Phthalocyanine incorporated alginate hydrogel with near infrared fluorescence for non-invasive imaging monitoring in vivo

Abstract

In vivo fates of alginate compounds are crucial for developing their biomedical applications. Near infrared fluorescence imaging in vivo can non-invasively monitor and reveal the process of the implants. Herein, a near infrared fluorescent alginate conjugated PEG was prepared by labeling zinc phthalocyanine, and then a dual fluorescent drug delivery system was designed with a rhodamine-loaded zinc phthalocyanine conjugated hydrogel. The hydrogel erosion and drug delivery in vivo were non-invasively tracked by a multispectral fluorescence imaging system with nude mice as models. The in vivo near infrared fluorescence imaging results revealed the real time process of the visible drug delivery system based on the alginate hydrogel. A multispectral fluorescence imaging technique can separate the fluorescence signals of the drug and the carrier from the drug-loaded hydrogel. The phthalocyanine-incorporated alginate hydrogel is a potential visible implant system.