properties (drug, pro-drug), for bone targeting, for the design of supramolecular or hybrid materials, for the functionalization of surfaces, for analytical purposes, for medical imaging or as phosphoantigen. These applications are covering a large panel of research fields including chemistry, biology and physics thus making the synthesis of phosphonic acids a determinant question for numerous research projects. This review gives, first, an overview of the different fields of application of phosphonic acids that are illustrated with studies mainly selected over the last 20 years. Further, this review reports the different methods that can be used for the synthesis of phosphonic acids from dialkyl or diaryl phosphonate, from dichlorophosphine or dichlorophosphine oxide, from phosphonodiamide, or by oxidation of phosphinic acid. Direct methods that make use of phosphorous acid (H3PO3) and that produce a phosphonic acid functional group simultaneously to the formation of the P-C bond, are also surveyed. Among all these methods, the dealkylation of dialkyl phosphonates under either acidic conditions (HCl) or using the McKenna procedure (a two-step reaction that makes use of bromotrimethylsilane followed by methanolysis) constitute the best methods to prepare phosphonic acids.

Versatile “click” synthesis of 1-hydroxy-1,1-methylenebisphosphonic acids with thioalkoxy substituents for the preparation of stable gold nanoparticles

Click synthesis of pegylated bisphosphonates for one pot preparation of stable gold nanoparticles.

Synthetic Procedures Leading towards Aminobisphosphonates

Growing interest in the biological activity of aminobisphosphonates has stimulated the development of methods for their synthesis. Although several general procedures were previously elaborated to reach this goal, aminobisphosphonate chemistry is still developing quite substantially. Thus, innovative modifications of the existing commonly used reactions, as well as development of new procedures, are presented in this review, concentrating on recent achievements. Additionally, selected examples of aminobisphosphonate derivatization illustrate their usefulness for obtaining new diagnostic and therapeutic agents.