Mono-dispersed high magnetic resonance sensitive magnetite nanocluster probe for detection of nascent tumors by magnetic resonance molecular imaging.

Sensitive molecular imaging and detection of tumors or their supporting neovascularity require high-avidity, target-specific probes, which produce robust signal amplification compatible with a sensitive high-resolution imaging modality. In this context, we fabricated a high magnetic resonance (MR)-sensitive magnetite nanocluster (MNC) probe specific for tumor angiogenesis by assembly of hydrophobic superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with (Mal)mPEG-PLA copolymer into cluster and subsequent encoding c(RGDyC) peptide on the cluster (RGD-MNC) for detection of nascent tumors. We found that RGD-MNC is highly sensitive (r(2) = 464.94 s(-1)mM(-1)) and specific for αvβ3-positive cells. Both nascent (35 ± 6.6 mm(3)) and large tumors (256 ± 22.3 mm(3)) can be registered by RGD-MNC and detected by MR imaging (MRI), with the nascent tumors demonstrating more pronounced MR contrast. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that MR signal decrease was closely correlated with histological characteristics of tumors (microvessel density and αvβ3 expression levels) at different growth stages.