Hybrid Metal–Phenol Nanoparticles with Polydopamine-like Coating for PET/SPECT/CT Imaging

The validation of metal–phenolic nanoparticles (MPNs) in preclinical imaging studies represents a growing field interest due to their versatility forming predesigned structures with unique properties. Before MPNs can be used medicine, pharmacokinetics must optimized so that accumulation nontargeted organs is prevented and toxicity minimized. Here, we report the fabrication made coordination polymer core combines In(III), Cu(II), mixture imidazole 1,4-bis(imidazole-1-ylmethyl)-benzene catechol 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid ligands. Furthermore, phenolic-based coating was as an anchoring platform attach poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). resulting MPNs, effective hydrodynamic diameters around 120 nm, could further derivatized surface-embedded molecules, such folic acid, facilitate vivo targeting multifunctionality. prepared were evaluated for vitro plasma stability, cytotoxicity, cell internalization found biocompatible under physiological conditions. First, biomedical evaluations then performed by intrinsically incorporating trace amounts radioactive metals 111In or 64Cu during MPN synthesis directly into polymeric matrix. particles, which had identical physicochemical properties nonradioactive counterparts, perform single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) positron (PET) tumor-bearing mice. ability incorporate multiple radiometals illustrates diverse range functional this approach broadens scope these nanoconstructs multimodal agents.