Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Angiogenesis is widely investigated in conjunction with cancer development, in particular because of the possibility of early stage detection and of new therapeutic strategies. However, such studies are negatively affected by the lim...

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Main Authors: Chien Chia-Chi, Chen Hsiang-Hsin, Lai Sheng-Feng, Wu Kang-Chao, Cai Xiaoqing, Hwu Yeukuang, Petibois Cyril, Chu Yong, Margaritondo Giorgio
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-03-01
Series:Journal of Nanobiotechnology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/10/1/10
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spelling doaj-ba4d7d32cb814c2980c94786ab3a7c492020-11-24T23:46:06ZengBMCJournal of Nanobiotechnology1477-31552012-03-011011010.1186/1477-3155-10-10Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculatureChien Chia-ChiChen Hsiang-HsinLai Sheng-FengWu Kang-ChaoCai XiaoqingHwu YeukuangPetibois CyrilChu YongMargaritondo Giorgio<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Angiogenesis is widely investigated in conjunction with cancer development, in particular because of the possibility of early stage detection and of new therapeutic strategies. However, such studies are negatively affected by the limitations of imaging techniques in the detection of microscopic blood vessels (diameter 3-5 μm) grown under angiogenic stress. We report that synchrotron-based X-ray imaging techniques with very high spatial resolution can overcome this obstacle, provided that suitable contrast agents are used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We tested different contrast agents based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for the detection of cancer-related angiogenesis by synchrotron microradiology, microtomography and high resolution X-ray microscopy. Among them only bare-AuNPs in conjunction with heparin injection provided sufficient contrast to allow <it>in vivo </it>detection of small capillary species (the smallest measured lumen diameters were 3-5 μm). The detected vessel density was 3-7 times higher than with other nanoparticles. We also found that bare-AuNPs with heparin allows detecting symptoms of local extravascular nanoparticle diffusion in tumor areas where capillary leakage appeared.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although high-Z AuNPs are natural candidates as radiology contrast agents, their success is not guaranteed, in particular when targeting very small blood vessels in tumor-related angiography. We found that AuNPs injected with heparin produced the contrast level needed to reveal--for the first time by X-ray imaging--tumor microvessels with 3-5 μm diameter as well as extravascular diffusion due to basal membrane defenestration. These results open the interesting possibility of functional imaging of the tumor microvasculature, of its development and organization, as well as of the effects of anti-angiogenic drugs.</p> http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/10/1/10SynchrotronX-raysAngiographyAngiogenesisContrastAu NanoparticlesHeparin
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Chien Chia-Chi
Chen Hsiang-Hsin
Lai Sheng-Feng
Wu Kang-Chao
Cai Xiaoqing
Hwu Yeukuang
Petibois Cyril
Chu Yong
Margaritondo Giorgio
spellingShingle Chien Chia-Chi
Chen Hsiang-Hsin
Lai Sheng-Feng
Wu Kang-Chao
Cai Xiaoqing
Hwu Yeukuang
Petibois Cyril
Chu Yong
Margaritondo Giorgio
Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature
Journal of Nanobiotechnology
Synchrotron
X-rays
Angiography
Angiogenesis
Contrast
Au Nanoparticles
Heparin
author_facet Chien Chia-Chi
Chen Hsiang-Hsin
Lai Sheng-Feng
Wu Kang-Chao
Cai Xiaoqing
Hwu Yeukuang
Petibois Cyril
Chu Yong
Margaritondo Giorgio
author_sort Chien Chia-Chi
title Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature
title_short Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature
title_full Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature
title_fullStr Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature
title_full_unstemmed Gold nanoparticles as high-resolution X-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature
title_sort gold nanoparticles as high-resolution x-ray imaging contrast agents for the analysis of tumor-related micro-vasculature
publisher BMC
series Journal of Nanobiotechnology
issn 1477-3155
publishDate 2012-03-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Angiogenesis is widely investigated in conjunction with cancer development, in particular because of the possibility of early stage detection and of new therapeutic strategies. However, such studies are negatively affected by the limitations of imaging techniques in the detection of microscopic blood vessels (diameter 3-5 μm) grown under angiogenic stress. We report that synchrotron-based X-ray imaging techniques with very high spatial resolution can overcome this obstacle, provided that suitable contrast agents are used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We tested different contrast agents based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for the detection of cancer-related angiogenesis by synchrotron microradiology, microtomography and high resolution X-ray microscopy. Among them only bare-AuNPs in conjunction with heparin injection provided sufficient contrast to allow <it>in vivo </it>detection of small capillary species (the smallest measured lumen diameters were 3-5 μm). The detected vessel density was 3-7 times higher than with other nanoparticles. We also found that bare-AuNPs with heparin allows detecting symptoms of local extravascular nanoparticle diffusion in tumor areas where capillary leakage appeared.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although high-Z AuNPs are natural candidates as radiology contrast agents, their success is not guaranteed, in particular when targeting very small blood vessels in tumor-related angiography. We found that AuNPs injected with heparin produced the contrast level needed to reveal--for the first time by X-ray imaging--tumor microvessels with 3-5 μm diameter as well as extravascular diffusion due to basal membrane defenestration. These results open the interesting possibility of functional imaging of the tumor microvasculature, of its development and organization, as well as of the effects of anti-angiogenic drugs.</p>
topic Synchrotron
X-rays
Angiography
Angiogenesis
Contrast
Au Nanoparticles
Heparin
url http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/10/1/10
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