Other articles by Zheng-Rong Lu on PubMed

• Design of Novel Bioconjugates for Targeted Drug Delivery Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Jan, 2002  |   Pubmed ID: 11772458 This paper summarizes recent work on the design and development of targeted polymeric bioconjugates based on N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers. Polymerizable antibody Fab' fragment (MA-Fab') has been developed and used in the preparation of targeted HPMA copolymer-mesochlorin e6 conjugates for the treatment of human ovarian carcinomas. The reactivity of the MA-Fab' in copolymerization with HPMA depended on the length of the spacer between the monomer double bond and the antibody Fab' fragment. The biological activity of the antibody Fab' fragment was maintained after incorporation into the HPMA copolymer. Novel aromatic azo spacers were designed and incorporated into HPMA copolymer-drug (cyclosporin A, 9-aminocamptothecin) conjugates for the colon-specific drug delivery and for the treatment of colon diseases. The colon-specific drug release from the conjugates was controlled by the structures of both drug and spacers. Lectins, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and peanut agglutinin (PNA), were conjugated to the colon-specific polymer drug conjugates to enhance specific adhesion onto colon tissues.
• Influence of the Structure of Drug Moieties on the in Vitro Efficacy of HPMA Copolymer-geldanamycin Derivative Conjugates Pharmaceutical Research. Feb, 2002  |   Pubmed ID: 11883637 To optimize the structure of geldanamycin (GDM) derivative moieties attached to N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers via an enzymatically degradable spacer.
• Targeted Delivery of Doxorubicin by HPMA Copolymer-hyaluronan Bioconjugates Pharmaceutical Research. Apr, 2002  |   Pubmed ID: 12033370 Overexpression of hyaluronan (HA) receptors on cancer cells results in enhanced endocytotic uptake of the drug conjugate. An N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA)-HA polymeric drug delivery system was used for targeted delivery of doxorubicin to cancer cells.
• Poly(l-glutamic Acid) Gd(III)-DOTA Conjugate with a Degradable Spacer for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Bioconjugate Chemistry. Jul-Aug, 2003  |   Pubmed ID: 12862423 The clinical application of macromolecular Gd(III) complexes as MRI contrast agents is impeded by their slow excretion and potential toxicity due to the release of Gd(III) ions caused by the metabolism of the agents. A polymer Gd(III) chelate conjugate with a cleavable spacer has been designed to solve this problem. Poly(l-glutamic acid)-cystamine-[Gd(III)-DOTA] was prepared by the conjugation of DOTA to PGA (MW = 50,000) via cystamine, a cleavable disulfide spacer, followed by the complexation with GdCl(3). A Gd(III) DOTA chelate derivative was readily released from the polymer conjugate in the incubation with cysteine, an endogenous plasma thiol. The conjugate produced significant MRI blood pool contrast enhancement in nude mice bearing OVCAR-3 human ovarian carcinoma xenographs. Less significant contrast enhancement was observed for a small molecular contrast agent, Gd(DTPA-BMA). The pharmacokinetic MRI study showed that the Gd(III) chelate from the conjugate accumulated in the urinary bladder in a similar kinetic pattern to Gd(DTPA-BMA), suggesting that the chelate was released by the endogenous thiols and excreted through renal filtration. The preliminary results suggest that this novel design has a great potential to solve the safety problem of macromolecular MRI contrast agents.
• Extracellular Biodegradable Macromolecular Gadolinium(III) Complexes for MRI Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Jan, 2004  |   Pubmed ID: 14705042 The clinical application of macromolecular gadolinium (Gd) complexes as MRI contrast agents is limited by the slow excretion of Gd(III) complexes and consequent long-term tissue accumulation of toxic Gd ions. To alleviate the problem of slow excretion, biodegradable polydisulfide-based macromolecular Gd(III) complexes were designed and prepared based on the disulfide-thiol exchange to allow degradation of the macromolecules by endogenous thiols and to facilitate excretion of Gd(III) complexes after the MRI examination. The in vitro degradation study showed that the polydisulfide agent was readily degraded by cysteine at plasma thiol concentrations. No cross-reaction was observed between the cysteine-34 on human serum albumin (HSA) with the agent. Concentration-dependent blood pool contrast enhancement was observed for the polydisulfide agents. The agents of both high molecular weight (35,000 Da) and low molecular weight (17,700 Da) produced significant contrast enhancement in the heart and aorta in rats at relatively high doses. Except for the bladder, the signal intensities gradually decreased over time. Significant blood pool contrast enhancement was also observed for the high molecular weight agent at a low dose (0.03 mmol-Gd/kg), but not for the agent with a lower molecular weight. The contrast enhancement in the urinary bladder increased over time for the polydisulfide agents and Gd(III)-(DTPA-BMA). Degradation products were identified by mass spectrometry in the urine samples from the rats administered with both polydisulfide agents, which confirmed that the polydisulfide agents were degraded in vivo and excreted through renal filtration. The preliminary results demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo degradability, superior blood pool contrast enhancement, and rapid clearance through renal filtration of the novel biodegradable macromolecular agent. This agent has a great potential for further preclinical and clinical development with application in contrast-enhanced blood pool and cancer MR imaging.
• PEG-g-poly(GdDTPA-co-L-cystine): a Biodegradable Macromolecular Blood Pool Contrast Agent for MR Imaging Bioconjugate Chemistry. Nov-Dec, 2004  |   Pubmed ID: 15546211 Biodegradable PEGylated Gd-DTPA l-cystine copolymers, PEG-g-poly(GdDTPA-co-l-cystine), were prepared and tested as a blood pool contrast agent in mice. The biodegradable macromolecular agent was designed to be broken down into smaller Gd complexes by endogenous thiols via the disulfide-thiol exchange reaction to facilitate the clearance of Gd complexes after the contrast-enhanced MRI examination. Gd-DTPA l-cystine copolymers were synthesized by condensation polymerization of l-cystine and DTPA-dianhydride in water followed by chelating with Gd(OAc)(3). MPEG-NH(2) (MW = 2000) was then conjugated to the polymeric backbone in different ratios. The macromolecular contrast agent was readily degraded with the incubation of l-cysteine. It also demonstrated superior contrast enhancement in the heart and blood vessels as compared to a low molecular weight control agent, Gd-(DTPA-BMA). At 1 h postcontrast, the PEGylated macromolecular agent still showed prominent enhancement, while little contrast enhancement was detectable in the blood pool by the control agent. PEG-g-poly(GdDTPA-co-l-cystine) shows promise as an MR blood pool imaging agent.
• Contrast-enhanced MRI with New Biodegradable Macromolecular Gd(III) Complexes in Tumor-bearing Mice Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Apr, 2005  |   Pubmed ID: 15799038 The structures of polydisulfide-based biodegradable macromolecular Gd(III) complexes were modified to improve their in vivo retention time and MRI contrast enhancement. Steric hindrance was introduced around the disulfide bonds to control their access to free thiols in order to alter the degradation rate of the copolymers. Two new macromolecular agents, (Gd-DTPA)-cystine copolymers (GDCP) and (Gd-DTPA)-cystine diethyl ester copolymers (GDCEP), were prepared. Both agents were readily degraded in vitro and in vivo by the disulfide-thiol exchange reaction, but at a slow rate. The introduction of COOH and COOEt groups slowed down the degradation of the copolymers in the incubation with 15 microM cysteine. Metabolic degradation products were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry in the urine samples from rats injected with the agents. The T(1) relaxivity (r(1)) was 5.43 mM(-1)s(-1) for GDCP, and 5.86 mM(-1)s(-1) for GDCEP, respectively, at 3T. MRI contrast enhancement of both agents was studied in nude mice bearing MDA-BM-231 human breast carcinoma xenografts, on a Siemens Trio 3T scanner. The modified agents resulted in more significant contrast enhancement in the blood pool and tumor periphery than (Gd-DTPA)-cystamine copolymers (GDCC) and a low-molecular-weight control agent, Gd-(DTPA-BMA), at a dose of 0.1 mmol-Gd/kg. The results demonstrate that the structural modification of the biodegradable macromolecular Gd(III) complexes resulted in a relatively slow degradation of the macromolecules and significantly improved in vivo contrast enhancement. The modified agents show promise for use in investigations of blood pool and cancer by contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI.
• Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Retention of (Gd-DTPA)-cystamine Copolymers, a Biodegradable Macromolecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent Pharmaceutical Research. Apr, 2005  |   Pubmed ID: 15846467 To investigate the pharmacokinetics, long-term tissue retention of Gd(III) ions, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement of extracellular biodegradable macromolecular Gd(III) complexes, (Gd-DTPA)-cystamine copolymers (GDCC), of different molecular weights.
• PEG-g-poly(GdDTPA-co-L-cystine): Effect of PEG Chain Length on in Vivo Contrast Enhancement in MRI Biomacromolecules. Jul-Aug, 2005  |   Pubmed ID: 16004476 Biodegradable macromolecular Gd(III) complexes, Gd-DTPA cystine copolymers (GDCP), were grafted with PEG of different sizes to modify the physicochemical properties and in vivo MRI contrast enhancement of the agents and to study the effect of PEG chain length on these properties. Three new PEG-grafted biodegradable macromolecular gadolinium(III) complexes were synthesized and characterized as blood pool MRI contrast agents. One of three different lengths of MPEG-NH(2) (MW = 550, 1000, and 2000) was grafted to the backbone of GDCP to yield PEG(n)()-g-poly(GdDTPA-co-l-cystine), PEG(n)()-GDCP. The PEG chain length did not dramatically alter the T(1) relaxivity, r(1), of the modified agents. The MRI enhancement profile of PEG(n)()-GDCP with different PEG sizes was significantly different in mice with respect to both signal intensity and clearance profiles. PEG(2000)-GDCP showed more prominent enhancement in the blood pool for a longer period of time than either PEG(1000)-GDCP or PEG(550)-GDCP. In the kidney, PEG(2000)-GDCP had less enhancement at 2 min than PEG(1000)-GDCP, but both PEG(550)-GDCP and PEG(1000)-GDCP showed a more pronounced signal decay thereafter. The three agents behaved similarly in the liver, as compared to that in the heart. All three agents showed little enhancement in the muscle. Chemical grafting with PEG of different chain lengths is an effective approach to modify the physiochemistry and in vivo contrast enhancement dynamics of the biodegradable macromolecular contrast agents. The novel agents are promising for further clinical development for cardiovascular and cancer MR imaging.
• Colon-specific 9-aminocamptothecin-HPMA Copolymer Conjugates Containing a 1,6-elimination Spacer Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Jan, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 16290118 N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-9-aminocamptothecin (9-AC) conjugate for oral colon-specific drug delivery was designed, synthesized, and characterized. The drug, 9-AC, was attached to the polymer carrier via a spacer containing a combination of an aromatic azo bond and a 4-aminobenzylcarbamate group. The design of the spacer ensured a fast and highly efficient release of unmodified 9-AC from the polymer in the colon by azo bond cleavage followed by a 1,6-elimination mechanism. An in vitro degradation study indicated that this conjugate was stable in simulated upper GI tract conditions, including small intestine (SI) contents, SI mucosa suspension, and in PBS (pH 1.5 and 7.4). A fast release of the unmodified drug (85+/-10% of 9-AC in 12 h) was detected in rat cecal contents. This drug delivery system has potential in the treatment of colon cancer.
• Effect of Size and Charge on Pharmacokinetics and in Vivo MRI Contrast Enhancement of Biodegradable Polydisulfide Gd(III) Complexes Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. May, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 16631270 The purpose of this study is to investigate how the structures of polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes affect their pharmacokinetics and in vivo contrast enhancement as biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents. A negatively charged polydisulfide Gd(III) complex, (Gd-DTPA)-cystine copolymers (GDCP), and a neutral agent, (Gd-DTPA)-cystine diethyl ester copolymers (GDCEP), with different molecular weights were prepared and characterized. The MRI contrast enhancement of the agents was studied in mice. Neutral GDCEP showed more rapid degradation than negatively charged GDCP in the blood plasma. Consequently, GDCP resulted in more significant and prolonged contrast enhancement in the blood pool and liver than GDCEP. The size of GDCEP did not significantly affect its in vivo contrast enhancement due to rapid degradation and clearance from the blood circulation. The increase in the molecular weight of GDCP resulted in prolonged in vivo contrast enhancement in the blood pool. The structural modification of polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes resulted in biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents with different degradability and in vivo contrast enhancement.
• Gd-DTPA L-cystine Bisamide Copolymers As Novel Biodegradable Macromolecular Contrast Agents for MR Blood Pool Imaging Pharmaceutical Research. Jun, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 16729223 The purpose of this study was to synthesize biodegradable Gd-DTPA L-cystine bisamide copolymers (GCAC) as safe and effective, macromolecular contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to evaluate their biodegradability and efficacy in MR blood pool imaging in an animal model.
• Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution and Contrast Enhanced MR Blood Pool Imaging of Gd-DTPA Cystine Copolymers and Gd-DTPA Cystine Diethyl Ester Copolymers in a Rat Model Pharmaceutical Research. Aug, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 16850267 To investigate plasma pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of biodegradable polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes, Gd-DTPA cystine copolymers (GDCP) and Gd-DTPA cystine diethyl ester copolymers (GDCEP) and their efficacy as blood pool MRI contrast agents in comparison with a nondegradable macromolecular agent, Gd-DTPA 1,6-hexanediamine copolymers (GDHC).
• Contrast Enhanced MRI-guided Photodynamic Therapy for Site-specific Cancer Treatment Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Oct, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 16902981 Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive and effective approach for cancer treatment. It is potentially useful for treating tumors that are not accessible to surgery, radiation, or destructive ablations, and are resistant to chemotherapy. Efficacious treatment of interstitial tumors with PDT requires efficient delivery of photosensitizers and accurate location of tumor tissues for effective light irradiations. In this study we performed contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI-guided PDT with a bifunctional polymer conjugate containing both a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent and a photosensitizer, poly(L-glutamic acid) (PGA)-(Gd-DO3A)-mesochlorin e(6) (Mce(6)). The efficacy of the bifunctional conjugate in cancer CE-MRI and cancer treatment was evaluated in athymic nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma xenografts, with PGA-(Gd-DO3A) used as a control. The polymer conjugates preferentially accumulated in the solid tumor due to the hyperpermeability of the tumor vasculature, resulting in significant tumor enhancement for accurate tumor detection and localization by MRI. Significant therapeutic response was observed for PDT with the bifunctional conjugate as compared to the control. CE-MRI-guided PDT with the bifunctional conjugate is effective for tumor detection and minimally invasive cancer treatment.
• Biodegradable Cystamine Spacer Facilitates the Clearance of Gd(III) Chelates in Poly(glutamic Acid) Gd-DO3A Conjugates for Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Sep, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 16916710 Poly(L-glutamic acid) (PGA)-cystamine-[gadolinium (Gd)-DO3A] was prepared in high yield with a high Gd-DO3A conjugation efficiency. Approximately 55% of the carboxylic groups in PGA were loaded with Gd-DO3A via cystamine as the spacer. Cystamine can be readily cleaved by endogenous thiols to release the Gd(III) chelates from the conjugate facilitating Gd(III) excretion after the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The contrast-enhanced MRI with PGA-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) was investigated in mice bearing MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma xenografts. PGA-1,6-hexanediamine-(Gd-DO3A), a paramagnetic polymer conjugate of a nondegradable spacer, was used as a control. Both conjugates resulted in similar contrast enhancement in the heart, vasculature, liver and kidneys in the first hour post injection. More substantial signal intensity reduction was observed for PGA-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) in these organs than PGA-1,6-hexanediamine-(Gd-DO3A) due to release of the Gd chelates from PGA-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) after the cleavage of the disulfide spacer by the endogenous thiols. Both conjugates resulted in similar tumor enhancement with approximately 70% increased signal intensity in the tumor periphery and 10-40% increased signal intensity in tumor interstitium. No cross-reaction was observed between PGA-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) and human serum albumin, a plasma protein containing a cysteine residue. PGA-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) resulted in significantly lower Gd(III) tissue retention than PGA-1,6-hexanediamine-(Gd-DO3A) 10 days after the injection in the mice (P
• Noninvasive Visualization of in Vivo Drug Delivery of Poly(L-glutamic Acid) Using Contrast-enhanced MRI Molecular Pharmaceutics. Sep-Oct, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 17009849 Biomedical imaging is valuable for noninvasive investigation of in vivo drug delivery with polymer conjugates. It can provide real-time information on pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and drug delivery efficiency of the conjugates. Noninvasive visualization of in vivo drug delivery of polymer conjugates with contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was studied with paramagnetically labeled poly(L-glutamic acid) in an animal tumor model. Poly(L-glutamic acid) is a biocompatible and biodegradable drug carrier for diagnostics and therapeutics. Poly(L-glutamic acid)-1,6-hexanediamine--(Gd-DO3A) conjugates with molecular weights of 87, 50, and 28 kDa and narrow molecular weight distributions were prepared and studied in mice bearing MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer xenografts. Contrast-enhanced MRI resulted in real-time and three-dimensional visualization of blood circulation, pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and tumor accumulation of the conjugates, and the size effect on these pharmaceutics properties. The conjugate of 28 kDa rapidly cleared from the circulation and had a relatively lower tumor accumulation. The conjugates with higher molecular weights exhibited a more prolonged blood circulation and higher tumor accumulation. The difference between the conjugates of 87 and 50 kDa was not significant. Contrast-enhanced MRI is effective for noninvasive real-time visualization of in vivo drug delivery of paramagnetically labeled polymer conjugates.
• Contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography with Biodegradable (Gd-DTPA)-cystamine Copolymers: Comparison with MS-325 in a Swine Model Molecular Pharmaceutics. Sep-Oct, 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 17009855 The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of (Gd-DTPA)-cystamine copolymers (GDCC), a novel biodegradable intravascular polydisulfide-based macromolecular gadolinium(III) contrast agent, for first-pass and steady-state contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in a swine model. A breath-hold background-suppressed 3D MRA of the thorax was performed for first-pass imaging and repeated every 10 min after GDCC injection to monitor the tissue enhancement time course. A navigator-gated 3D MRA of the coronary arteries was performed during steady state following the first-pass imaging. Imaging with intravascular agent MS-325 approximately 1 h after GDCC injection was also included for comparison. Experimental results indicated that GDCC provided significant blood signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement, approximately 1633% for first-pass and 33% for steady-state contrast-enhanced MRA. Compared to MS-325, GDCC provided similar blood enhancement for first-pass and steady-state imaging but with a different tissue enhancement time course. The blood SNR enhancement half-time was 10 +/- 6 min for GDCC and 46 +/- 33 min for MS-325. GDCC provided less enhancement in the liver, bone growth plates, and muscle than MS-325.
• Polydisulfide Gd(III) Chelates As Biodegradable Macromolecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2006  |   Pubmed ID: 17722260 Macromolecular gadolinium (Gd)(III) complexes have a prolonged blood circulation time and can preferentially accumulate in solid tumors, depending on the tumor blood vessel hyperpermeability, resulting in superior contrast enhancement in magnetic resonance (MR) cardiovascular imaging and cancer imaging as shown in animal models. Unfortunately, safety concerns related to these agents' slow elimination from the body impede their clinical development. Polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes have been designed and developed as biodegradable macromolecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents to facilitate the clearance of Gd(III) complexes from the body after MRI examinations. These novel agents can act as macromolecular contrast agents for in vivo imaging and excrete rapidly as low-molecular-weight agents. The rationale and recent development of the novel biodegradable contrast agents are reviewed here. Polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes have relatively long blood circulation time and gradually degrade into small Gd(III) complexes, which are rapidly excreted via renal filtration. These agents result in effective and prolonged in vivo contrast enhancement in the blood pool and tumor tissue in animal models, yet demonstrate minimal Gd(III) tissue retention as the clinically used low-molecular-weight agents. Structural modification of the agents can readily alter the contrast-enhancement kinetics. Polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes are promising for further clinical development as safe, effective, biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents for cardiovascular and cancer imaging, and for evaluation of therapeutic response.
• Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetics of Colon-specific HPMA Copolymer--9-aminocamptothecin Conjugate in Mice Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Feb, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17150276 A water soluble N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-9-aminocamptothecin (9-AC) conjugate was designed for oral colon-specific drug delivery in the treatment of colon cancer. Comparative studies between the polymer conjugate and free drug have been performed to assess their biodistribution and pharmacokinetics in mice. After oral administration of equal doses of the polymer conjugate or free 9-AC, the drug concentrations in major organs at fixed time points were determined using an HPLC-fluorescence assay. Only 2+/-1% of 9-AC released from the polymer conjugate was detected in the small intestine (SI), and the mean peak concentration of free 9-AC was 45-fold higher than that from released drug. Colon-specific release of 9-AC produced high local concentrations. The mean peak concentration of released 9-AC in cecal contents, feces, cecal tissue, and colon tissue were, respectively, 3.2-fold, 3.5-fold, 2.2-fold and 1.6-fold higher than that using free 9-AC. In plasma, the high and sharp drug concentration profile from free drug was in contrast to the relatively low and flat pharmacokinetic profile obtained from drug released from the HPMA copolymer. There was no significant difference between released and free drug for the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and bioavailability values. As a consequence of the colon-specific release of unmodified 9-AC from the polymer conjugate, antitumor efficacy can be anticipated to be enhanced due to prolonged colon tumor exposure to higher and more localized drug concentrations.
• Gadolinium(III)-based Blood-pool Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Status and Clinical Potential Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery. Mar, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17335412 Blood-pool MRI contrast agents have enormous potential to aid sensitive magnetic resonance detection and yield definitive diagnostic data of cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system. Many attempts have been initiated to design macromolecular gadolinium (Gd[III]) complexes as magnetic resonance imaging blood-pool contrast agents, as macromolecules do not readily diffuse across healthy vascular endothelium, and remain intravascular. Although extremely efficacious in detecting and characterizing pathologic tissue, clinical development of these agents has been limited by potential toxicity concerns from incomplete Gd(III) clearance. Recent innovative technologies, such as reversible protein-binding contrast agents and biodegradable macromolecular contrast agents, may be valuable alternatives that combine the effective imaging characteristics of an intravascular contrast agent and the safety of clinically approved low-molecular-weight Gd(III) chelates.
• Application of Biomedical Imaging in Drug Discovery and Development Pharmaceutical Research. Jun, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17380256
• Noninvasive Visualization of Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution and Tumor Targeting of Poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] in Mice Using Contrast Enhanced MRI Pharmaceutical Research. Jun, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17387601 To study a non-invasive method of using contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize the real-time pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and tumor accumulation of paramagnetically labeled poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] (PHPMA) copolymer conjugates with different molecular weights and spacers in tumor-bearing mice.
• A Novel Environment-sensitive Biodegradable Polydisulfide with Protonatable Pendants for Nucleic Acid Delivery Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Jul, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17582638 Clinical application of nucleic acid-based therapies is limited by the lack of safe and efficient delivery systems. The purpose of this study is to design and evaluate novel biodegradable polymeric carriers sensitive to environmental changes for efficient delivery of nucleic acids, including plasmid DNA and siRNA. A novel polydisulfide with protonatable pendants was synthesized by the oxidative polymerization of a dithiol monomer, which was readily prepared by solid phase chemistry. The polydisulfide exhibited good buffering capacity and low cytotoxicity. It formed stable complexes with both plasmid DNA and siRNA. The particle sizes of the complexes decreased with the increase of the N/P ratios in the range of 100 to 750 nm. The complexes were stable in the presence of salt and heparin under normal physiological conditions, but dissociated to release nucleic acids in a reductive environment similar to cytoplasm. The polydisulfide demonstrated N/P ratio dependent transfection efficiency for plasmid DNA and gene silencing efficiency for siRNA. The presence of an endosomal disrupting agent, chloroquine, did not affect the DNA transfection efficiency of the polydisulfide. The transfection or gene silencing efficiency of the polydisulfide/DNA or siRNA complexes was comparable to or slightly lower than that of corresponding PEI complexes. Moreover, the polydisulfide showed better serum-friendly feature than PEI when delivering either DNA or siRNA in the presence of 10% FBS. This novel polydisulfide is a promising lead for further design and development of safe and efficient delivery systems for nucleic acids.
• Modification of Gd-DTPA Cystine Copolymers with PEG-1000 Optimizes Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Retention for Magnetic Resonance Angiography Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Jul, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17659618 The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of PEGylation of novel biodegradable macromolecular polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes, gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (GdDTPA) cystine copolymers (GDCP), on their pharmacokinetics and long-term Gd(III) tissue retention, and to demonstrate the potential application of PEGylated GDCP (PEG-GDCP) for MR angiography (MRA). The pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and metabolic excretion of PEG(1000)-GDCP (42.1-52.1 kDa; PEG: MW = 1000 Da) with three different PEG grafting degrees and GDCP (43.3 kDa) were investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. Pharmacokinetic data were analyzed by means of an open two-compartment model. Initially all three PEG(1000)-GDCP contrast agents (CAs) had a higher plasma concentration than GDCP, but after 30 min the Gd(III) concentration from the PEGylated agents rapidly decreased, resulting in significantly lower elimination half-life values. All of the biodegradable macromolecular CAs demonstrated low long-term Gd(III) tissue accumulation, while PEG(1000)-GDCP had significantly lower accumulation in the liver than GDCP. In the rats, all CAs showed excellent vascular contrast enhancement in an MRA protocol with a long image acquisition time. Because PEG(1000)-GDCP remained intravascular for an acceptable period for effective contrast-enhanced (CE)-MRA, and then excreted rapidly from the vasculature with minimal tissue retention, PEG(1000)-GDCP shows a great promise as a blood-pool CA for MRA.
• Polymer Platforms for Drug Delivery and Biomedical Imaging Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Oct, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17662500 Biocompatible synthetic polymers have demonstrated advantageous pharmacokinetic properties as compared to small molecular agents. Incorporation of low molecular weight therapeutics and imaging agents into biocompatible polymers can optimize their pharmacokinetic properties with improved efficacy of therapy and diagnostic imaging, respectively. We have applied the concept of drug delivery to design safe and effective contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and used biomedical imaging in non-invasive evaluation of drug delivery and image-guided therapy. We summarize here the recent progress in our research on biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents, non-invasive visualization of in vivo drug delivery of polymeric conjugates with contrast enhanced MRI, and contrast enhanced MRI guided photodynamic therapy. The preliminary results have shown that biocompatible polymers can be used as an effective platform for drug delivery and biomedical imaging. Safe and effective imaging agents can be designed by using the concept of polymeric drug delivery. Biomedical imaging can be used as a non-invasive method for the evaluation of in vivo drug delivery of polymeric drug delivery systems. The combination of drug delivery and biomedical imaging can result in image-guided therapies, which include tumor detection, therapy and non-invasive evaluation of therapeutic responses.
• Synthesis, Characterization, and Gene Delivery of Poly-L-lysine Octa(3-aminopropyl)silsesquioxane Dendrimers: Nanoglobular Drug Carriers with Precisely Defined Molecular Architectures Molecular Pharmaceutics. Sep-Oct, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17705440 Macromolecules with defined nanosizes--nanoglobules--were synthesized and characterized as novel drug carriers with precise molecular architectures. Poly-L-lysine dendrimers with a cubic octa(3-aminopropyl)silsesquioxane (OAS) core, (L-lysine 8-OAS, (L-lysine) 16-(L-lysine) 8-OAS, (L-lysine) 32-(L-lysine) 16-(L-lysine) 8-OAS, and (L-lysine) 64-(L-lysine) 32-(L-lysine) 16-(L-lysine) 8-OAS, were divergently synthesized by solution phase peptide chemistry in good yield and purity. Matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry showed complete substitution of the surface amino groups of lower generation dendrimers during synthesis, as well as precisely defined molecular architectures of the nanoglobules. The structures of the nanoglobules were further characterized by (1)H- and (13)C-NMR and 2D-NMR (correlation spectroscopy (COSY) and pulsed-field-gradient heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation (gHMQC)) spectroscopy. The (1)H-NMR spectroscopy revealed that the nanoglobules had a relatively rigid molecular architecture. Cytotoxicity studies showed that these nanoglobules exhibited a size-dependent toxicity, but it was much lower than that of linear poly-L-lysine. Preliminary in vitro nucleic acid delivery studies have shown that these globular dendrimers can efficiently deliver plasmid DNA to MDA-MB-231 cells. These nanoglobules hold much promise as safe drug carriers with precisely defined molecular architecture.
• In Vivo Evaluation of a PAMAM-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) Conjugate As a Biodegradable Macromolecular MRI Contrast Agent Experimental Biology and Medicine (Maywood, N.J.). Sep, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17720954 Macromolecular Gd(III) chelates are superior magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for blood pool and tumor imaging. However, their clinical development is limited by the safety concerns related to the slow excretion and long-term gadolinium tissue accumulation. A generation 6 PAMAM Gd(III) chelate conjugate with a cleavable disulfide spacer, PAMAM-G6-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A), was prepared as a biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agent with rapid excretion from the body. T(1) and T(2) relaxivities of the contrast agent were 11.6 and 13.3 mM(-1)sec(-1) at 3T, respectively. Blood pool and tumor contrast enhancement of the agent were evaluated in female nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma xenografts with a nondegradable conjugate PAMAM-G6-(Gd-DO3A) as a control. PAMAM-G6-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) resulted in significant contrast enhancement in the blood for about 5 mins, and Gd-DO3A was released from the conjugate and rapidly excreted via renal filtration after the disulfide spacer was cleaved. The nondegradable control had much longer blood circulation and excreted more slowly from the body. PAMAM-G6-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) also resulted in more prominent tumor contrast enhancement than the control. However, PAMAM-G6-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) demonstrated high toxicity due to the intrinsic toxicity of PAMAM dendrimers. In conclusion, although PAMAM-G6-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) showed some advantages compared with the nondegradable control, PAMAM dendrimers are not suitable carriers for biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents, due to their high toxicity.
• RGD Targeted Poly(L-glutamic Acid)-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) Conjugate for Detecting Angiogenesis Biomarker Alpha(v) Beta3 Integrin with MRT, Mapping International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17722547 Cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe-Lys [c(RGDfK)] targeted poly(L-glutamic acid) (PGA)-(Gd-DO3A) conjugate with a biodegradable cystamine spacer was prepared and evaluated for in vivo detection of an angiogenesis biomarker, alpha(v)beta3 integrin, in neoplastic tissues with T1 mapping, a quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique. The binding activity of the c(RGDfK) containing conjugate was investigated using in vitro vitronectin assay with human prostate carcinoma DU145 cell line and Kaposi's sarcoma SLK cell line. The peptide c(RGDfK) and PGA-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) conjugate were used as controls. The binding affinity of polymer bound c(RGDfK) was slightly lower than free c(RGDfK) peptide. The RGD targeted conjugate had higher binding affinity to the DU145 cells than the SLK cells, which was consistent to free c(RGDfK). The imaging of alpha(v)beta3 integrin with targeted PGA-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) was evaluated in nude mice bearing DU145 and SLK xenografts at a dose of 5 micromol-Gd/kg. The targeted conjugate demonstrated higher in vivo binding affinity to the DU145 xenografts than the SLK xenografts, resulting in a significant decrease of T1 values of water protons in the periphery of the DU145 tumors as shown in the MR T1 maps. No significant decrease of T1 values was observed in the SLK tumor with the targeted conjugate and in both tumors with the non-targeted conjugate. The targeted polymeric Gd(III) chelate conjugate with a degradable spacer has the potential to be a new paradigm for safe and effective probes in molecular imaging with quantitative MR T1 mapping.
• Conjugation of Poorly Absorptive Drugs with Mucoadhesive Polymers for the Improvement of Oral Absorption of Drugs Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Nov, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17888541 Mucoadhesive poly(vinylamine) conjugates for improving oral absorption of alendronic acid were designed and prepared. Alendronic acid was conjugated via spacers containing brush border peptidase-susceptible amino acid residues. Alanylalendronic acid and alanylprolylalendronic acid were synthesized as expected substrates against brush border aminopeptidase N and dipeptidyl peptidase IV, respectively. In vitro release profiles of alendronic acid from them during incubation with luminal contents and brush border membrane vehicles of the rat's intestine were examined. The studies indicated that alanylproline was a useful peptide spacer for local release of alendronic acid in brush border membranes. We subsequently designed and prepared poly(vinylamine)-alendronic acid conjugates with succinoylglycylglycylphenylalanylalanylproline spacers, in consideration of steric hindrance of polymer chains on cleavability of the spacers and the substrate specificity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV. Oral absorption of alendronic acid after administration of the conjugates was compared with that of free alendronic acid in rats. Conjugation successfully resulted in a 2.5-fold increase in the oral absorption with statistical significance. This novel approach has a potential to improve oral absorption of drugs with poorly absorptive properties caused by low membrane permeability.
• Novel Polymerizable Surfactants with PH-sensitive Amphiphilicity and Cell Membrane Disruption for Efficient SiRNA Delivery Bioconjugate Chemistry. Nov-Dec, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 17939730 Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising new therapeutic modality that can specifically silence disease-related genes. The main challenge for successful clinical development of therapeutic siRNA is the lack of efficient delivery systems. In this study, we have designed and synthesized a small library of novel multifunctional siRNA carriers, polymerizable surfactants with pH-sensitive amphiphilicity based on the hypothesis that pH-sensitive amphiphilicity and environmentally sensitive siRNA release can result in efficient siRNA delivery. The polymerizable surfactants comprise a protonatable amino head group, two cysteine residues, and two lipophilic tails. The surfactants demonstrated pH-sensitive amphiphilic hemolytic activity or cell membrane disruption with rat red blood cells. Most of the surfactants resulted in low hemolysis at pH 7.4 and high hemolysis at reduced pH (6.5 and 5.4). The pH-sensitive cell membrane disruption can facilitate endosomal-lysosomal escape of siRNA delivery systems at the endosomal-lysosomal pH. The surfactants formed compact nanoparticles (160-260 nm) with siRNA at N/P ratios of 8 and 10 via charge complexation with the amino head group, lipophilic condensation, and autoxidative polymerization of dithiols. The siRNA complexes with the surfactants demonstrated low cytotoxicity. The cellular siRNA delivery efficiency and RNAi activity of the surfactants correlated well with their pH-sensitive amphiphilic cell membrane disruption. The surfactants mediated 40-88% silencing of luciferase expression with 100 nM siRNA and 35-75% with 20 nM siRNA in U87-luc cells. Some of the surfactants resulted in similar or higher gene silencing efficiency than TransFast. EHCO with no hemolytic activity at pH 7.4 and 6.5 and high hemolytic activity at pH 5.4 resulted in the best siRNA delivery efficiency. The polymerizable surfactants with pH-sensitive amphiphilicity are promising for efficient siRNA delivery.
• [Determination of the Lung Function by Impulse Oscillometry in 549 Healthy Children in Chengdu Area] Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi. Chinese Journal of Pediatrics. Oct, 2007  |   Pubmed ID: 18211755 Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a new method for determination of breathing mechanics, which features convenient operation, good repeatability and wider range analysis. As there is no standardized normal value in China at present, this study will provide a normal value of lung function determination by impulse oscillometry for children in Chengdu area.
• A Multifunctional and Reversibly Polymerizable Carrier for Efficient SiRNA Delivery Biomaterials. Jan, 2008  |   Pubmed ID: 17923154 In this study a multifunctional carrier (MFC), 1,4,7-triazanonylimino-bis[N-(oleicyl-cysteinyl-histinyl)-1-aminoethyl)propionamide] (THCO), containing protonatable amines of different pK(a)s, polymerizable cysteine residues and hydrophobic groups, was designed, synthesized and evaluated for efficient small interfering RNAs (siRNA) delivery. THCO showed pH-sensitive cellular membrane disruption at the endosomal-lysosomal pH to facilitate intracellular siRNA delivery. THCO formed stable and compact nanoparticles with siRNA through charge complexation, hydrophobic condensation and reversible polymerization. The THCO/siRNA nanoparticles were readily modified with PEG-Mal by reacting with remaining thiol groups at the surface. The siRNA delivery efficiency of THCO was comparable to that of Transfast, much higher than that of N-(2,3-dioleoyloxy-1-propyl)trimethylammonium methyl sulphate (DOTAP) in serum-free medium. PEGylated THCO/siRNA nanoparticles resulted in higher transfection efficiency than those of Transfast and DOTAP in the presence of serum. This study demonstrated that the MFC-THCO is promising for efficient siRNA delivery.
• Gadolinium-conjugated TiO2-DNA Oligonucleotide Nanoconjugates Show Prolonged Intracellular Retention Period and T1-weighted Contrast Enhancement in Magnetic Resonance Images Nanomedicine : Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine. Sep, 2008  |   Pubmed ID: 18567541 Nanoconjugates composed of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, DNA oligonucleotides, and a gadolinium (Gd) contrast agent were synthesized for use in magnetic resonance imaging. Transfection of cultured cancer cells with these nanoconjugates showed them to be superior to the free contrast agent of the same formulation with regard to intracellular accumulation, retention, and subcellular localization. Our results have shown that 48 hours after treatment, the concentration of Gd in nanoconjugate-treated cells was 1000-fold higher than in cells treated with contrast agent alone. Consequently, T1-weighted contrast enhancements were observed in cells treated with nanoconjugates but not in cells treated by the contrast agent alone. This type of nanoconjugate with increased retention time, Gd accumulation, and intracellular delivery may find its use in Gd neutron-capture cancer therapy.
• Contrast-enhanced MRI-guided Photodynamic Cancer Therapy with a Pegylated Bifunctional Polymer Conjugate Pharmaceutical Research. Sep, 2008  |   Pubmed ID: 18584312 To study contrast-enhanced MRI guided photodynamic therapy with a pegylated bifunctional polymer conjugate containing an MRI contrast agent and a photosensitizer for minimally invasive image-guided cancer treatment.
• Synthesis and Evaluation of Globular Gd-DOTA-monoamide Conjugates with Precisely Controlled Nanosizes for Magnetic Resonance Angiography Biomacromolecules. Oct, 2008  |   Pubmed ID: 18771313 The purpose of this study was to design and prepare macromolecular contrast agents (CAs) with a precisely defined globular structure for MR angiography and tumor angiogenesis imaging. Generations 1 through 3 (Gd-DOTA-monoamide)-poly-L-lysine octasilsesquioxane dendrimers were prepared as nanoglobular MRI CAs. The nanoglobular Gd(III) chelates had a well-defined compact globular structure and high loading of Gd-DOTA-monoamide at their surface. The size of the G1, G2, and G3 nanoglobular MRI CAs was approximately 2.0, 2.4, and 3.2 nm, respectively. The T1 relaxivity of G1, G2, and G3 nanoglobular MRI CAs was approximately 6.4, 7.2, and 10.0 mM(-1) sec(-1) at 3T, respectively. The nanoglobular MRI CAs showed size-dependent contrast enhancement within the mouse vasculature, which gradually decayed to baseline after a 60 min session. The G3 nanoglobular CA resulted in more significant and prolonged vascular enhancement than the smaller nanoglobular agents at 0.03 mmol Gd/kg. The G3 agent also provided significant and prolonged contrast enhancement in the heart and vasculature at a dose as low as 0.01 mmol Gd/kg, 1/10th of the regular clinical dose. Significant enhancement was observed in tumor for all CAs. The nanoglobular CAs cleared via renal filtration and accumulated in the urinary bladder as shown in the dynamic MR images. The nanoglobular Gd(III) chelates are effective intravascular MRI CAs at substantially reduced doses. The nanoglobular MRI CAs are promising for further preclinical development for MR angiography and MR imaging of tumor angiogenesis.
• Characterization of Tumor Angiogenesis with Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI and Biodegradable Macromolecular Contrast Agents in Mice Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Dec, 2008  |   Pubmed ID: 19025902 The efficacy of polydisulfide-based biodegradable macromolecular contrast agents for characterizing tumor angiogenesis was investigated in a mouse model using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). Biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents, gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) cystamine copolymers (GDCC), and Gd-DTPA cystine copolymers (GDCP), with molecular weights of 20 and 70 kDa were used in the study. Gadodiamide (Gd [DTPA-BMA]) and albumin labeled with Gd-DTPA [albumin-(Gd-DTPA)] were used as the controls. The DCE-MRI studies were performed in nude mice bearing prostate tumor xenografts from the MDA-PCa-2b cell line. Tumor angiogenic kinetic parameters, including endothelial transfer coefficient (K(PS)), fractional tumor plasma volume (f(PV)), and permeability surface area product (PS), were estimated from the DCE-MRI data using a two-compartment model. The K(PS) and f(PV) values estimated by the biodegradable macromolecular contrast agents were between those estimated by Gd(DTPA-BMA) and albumin-(Gd-DTPA). The parameters estimated by the agent with a slow degradation rate and high molecular weight, GDCP-70 (K(PS) = 2.09 +/- 0.50 ml/min/100 cc and f(PV) = 0.075 +/- 0.021), were closer to those by albumin-(Gd-DTPA) (K(PS) = 1.43 +/- 0.64 ml/min/100 cc and f(PV) = 0.044 +/- 0.007) than by other agents with relatively low molecular weight or rapid degradation rate. The polydisulfide-based biodegradable macromolecular contrast agents are promising for characterizing tumor vascularity and angiogenesis with DCE-MRI.
• A Peptide Targeted Contrast Agent Specific to Fibrin-fibronectin Complexes for Cancer Molecular Imaging with MRI Bioconjugate Chemistry. Dec, 2008  |   Pubmed ID: 19053180 A peptide targeted contrast agent, CLT1-(Gd-DTPA), was synthesized for molecular imaging of fibronectin-fibrin complexes in tumor tissue with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The T(1) and T(2) relaxivities of CLT1-(Gd-DTPA) were 4.22 and 4.45 mM(-1) s(-1) at 3 T, respectively. The targeted contrast agent specifically bound to tumor tissue and resulted in significant tumor contrast enhancement at a dose of 0.1 mmol Gd/kg for at least 60 min in mice bearing HT-29 human colon carcinoma xenografts as shown in dynamic MR images. In contrast, a control nontargeted contrast agent, Gd(DTPA-BMA), was cleared rapidly with little tumor enhancement 60 min postinjection. Tumor enhancement with CLT1-(Gd-DTPA) was significantly reduced after coinjection with a 3-fold excess of free CLT1 peptide. The preliminary study has shown that CLT1-(Gd-DTPA) can specifically bind to the fibrin-fibronectin complexes in tumor tissues, resulting in significant tumor enhancement. The targeted contrast agent has a potential for cancer molecular imaging with MRI.
• Structural Effect on Degradability and in Vivo Contrast Enhancement of Polydisulfide Gd(III) Complexes As Biodegradable Macromolecular MRI Contrast Agents Magnetic Resonance Imaging. May, 2009  |   Pubmed ID: 18814987 The structural effect of biodegradable macromolecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, polydisulfide gadolinium (Gd)(III) chelates, on their in vitro degradability, and cardiovascular and tumor imaging were evaluated in mice. Polydisulfide Gd(III) chelates, Gd-DTPA cystamine copolymers (GDCC), Gd-DTPA l-cystine copolymers (GDCP), Gd-DTPA d-cystine copolymers (dGDCP) and Gd-DTPA glutathione (oxidized) copolymers (GDGP), with different sizes and narrow molecular weight distribution were prepared and evaluated both in vitro and in vivo in mice bearing MDA-MB-231 tumor xenografts. GDGP with large steric hindrance around the disulfide bonds had greater T(1) and T(2) relaxivities than GDCC, GDCP and dGDCP. The degradability of the polydisulfide by the endogenous thiols decreased with increasing steric effects around the disulfide bonds in the order of GDCC>GDCP, dGDCP>GDGP. The size and degradability of the contrast agents had a significant impact on vascular contrast enhancement kinetics. The agents with a large size and low degradability resulted in more prolonged vascular enhancement than the agents with a small size and high degradability. It seems that the size and degradability of the agents did not significantly affect tumor enhancement. All agents resulted in significant contrast enhancement in tumor tissue. This study has demonstrated that the vascular enhancement kinetics of the polydisulfide MRI contrast agents can be controlled by their sizes and structures. The polydisulfide Gd(III) chelates are promising biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents for magnetic resonance angiography and cancer imaging.
• A Peptide-targeted Delivery System with PH-sensitive Amphiphilic Cell Membrane Disruption for Efficient Receptor-mediated SiRNA Delivery Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Mar, 2009  |   Pubmed ID: 19135104 The efficient delivery of therapeutic siRNA into cells of interest is a critical challenge to broad application of RNAi. In this study, we developed a peptide-targeted delivery system for highly efficient receptor-mediated cellular siRNA delivery. The targeted delivery system was readily prepared by in situ functionalization of a polymerizable pH-sensitive amphiphilic surfactant, N-(1-aminoethyl)iminobis[N-(oleicyl-cysteinyl-histinyl-1-aminoethyl)propionamide] (EHCO) and self-assembly with siRNA. The intrinsic pH-sensitive amphiphilicity of EHCO at pH 5-6 was able to induce cell membrane disruption at endosomal pH and facilitate endosomal escape of the siRNA nanoparticles after internalization. The siRNA/EHCO nanoparticles and PEGylated siRNA/EHCO nanoparticles were not cytotoxic as compared to PEI/siRNA or TransFast/siRNA nanoparticles. siRNA/EHCO nanoparticles resulted in higher siRNA delivery efficiency than PEI and TransFast. The PEGylation of the siRNA/EHCO nanoparticles significantly reduced non-specific cell uptake. The incorporation of a bombesin peptide via a PEG spacer resulted in specific cellular uptake and high gene silencing efficiency in CHO-d1EGFP cells with overexpression of bombesin receptors. Receptor-mediated endocytosis and pH-sensitive amphiphilic endosomal escape are the advantageous features of the targeted siRNA delivery system for highly efficient cell-specific siRNA delivery. This novel targeted delivery system holds a great promise for systemic and targeted delivery of therapeutic siRNA.
• Targeted Systemic Delivery of a Therapeutic SiRNA with a Multifunctional Carrier Controls Tumor Proliferation in Mice Molecular Pharmaceutics. May-Jun, 2009  |   Pubmed ID: 19296675 In this study, novel peptide-targeted delivery systems were developed for systemic and targeted delivery of therapeutic siRNA based on a multifunctional carrier, (1-aminoethyl)iminobis[N-(oleicylcysteinylhistinyl-1-aminoethyl)propionamide] (EHCO), which showed pH-sensitive amphiphilic cell membrane disruption. EHCO formed stable nanoparticles with siRNA. Targeted siRNA delivery systems were readily formed by surface modification of the nanoparticles. PEGylation of the siRNA/EHCO nanoparticles significantly reduced nonspecific cell uptake. The incorporation of a bombesin peptide or RGD peptide via a PEG spacer resulted in receptor-mediated cellular uptake and high gene silencing efficiency in U87 cells. Fluorescence confocal microscopic studies demonstrated that EHCO/siRNA nanoparticles and PEG modified EHCO/siRNA nanoparticles were able to facilitate endosomal escape of the siRNA delivery systems. Systemic administration of a therapeutic anti-HIF-1alpha siRNA with the peptide-targeted delivery systems resulted in significant tumor growth inhibition than a nontargeted delivery system or free siRNA via intravenous injection in nude mice bearing human glioma U87 xenografts. The results indicate a great promise of the multifunctional carrier EHCO for systemic and targeted delivery of therapeutic siRNA to treat human diseases with RNAi.
• Targeted Intracellular Codelivery of Chemotherapeutics and Nucleic Acid with a Well-defined Dendrimer-based Nanoglobular Carrier Biomaterials. Oct, 2009  |   Pubmed ID: 19595449 Codelivery of different therapeutics has a potential to efficaciously treat human diseases via their synergetic effects. We have recently developed a new class dendrimers, poly(l-lysine) dendrimers with a silsesquioxane cubic core (nanoglobules). These dendrimers have compact globular and well-defined structures and highly functionalized surfaces, and can be used as versatile carriers for biomedical applications. In this study, a generation-3 (G3) nanoglobular dendrimer was used to conjugate a peptide c(RGDfK) with a PEG spacer for codelivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and siRNA. Doxorubicin (DOX) was coupled to the RGD targeted nanoglobule via a degradable disulfide spacer to give G3-[PEG-RGD]-[DOX]. G3-[PEG-RGD]-[DOX] showed higher cytotoxicity than free DOX at high doses in glioblastoma U87 cells. G3-[PEG-RGD]-[DOX] was further complexed with siRNA and such complexes were readily internalized by U87 cells as shown by confocal microscopy. The siRNA complexes of the targeted conjugate resulted in significantly higher gene silencing efficiency in U87-Luc cells than those of control conjugates G3-[PEG-RGD] and G3-[DOX]. The nanoglobules are promising carriers for the codelivery of nucleic acids and chemotherapeutic agents.
• Tumor Characterization with Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Biodegradable Macromolecular Contrast Agents in Mice Pharmaceutical Research. Sep, 2009  |   Pubmed ID: 19597972 To investigate the efficacy of polydisulfide-based biodegradable macromolecular contrast agents of different degradability and molecular weight for tumor characterization based on angiogenesis using dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI).
• Application of a Biodegradable Macromolecular Contrast Agent in Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI for Assessing the Efficacy of Indocyanine Green-enhanced Photothermal Cancer Therapy Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI. Aug, 2009  |   Pubmed ID: 19629979 To investigate the effectiveness of a polydisulfide-based biodegradable macromolecular contrast agent, (Gd-DTPA)-cystamine copolymers (GDCC), in assessing the efficacy of indocyanine green-enhanced photothermal cancer therapy using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI).
• Rapid Simultaneous Acquisition of T1 and T2 Mapping Images Using Multishot Double Spin-echo EPI and Automated Variations of TR and TE (ms-DSEPI-T12) NMR in Biomedicine. Jan, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 19777499 A rapid method of simultaneous T(1) and T(2) measurement is presented which uses a segmented echo-planar readout with varying repetition times (TR) and echo times (TE). This method is useful in T(1) mapping for analysis of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), where T(1) can be used to estimate contrast agent concentration. In the application of this method to dynamic imaging, the equilibrium magnetization is measured on pre-contrast images and incorporated into post-contrast T(1) calculations for improved accuracy. Simultaneous T(2) measurement allows correction of T(2) effects in the T(1) map which may occur at high contrast agent concentrations, and is performed without significant imaging time penalty. Phantom and in vivo results show the usefulness of this technique for analysis of contrast enhancement kinetics. Accurate rapid contrast agent concentration measurement may be useful for analyzing the distribution and kinetics of contrast agents or labeled pharmaceuticals.
• Noninvasive Evaluation of Antiangiogenic Effect in a Mouse Tumor Model by DCE-MRI with Gd-DTPA Cystamine Copolymers Molecular Pharmaceutics. Feb, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 19958031 The efficacy of polydisulfide-based biodegradable macromolecular Gd(III) complexes, Gd-DTPA cystamine copolymers (GDCC), for assessing tumor microvascular characteristics and monitoring antiangiogenesis therapy was investigated in a mouse model using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). The mice bearing human colon tumor xenografts were intraperitoneally injected with an antiangiogenesis agent Avastin three times in a week at a dose of 200 mug/mouse. DCE-MRI with GDCC of 40 kDa (GDCC-40) was performed before and at 36 h after the first treatment with Avastin and at the end of treatment (7 days). Gd(DTPA-BMA) was used as a low molecular weight control. The tumor vascular parameters, endothelial transfer coefficient K(trans) and factional plasma volume f(PV), were calculated from the DCE-MRI data with a two-compartment model. The K(trans) and f(PV) in tumor periphery estimated by DCE-MRI with GDCC-40 before and after the antiangiogenesis treatment correlated well to tumor growth before and after the treatment in the tumor model. In contrast, the parameters estimated by Gd(DTPA-BMA) did not show significant correlation to the therapeutic efficacy. This study demonstrates that DCE-MRI with the biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agent can provide effective assessment of the antiangiogenic efficacy of Avastin in the animal tumor model based on measured vascular parameters in tumor periphery.
• Molecular Imaging of HPMA Copolymers: Visualizing Drug Delivery in Cell, Mouse and Man Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. Feb, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 20060431 N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers and their drug conjugates are some of the most intensively investigated drug delivery systems for over 30years. Some of the HPMA copolymer drug conjugates have entered clinical trials. Various molecular imaging technologies have been used to investigate the mechanism of drug delivery with HPMA copolymers. Fluorescence imaging has been used for the study of the process of intracellular drug delivery, including cell binding, subcellular trafficking and intracellular fate, of HPMA copolymers and drug conjugates. Magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear medicine, including gamma-scintigraphy, SPECT and PET, have been used for the non-invasive visualization of pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and drug targeting efficiency of HPMA copolymers in animal models. gamma-Scintigraphy has been used to study HPMA copolymer drug conjugates in human patients. The application of imaging technologies in the study of HPMA copolymers and properties of the copolymers demonstrated by imaging is summarized in this review.
• Peptide-targeted Nanoglobular Gd-DOTA Monoamide Conjugates for Magnetic Resonance Cancer Molecular Imaging Biomacromolecules. Mar, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 20131758 Effective imaging of a cancer molecular biomarker is critical for accurate cancer diagnosis and prognosis. CLT1 peptide was observed to specifically bind to the fibrin-fibronectin complexes presented in tumor extracellular matrix. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated CLT1 peptide-targeted nanoglobular Gd-DOTA monoamide conjugates for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the fibrin-fibronectin complexes in tumor. The targeted nanoglobular contrast agents were prepared by conjugating peptide CLT1 to G2 and G3 nanoglobule (lysine dendrimers with a cubic silsesquioxane core) Gd-DOTA monoamide conjugates via click chemistry. The T(1) relaxivities of peptide-targeted G2 and G3 nanoglobules were 7.92 and 8.20 mM(-1) s(-1) at 3T, respectively. Approximately 2 peptides and 25 Gd-DOTA chelates were conjugated onto the surface of 32 amine groups of G2 nanoglobule, and 3 peptides and 43 Gd-DOTA chelates onto the surface of 64 amine groups of G3 nanoglobule. The peptide-targeted nanoglobular contrast agents showed greater contrast enhancement than the corresponding nontargeted agents in tumor at a dose of 0.03 mmol-Gd/kg in female athymic mice bearing MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma xenografts. The targeted MRI contrast agents have a potential for specific cancer molecular imaging with MRI.
• Stability and Biodistribution of a Biodegradable Macromolecular MRI Contrast Agent Gd-DTPA Cystamine Copolymers (GDCC) in Rats Pharmaceutical Research. Jul, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 20393871 The aim of this study was to evaluate stability and Gd tissue distribution of a biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agent, GDCC.
• An Effective Targeted Nanoglobular Manganese(II) Chelate Conjugate for Magnetic Resonance Molecular Imaging of Tumor Extracellular Matrix Molecular Pharmaceutics. Aug, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 20481565 Stable manganese(II) chelates are of great interest for the design and development of safe and effective non-gadolinium(III)-based targeted MRI contrast agents for MR cancer molecular imaging. In this study, a CLT1 peptide targeted G3 nanoglobular Mn(II)-DOTA monoamide conjugate was designed and synthesized as a targeted MRI contrast agent for molecular imaging of the fibrin-fibronectin complexes or oncofetal fibronectin in tumor stroma. The targeted contrast agent comprised 2 peptides and 42 Mn(II)-DOTA chelates on the surface of the G3 nanoglobule. The T(1) and T(2) relaxivities of the targeted agent at room temperature were 3.13 and 8.74 mM(-1) s(-1) per Mn(II) chelate at 3 T (tesla), respectively. It had a well-defined nanosize (5.2 nm) and could be readily excreted via renal filtration. The targeted nanoglobular contrast agent specifically bound to tumor tissue, resulting in significant tumor contrast enhancement with minimal nonspecific enhancement in the liver of tumor bearing mice as compared to a nontargeted control at a dose as low as 0.03 mmol-Mn/kg. The targeted G3 nanoglobular Mn(II)-DOTA conjugate is promising as a targeted non-gadolinium(III)-based MRI contrast agent for MR cancer molecular imaging.
• [Findings of Electric Bronchoscopy in 67 Children with Recurrent Wheezing] Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi = Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics. Jun, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 20540854 To investigate the common causes of recurrent wheezing in young children.
• New Amphiphilic Carriers Forming PH-sensitive Nanoparticles for Nucleic Acid Delivery Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids. Sep, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 20672851 Amphiphilic lipids are promising for efficient intracellular delivery of nucleic acids. In this study, two new amphiphilic carriers, EKHCO and EHHKCO, were designed and synthesized as multifunctional carriers for efficient intracellular delivery of nucleic acids. The critical micelle concentrations of EKHCO and EHHKCO were 9.50 and 6.87 microM, respectively. Dynamic light scattering showed that the surfactants complexed with plasmid DNA and siRNA to form stable nanoparticles at the concentrations below their critical micelle concentrations. The nanoparticles of the surfactants with pDNA and siRNA exhibited pH-sensitive hemolysis against rat red blood cells when the pH decreased from 7.4 to 5.5, the endosomal-lysosomal pH. The nanoparticles of EHHKCO showed more concentration-dependent pH sensitivity than those of EKHCO. The EHHKCO and EKHCO nanoparticles of both pNDA and siRNA exhibited low cytotoxicity of at physiological pH. Both EKHCO and EHHKCO resulted in high intracellular uptake of pDNA and siRNA. EKHCO and EHHKCO resulted in relatively lower luciferase expression efficiency in U87 cells than DOTAP but produced a much higher percentage of GFP expression in the transfected cells than DOTAP. Both EKHCO and EHHKCO mediated much higher gene silencing efficiency of luciferase and green fluorescence protein (GFP) than DOTAP. The surfactants were more effective for intracellular siRNA delivery than intracellular delivery of plasmid DNA. The pH-sensitive amphiphilic carriers are promising multifunctional carriers for intracellular delivery of nucleic acids.
• Synthesis and Evaluation of Nanoglobule-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A), a Biodegradable Nanosized Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent for Dynamic Contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Urography International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 20957222 Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging has been recently shown to be effective for diagnostic urography. High-resolution urographic images can be acquired with T1 contrast agents for the kidney and urinary tract with minimal noise in the abdomen. Currently, clinical contrast agents are low molecular weight agents and can rapidly extravasate from blood circulation, leading to slow contrast agent elimination through kidney and consequently providing limited contrast enhancement in urinary tract. In this study, a new biodegradable macromolecular contrast agent, nanoglobule-G4-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A), was prepared by conjugating Gd-DO3A chelates on the surface of a generation 4 nanoglobule, poly-L-lysine octa(3-aminopropyl)silsesquioxane dendrimer, via a disulfide spacer, where the carrier had a precisely defined nanosize that is far smaller than the renal filtration threshold. The in vivo contrast enhancement and dynamic imaging of the urinary tract of the agent was evaluated in nude mice using a low molecular weight agent Gd(DTPA-BMA) as a control. The agent eliminated rapidly from blood circulation and accumulated more abundantly in urinary tract than Gd(DTPA-BMA). The fast elimination kinetics is ideal for functional evaluation of the kidneys. The morphology of the kidneys and urinary tract was better visualized by the biodegradable nanoglobular contrast agent than Gd(DTPA-BMA). The agent also resulted in low liver contrast enhancement, indicating low nonspecific tissue deposition. These features render the G4 nanoglobule-cystamine-(Gd-DO3A) conjugate a promising contrast agent for magnetic resonance urography.
• Polydisulfide Based Biodegradable Macromolecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents Israel Journal of Chemistry. Aug, 2010  |   Pubmed ID: 21331318 Macromolecular Gd(III) complexes are advantageous over small molecular Gd(III) complexes in contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because of their prolonged blood circulation and preferential tumor accumulation. However, macromolecular contrast agents have not been approved for clinical applications because of the safety concerns related to their slow body excretion. Polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes have been designed and developed as biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents to alleviate the concerns by facilitating the clearance of Gd(III) complexes from the body. These agents initially behave as macromolecular agents and result in superior contrast enhancement in the vasculature and tumor tissues. They can then be readily degraded in vivo into small molecular chelates that can rapidly excrete from the body via renal filtration after the MRI examinations. Various polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes have been prepared as biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents. These agents have resulted in strong contrast enhancement in the vasculature and tumor tissue in animal models with minimal long-term tissue accumulation comparable to small molecular contrast agents. Polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes are promising for further clinical development as safe and effective biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents for cardiovascular and cancer imaging. The review summarizes the chemistry and properties of polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes.
• Synthesis and Evaluation of Nanoglobular Macrocyclic Mn(II) Chelate Conjugates As Non-gadolinium(III) MRI Contrast Agents Bioconjugate Chemistry. May, 2011  |   Pubmed ID: 21473650 Because of the recent observation of the toxic side effects of Gd(III) based MRI contrast agents in patients with impaired renal function, there is strong interest on developing alternative contrast agents for MRI. In this study, macrocyclic Mn(II) chelates were conjugated to nanoglobular carriers, lysine dendrimers with a silsesquioxane core, to synthesize non-Gd(III) based MRI contrast agents. A generation 3 nanoglobular conjugate of Mn(II)-1,4,7-triaazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetate-GA amide (G3-NOTA-Mn) was also synthesized and evaluated. The per ion T(1) and T(2) relaxivities of G2, G3, G4 nanoglobular Mn(II)-DOTA monoamide conjugates decreased with increasing generation of the carriers. The T(1) relaxivities of G2, G3, and G4 nanoglobular Mn(II)-DOTA conjugates were 3.3, 2.8, and 2.4 mM(-1) s(-1) per Mn(II) chelate at 3 T, respectively. The T(1) relaxivity of G3-NOTA-Mn was 3.80 mM(-1) s(-1) per Mn(II) chelate at 3 T. The nanoglobular macrocyclic Mn(II) chelate conjugates showed good in vivo stability and were readily excreted via renal filtration. The conjugates resulted in much less nonspecific liver enhancement than MnCl(2) and were effective for contrast-enhanced tumor imaging in nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 breast tumor xenografts at a dose of 0.03 mmol Mn/kg. The nanoglobular macrocyclic Mn(II) chelate conjugates are promising nongadolinium based MRI contrast agents.
• Integrin Targeted MR Imaging Theranostics. 2011  |   Pubmed ID: 21547154 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful medical diagnostic imaging modality for integrin targeted imaging, which uses the magnetic resonance of tissue water protons to display tissue anatomic structures with high spatial resolution. Contrast agents are often used in MRI to highlight specific regions of the body and make them easier to visualize. There are four main classes of MRI contrast agents based on their different contrast mechanisms, including T(1), T(2), chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) agents, and heteronuclear contrast agents. Integrins are an important family of heterodimeric transmembrane glycoproteins that function as mediators of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. The overexpressed integrins can be used as the molecular targets for designing suitable integrin targeted contrast agents for MR molecular imaging. Integrin targeted contrast agent includes a targeting agent specific to a target integrin, a paramagnetic agent and a linker connecting the targeting agent with the paramagnetic agent. Proper selection of targeting agents is critical for targeted MRI contrast agents to effectively bind to integrins for in vivo imaging. An ideal integrin targeted MR contrast agent should be non-toxic, provide strong contrast enhancement at the target sites and can be completely excreted from the body after MR imaging. An overview of integrin targeted MR contrast agents based on small molecular and macromolecular Gd(III) complexes, lipid nanoparticles and superparamagnetic nanoparticles is provided for MR molecular imaging. By using proper delivery systems for loading sufficient Gd(III) chelates or superparamagnetic nanoparticles, effective molecular imaging of integrins with MRI has been demonstrated in animal models.
• Ocular Pharmacokinetic Study Using T₁ Mapping and Gd-chelate- Labeled Polymers Pharmaceutical Research. Dec, 2011  |   Pubmed ID: 21691891 Recent advances in drug discovery have led to the development of a number of therapeutic macromolecules for treatment of posterior eye diseases. We aimed to investigate the clearance of macromolecular contrast probes (polymers conjugated with Gd-chelate) in the vitreous after intravitreal injections with the recently developed ms-DSEPI-T12 MRI and to examine the degradation of disulfide-containing biodegradable polymers in the vitreous humor in vivo.
• Polydisulfide Manganese(II) Complexes As Non-gadolinium Biodegradable Macromolecular MRI Contrast Agents Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI. Mar, 2012  |   Pubmed ID: 22031457 To develop safe and effective manganese(II) -based biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents.
• MR Molecular Imaging of Prostate Cancer with a Peptide-targeted Contrast Agent in a Mouse Orthotopic Prostate Cancer Model Pharmaceutical Research. Apr, 2012  |   Pubmed ID: 22139536 To study the effectiveness of a peptide targeted nanoglobular Gd-DOTA complexes for MR molecular imaging of prostate cancer in a mouse orthotopic PC-3 prostate cancer model.
• Synthesis and Evaluation of a Peptide Targeted Small Molecular Gd-DOTA Monoamide Conjugate for MR Molecular Imaging of Prostate Cancer Bioconjugate Chemistry. Aug, 2012  |   Pubmed ID: 22812444 Tumor extracellular matrix has an abundance of cancer related proteins that can be used as biomarkers for cancer molecular imaging. Innovative design and development of safe and effective targeted contrast agents to these biomarkers would allow effective MR cancer molecular imaging with high spatial resolution. In this study, we synthesized a low molecular weight CLT1 peptide targeted Gd(III) chelate CLT1-dL-(Gd-DOTA)(4) specific to clotted plasma proteins in tumor stroma for cancer MR molecular imaging. CLT1-dL-(Gd-DOTA)(4) was synthesized by conjugating four Gd-DOTA monoamide chelates to a CLT1 peptide via generation 1 lysine dendrimer. The T(1) relaxivity of CLT1-dL-(Gd-DOTA)(4) was 40.4 mM(-1) s(-1) per molecule (10.1 mM(-1) s(-1) per Gd) at 37 °C and 1.5 T. Fluorescence imaging showed high binding specificity of CLT1 to orthotopic PC3 prostate tumor in mice. The contrast agent resulted in improved tumor contrast enhancement in male athymic nude mice bearing orthotopic PC3 prostate tumor xenograft at a dose of 0.03 mmol Gd/kg. The peptide targeted MRI contrast agent is promising for high-resolution MR molecular imaging of prostate tumor.
• Albumin Pre-coating Enhances Intracellular SiRNA Delivery of Multifunctional Amphiphile/siRNA Nanoparticles International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2012  |   Pubmed ID: 23055731 Nonspecific association of serum molecules with short-interfering RNA (siRNA) nanoparticles can change their physiochemical characteristics, and results in reduced cellular uptake in the target tissue during the systemic siRNA delivery process. Serum albumin is the most abundant protein in the body and has been used to modify the surface of nanoparticles, to inhibit association of other serum molecules. Here, we hypothesized that surface modification of lipid-based nanoparticular siRNA delivery systems with albumin could prevent their interaction with serum proteins, and improve intracellular uptake. In this study, we investigated the influence of albumin on the stability and intracellular siRNA delivery of the targeted siRNA nanoparticles of a polymerizable and pH-sensitive multifunctional surfactant N-(1-aminoethyl) iminobis[N-(oleoylcysteinylhistinyl-1-aminoethyl)propionamide] (EHCO) in serum. Serum resulted in a significant increase in the size of targeted EHCO/siRNA nanoparticles and inhibited cellular uptake of the nanoparticles. Coating of targeted EHCO/siRNA nanoparticles with bovine serum albumin at 9.4 μM prior to cell transfection improved cellular uptake and gene silencing efficacy of EHCO/siRNA targeted nanoparticles in serum-containing media, as compared with the uncoated nanoparticles. At a proper concentration, albumin has the potential to minimize interactions of serum proteins with siRNA nanoparticles for effective systemic in vivo siRNA delivery.
• Single Cell Molecular Recognition of Migrating and Invading Tumor Cells Using a Targeted Fluorescent Probe to Receptor PTPmu International Journal of Cancer. Journal International Du Cancer. Apr, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 22987116 Detection of an extracellular cleaved fragment of a cell-cell adhesion molecule represents a new paradigm in molecular recognition and imaging of tumors. We previously demonstrated that probes that recognize the cleaved extracellular domain of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase mu (PTPmu) label human glioblastoma brain tumor sections and the main tumor mass of intracranial xenograft gliomas. In this article, we examine whether one of these probes, SBK2, can label dispersed glioma cells that are no longer connected to the main tumor mass. Live mice with highly dispersive glioma tumors were injected intravenously with the fluorescent PTPmu probe to test the ability of the probe to label the dispersive glioma cells in vivo. Analysis was performed using a unique three-dimensional (3D) cryo-imaging technique to reveal highly migratory and invasive glioma cell dispersal within the brain and the extent of colabeling by the PTPmu probe. The PTPmu probe labeled the main tumor site and dispersed cells up to 3.5 mm away. The cryo-images of tumors labeled with the PTPmu probe provide a novel, high-resolution view of molecular tumor recognition, with excellent 3D detail regarding the pathways of tumor cell migration. Our data demonstrate that the PTPmu probe recognizes distant tumor cells even in parts of the brain where the blood-brain barrier is likely intact. The PTPmu probe has potential translational significance for recognizing tumor cells to facilitate molecular imaging, a more complete tumor resection and to serve as a molecular targeting agent to deliver chemotherapeutics to the main tumor mass and distant dispersive tumor cells.
• Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Cancer Imaging Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology. Jan-Feb, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 23047730 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a clinical imaging modality effective for anatomical and functional imaging of diseased soft tissues, including solid tumors. MRI contrast agents (CA) have been routinely used for detecting tumor at an early stage. Gadolinium-based CA are the most commonly used CA in clinical MRI. There have been significant efforts to design and develop novel Gd(III) CA with high relaxivity, low toxicity, and specific tumor binding. The relaxivity of the Gd(III) CA can be increased by proper chemical modification. The toxicity of Gd(III) CA can be reduced by increasing the agents' thermodynamic and kinetic stability, as well as optimizing their pharmacokinetic properties. The increasing knowledge in the field of cancer genomics and biology provides an opportunity for designing tumor-specific CA. Various new Gd(III) chelates have been designed and evaluated in animal models for more effective cancer MRI. This review outlines the design and development, physicochemical properties, and in vivo properties of several classes of Gd(III)-based MR CA tumor imaging.
• Molecular MRI of Liver Fibrosis by a Peptide-targeted Contrast Agent in an Experimental Mouse Model Investigative Radiology. Jan, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 23192162 Cyclic decapeptide CGLIIQKNEC (CLT1) has been demonstrated to target fibronectin-fibrin complexes in the extracellular matrix of different tumors and tissue lesions. Although liver fibrosis is characterized by an increased amount of extracellular matrix consisting of fibril-forming collagens and matrix glycoconjugates such as fibronectin, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of detecting and characterizing liver fibrosis using CLT1 peptide-targeted nanoglobular contrast agent (Gd-P) with dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in an experimental mouse model of liver fibrosis at 7 T.
• Synthesis and Evaluation of a Targeted Nanoglobular Dual-Modal Imaging Agent for MR Imaging and Image-Guided Surgery of Prostate Cancer Pharmaceutical Research. Mar, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 23471641 PURPOSE: To synthesize and evaluate a peptide targeted nanoglobular dual modal imaging agent specific to a cancer biomarker in tumor stroma for MRI and fluorescence visualization of prostate tumor in image-guided surgery. METHODS: A peptide (CGLIIQKNEC, CLT1) targeted generation 2 nanoglobular (polylysine dendrimer with a silsesquioxane core) dual modal imaging agent, CLT1-G2-(Gd-DOTA-MA)-Cy5, was synthesized by stepwise conjugation of Gd-DOTA-MA, Cy5 and peptide to the dendrimer. Contrast enhanced MR imaging of the targeted dual imaging agent was evaluated on a Bruker 7T animal scanner with male athymic nude mice bearing orthotopic PC3-GFP prostate tumor. Fluorescence tumor imaging of the agent was carried out on a Maestro fluorescence imaging system. RESULTS: The targeted agent CLT1-G2-(Gd-DOTA-MA)-Cy5 produced greater contrast enhancement in the tumor tissue than the control agent KAREC-G2-(Gd-DOTA-MA)-Cy5 at a dose of 30 μmol-Gd/kg in the MR images of the tumor bearing mice. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of CLT1-G2-(Gd-DOTA-MA)-Cy5 in the tumor tissue was approximately 2 fold of that of the control agent in the first 15 min post-injection. The targeted agent also resulted in bright fluorescence signals in the tumor tissue. CONCLUSION: The CLT1 peptide targeted nanoglobular dual-imaging agent CLT1-G2-(Gd-DOTA-MA)-Cy5 has a potential for MRI and fluorescence visualization of prostate tumor.
• Synthesis and Evaluation of a Polydisulfide with Gd-DOTA Monoamide Side Chains As a Biodegradable Macromolecular Contrast Agent for MR Blood Pool Imaging Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging. May-Jun, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 23606425 Macromolecular Gd(III)-based contrast agents are effective for contrast-enhanced blood pool and cancer MRI in preclinical studies. However, their clinical applications are impeded by potential safety concerns associated with slow excretion and prolonged retention of these agents in the body. To minimize the safety concerns of macromolecular Gd contrast agents, we have developed biodegradable macromolecular Gd contrast agents based on polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes. In this study, we designed and synthesized a new generation of the polydisulfide Gd(III) complexes containing a macrocyclic Gd(III) chelate, Gd-DOTA monoamide, to improve the in vivo kinetic inertness of the Gd(III) chelates. (N6-Lysyl)lysine-(Gd-DOTA) monoamide and 3-(2-carboxyethyldisulfanyl)propanoic acid copolymers (GODC) were synthesized by copolymerization of (N6-lysyl)lysine DOTA monoamide and dithiobis(succinimidylpropionate), followed by complexation with Gd(OAc)3. The GODC had an apparent molecular weight of 26.4 kDa and T1 relaxivity of 8.25 mM(-1) s(-1) per Gd at 1.5 T. The polymer chains of GODC were readily cleaved by L-cysteine and the chelates had high kinetic stability against transmetallation in the presence of an endogenous metal ion Zn(2+). In vivo MRI study showed that GODC produced strong and prolonged contrast enhancement in the vasculature and tumor periphery of mice with breast tumor xenografts. GODC is a promising biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agent with high kinetic stability for MR blood pool imaging.
• Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors with a PTPµ Targeted Contrast Agent Translational Oncology. Jun, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 23730413 Molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of tumors improves the specificity of MRI by using targeted probes conjugated to contrast-generating metals. The limitation of this approach is in the identification of a target molecule present in sufficient concentration for visualization and the development of a labeling reagent that can penetrate tumor tissue with the fast kinetics required for use in a clinical setting. The receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPµ is a transmembrane protein that is continuously proteolyzed in the tumor microenvironment to generate a high concentration of extracellular fragment that can be recognized by the SBK2 probe. We conjugated the SBK2 peptide to a gadolinium chelate [SBK2-Tris-(Gd-DOTA)3] to test whether the SBK2 probe could be developed as an MR molecular imaging probe. When intravenously injected into mice bearing flank tumors of human glioma cells, SBK2-Tris-(Gd-DOTA)3 labeled the tumors within 5 minutes with a high level of contrast for up to 2 hours post-injection. The contrast enhancement of SBK2-Tris-(Gd-DOTA)3 was significantly higher than that observed with a current MRI macrocyclic gadolinium chelate (Gadoteridol, ProHance) alone or a scrambled control. These results demonstrate that SBK2-Tris-(Gd-DOTA)3 labeling of the PTPµ extracellular fragment is a more specific MR molecular imaging probe than ProHance or a scrambled control. Consequently, the SBK2 probe may be more useful than the current gold standard reagent for MRI to identify tumors and to co-register tumor borders during surgical resection.
• Design and Evaluation of New PH-sensitive Amphiphilic Cationic Lipids for SiRNA Delivery Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Jun, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 23796431 Synthetic small interfering RNA (siRNA) has become the basis of a new generation of gene-silencing cancer therapeutics. However, successful implementation of this novel therapy relies on the ability to effectively deliver siRNA into target cells and to prevent degradation of siRNA in lysosomes after endocytosis. In this study, our goal was to design and optimize new amphiphilic cationic lipid carriers that exhibit selective pH-sensitive endosomal membrane disruptive capabilities to allow for the efficient release of their siRNA payload into the cytosol. The pH sensitive siRNA carriers consist of three domains (cationic head, hydrophobic tail, amino acid-based linker). A library of eight lipid carriers were synthesized using solid phase chemistry, and then studied to determine the role of (1) the number of protonable amines and overall pKa of the cationic head group, (2) the degree of unsaturation of the hydrophobic tail, and (3) the presence of histidine residues in the amino acid linker for transfection and silencing efficacy. In vitro screening evaluation of the new carriers demonstrated at least 80% knockdown of a GFP reporter in CHO cells after 72h. The carriers ECO and ECLn performed the best in a luciferase knockdown study in HT29 human colon cancer cells, which were found to be more difficult to transfect. They significantly reduced expression of this reporter to 22.7±3.31% and 23.5±5.11% after 72h post-transfection, better than Lipofectamine RNAiMax. Both ECO and ECLn carriers caused minimal cytotoxicity, preserving relative cell viabilities at 87.3±2.72% and 88.9±6.84%, respectively. A series of hemolysis assays at various pHs revealed that increasing the number of amines in the protonable head group, and removing the histidine residue from the linker, both resulted in improved membrane disruptive activity at the endosomal pH of 6.5. Meanwhile, the cellular uptake into HT29 cancer cells was improved, not only by increasing the amines of the head group, but also by increasing the degree of unsaturation in the lipid tails. Due to flexibility of the synthetic procedure, the delivery system could be modified further for different applications. The success of ECO and ECLn for in vitro siRNA delivery potentially makes them promising candidates for future in vivo studies.
• Peptide Targeted Tripod Macrocyclic Gd(III) Chelates for Cancer Molecular MRI Biomaterials. Oct, 2013  |   Pubmed ID: 23863450 Rational design and develop of targeted contrast agents binding to cancer-related proteins will achieve more accurate cancer diagnosis and prognosis by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. CREKA is a tumor-homing pentapeptide (Cys-Arg-Glu-Lys-Ala) specifically homes to fibrin-fibronectin complexes abundantly expressed in tumor microenvironment. In this study, we developed and evaluated a CREKA peptide targeted multiplexed Gd-MR probe (CREKA-Tris-Gd(DOTA)3) for MR imaging of breast tumors. CREKA and azide bearing Gd(III) was attached to a maleimide-functional trialkyne scaffold via thiol-maleimide and azide-alkyne click chemistry, respectively. CREKA-Tris-Gd(DOTA)3 has a well-defined structure with a molecular weight of 2914 Da. The T1 relaxivity of CREKA-Tris-Gd(DOTA)3 is 8.06 mm(-1) s(-1) per Gd (24.18 mm(-1) s(-1) per molecule) at room temperature and 3 T. Fluorescence imaging showed high binding specificity of CREKA to a 4T1 breast tumor model in mice while it was not found for the scrambled CREKA (CERAK). The CREKA peptide-targeted contrast agent resulted in greater contrast enhancement than the corresponding CERAK agent and the commercialized contrast agent ProHance(®) in tumor at a dose of 0.1 mmol Gd/kg in female athymic mice bearing 4T1 breast carcinoma xenograft. This small molecular contrast agent was easily excreted from body after imaging indicated low toxicity. The targeted MRI contrast agent has a potential for specific cancer molecular imaging with MRI.