MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
Biomater Sci. 2017 Sep 26;5(10):2122-2130. doi: 10.1039/c7bm00608j.
Multimodal imaging that aims to advance imaging by strategically combining existing technologies with uniquely designed probes has attracted great interest in recent years. In this work, Gd-functionalized gold nanoclusters were prepared with a straightforward and scalable approach by using proteins as templates. The impact of the synthesis approach on the conjugation efficiency of Gd chelators to proteins, as well as the fluorescence quantum yield of gold nanoclusters was carefully studied. The effect of protein size on the relaxivities of the probes was also investigated. By using the optimal conditions, dual function probes with intense red fluorescence emission and longitudinal relaxivity as high as 9.7 mM s could be obtained. The probes were applied for cell staining and in vivo contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MR images showed that the dual function probes circulated freely in the blood pool without undesirable accumulation in the liver and spleen. Meanwhile, the material could be removed from the body through renal clearance, making it attractive for practical multimodal imaging.
近年来，旨在通过将现有技术与独特设计的探针相结合来推动成像的多模态成像技术引起了广泛关注。在这项工作中，我们采用一种简单且可扩展的方法，使用蛋白质作为模板制备了功能化的金纳米簇。我们仔细研究了合成方法对 Gd 螯合物与蛋白质结合效率以及金纳米簇荧光量子产率的影响。我们还研究了蛋白质尺寸对探针弛豫率的影响。通过使用最佳条件，可以获得具有强烈红色荧光发射和高达 9.7 mM s 的纵向弛豫率的双功能探针。我们将这些探针用于细胞染色和体内对比增强磁共振成像（MRI）。MR 图像显示，双功能探针在血液中自由循环，不会在肝脏和脾脏中积累。同时，该材料可以通过肾脏清除从体内排出，这使其成为一种有吸引力的实际多模态成像材料。
