Unraveling the diagnostic phase of 99mTc-doped iron oxide nanoprobe in sarcoma bearing mice

• Published in: Journal of drug delivery science and technology 2022-12, Vol.78, p.103990, Article 103990
• Main Authors: Swidan, Mohamed M., Abd El-Motaleb, Mohamed, Sakr, Tamer M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Intrinsically chelator free radiolabeling; Iron oxide nanoparticles; Passive targeting; SPECT; Technetium-99m doping; Tumor diagnosis
• ISSN: 1773-2247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103990

Most current single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) nano-tracers are designed via a chelator-based radiolabeling approach which requires sophisticated optimization and faces limited in-vivo stability. Here, 99mTc can be intrinsically interchelated to the core of iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-NPs) providing a promising alternative radiolabeling approach to develop 99mTc-doped IO nanoplatform for tumor diagnosis without using an organic chelator or temperature dependent procedure. 99mTc-doped IO nanoplatform was prepared via a validated one-step radiochemical doping mechanism during the polyvinyl pyrrolidone capped IO-NPs (IO-PVP-NPs) co-precipitation synthesis where stannous chloride concentration and pH adjustment played a vital role. It was synthesized with high radiolabeling efficiency 96.5 ± 0.79%, convenient hydrodynamic size 12.54 ± 2.54 nm, reasonable biocompatibility profile and appropriate in-vitro stability up to 24 h. The in-vivo evaluation in sarcoma bearing mice revealed reduced RES's organs uptake, lustrous tumor accumulations (26.5 ± 1.17 and 69.32 ± 0.97% ID/g at 60 and 30 min post i.v. and i.t., respectively) and sparkling target/non-targeting ratios at all the experimental time points with magnitude 31.17 and 62.17 at 60 min post i.v. and i.t., respectively. Hence, this IO-NPs based in-situ radiochemical doping mechanism could open a plethora of novel SPECT based nano-tracers for convenient cancer diagnosis. [Display omitted]