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Alfano M, Alchera E, Sacchi A, Gori A, Quilici G, Locatelli I, Venegoni C, Lucianò R, Gasparri AM, Colombo B, Taiè G, Jose J, Armanetti P, Menichetti L, Musco G, Salonia A, Corti A, Curnis F. A simple and robust nanosystem for photoacoustic imaging of bladder cancer based on α5β1-targeted gold nanorods. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:301. [PMID: 37635243 PMCID: PMC10463347 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02028-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early detection and removal of bladder cancer in patients is crucial to prevent tumor recurrence and progression. Because current imaging techniques may fail to detect small lesions of in situ carcinomas, patients with bladder cancer often relapse after initial diagnosis, thereby requiring frequent follow-up and treatments. RESULTS In an attempt to obtain a sensitive and high-resolution imaging modality for bladder cancer, we have developed a photoacoustic imaging approach based on the use of PEGylated gold nanorods (GNRs) as a contrast agent, functionalized with the peptide cyclic [CphgisoDGRG] (Iso4), a selective ligand of α5β1 integrin expressed by bladder cancer cells. This product (called GNRs@PEG-Iso4) was produced by a simple two-step procedure based on GNRs activation with lipoic acid-polyethyleneglycol(PEG-5KDa)-maleimide and functionalization with peptide Iso4. Biochemical and biological studies showed that GNRs@PEG-Iso4 can efficiently recognize purified integrin α5β1 and α5β1-positive bladder cancer cells. GNRs@PEG-Iso4 was stable and did not aggregate in urine or in 5% sodium chloride, or after freeze/thaw cycles or prolonged exposure to 55 °C, and, even more importantly, do not settle after instillation into the bladder. Intravesical instillation of GNRs@PEG-Iso4 into mice bearing orthotopic MB49-Luc bladder tumors, followed by photoacoustic imaging, efficiently detected small cancer lesions. The binding to tumor lesions was competed by a neutralizing anti-α5β1 integrin antibody; furthermore, no binding was observed to healthy bladders (α5β1-negative), pointing to a specific targeting mechanism. CONCLUSION GNRs@PEG-Iso4 represents a simple and robust contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging and diagnosis of small bladder cancer lesions.
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Grants
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- Grant agreement No. 801126, EDIT European Union's Horizon 2020
- RF-2016-02361054 Ministero della Salute
- RF-2016-02361054 Ministero della Salute
- RF-2016-02361054 Ministero della Salute
- European Union’s Horizon 2020
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Alfano
- Unit of Urology, URI, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Alchera
- Unit of Urology, URI, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelina Sacchi
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Gori
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, C.N.R., Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomo Quilici
- Biomolecular NMR Laboratory, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Locatelli
- Unit of Urology, URI, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Venegoni
- Unit of Urology, URI, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Lucianò
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Gasparri
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Colombo
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Taiè
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Jithin Jose
- FUJIFILM Visualsonics Inc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paolo Armanetti
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Menichetti
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanna Musco
- Biomolecular NMR Laboratory, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Salonia
- Unit of Urology, URI, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Corti
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
| | - Flavio Curnis
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.
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