Issue 10, 2016

Ultrastable polyethyleneimine-stabilized gold nanoparticles modified with polyethylene glycol for blood pool, lymph node and tumor CT imaging

Abstract

Development of new long-circulating contrast agents for computed tomography (CT) imaging of different biological systems still remains a great challenge. Here, we report the design and synthesis of branched polyethyleneimine (PEI)-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au PSNPs) modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) for blood pool, lymph node, and tumor CT imaging. In this study, thiolated PEI was first synthesized and used as a stabilizing agent to form AuNPs. The formed Au PSNPs were then grafted with PEG monomethyl ether via PEI amine-enabled conjugation chemistry, followed by acetylation of the remaining PEI surface amines. The formed PEGylated Au PSNPs were characterized via different methods. We show that the PEGylated Au PSNPs with an Au core size of 5.1 nm have a relatively long half-decay time (7.8 h), and display a better X-ray attenuation property than conventionally used iodine-based CT contrast agents (e.g., Omnipaque), and are hemocompatible and cytocompatible in a given concentration range. These properties of the Au PSNPs afford their uses as a contrast agent for effective CT imaging of the blood pool and major organs of rats, lymph node of rabbits, and the xenografted tumor model of mice. Importantly, the PEGylated Au PSNPs could be excreted out of the body with time and also showed excellent in vivo stability. These findings suggest that the formed PEGylated Au PSNPs may be used as a promising contrast agent for CT imaging of different biological systems.

Graphical abstract: Ultrastable polyethyleneimine-stabilized gold nanoparticles modified with polyethylene glycol for blood pool, lymph node and tumor CT imaging

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Nov 2015
Accepted
18 Jan 2016
First published
18 Jan 2016

Nanoscale, 2016,8, 5567-5577

Author version available

Ultrastable polyethyleneimine-stabilized gold nanoparticles modified with polyethylene glycol for blood pool, lymph node and tumor CT imaging

Y. Zhang, S. Wen, L. Zhao, D. Li, C. Liu, W. Jiang, X. Gao, W. Gu, N. Ma, J. Zhao, X. Shi and Q. Zhao, Nanoscale, 2016, 8, 5567 DOI: 10.1039/C5NR07955A

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