Gold nanorods (AuNR) have been intensively used in nanomedicine for cancer diagnostics and therapy, due to their excellent plasmonic photothermal properties. Tuning the size and aspect ratio of AuNR tailors the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the NIR spectrum at which biological tissues are transparent, thus enables specific and effective treatment. The AuNR extravasates into tumo...

Expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 by many cancers correlates with aggressive clinical behavior. As part of the initial studies in a project whose goal was to quantify CXCR4 expression on cancers non-invasively, we examined CXCR4 expression in cancer samples by immunohistochemistry using a validated anti-CXCR4 antibody. Among solid tumors, we found expression of CXCR4 on significant per...

Radiation therapy of liver cancer is limited by low tolerance of the liver to radiation. Radiosensitizers can effectively reduce the required radiation dose. AGuIX nanoparticles are small, multifunctional gadolinium-based nanoparticles that can carry radioisotopes or fluorescent markers for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), fluorescence imag...

PURPOSE To determine if magnetotactic bacteria can target tumors in mice and provide positive contrast for visualization using magnetic resonance imaging. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The ability of the magnetotactic bacterium, Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 (referred to from here as AMB-1), to confer positive magnetic resonance imaging contrast was determined in vitro and in vivo. For the latter s...

The proteins which bind copper when it first enters cells and deliver that copper to the cellular sites where copper is incorporated into copper enzymes are unknown. When radiolabeled (64Cu(II)) cytosol proteins were fractionated on Superose columns, two large copper-binding protein fractions were detected which together bound 63% of the total 64Cu recovered from the column. A self-associating,...

Positron emission tomography (PET) is emerging as one of the most important diagnostic tools for brain imaging, yet the most commonly used radioisotopes in PET imaging, 11C and 18F, have short half-lives, and their usage is thus somewhat limited. By comparison, the 64Cu radionuclide has a half-life of 12.7 h, which is ideal for administering and imaging purposes. In spite of appreciable researc...

The present study aimed to develop a monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based double functional probe for PET and near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) targeting CD20 and to cross validate the targeting efficacy of this dual functional probe. NuB2, anti CD20 mAb was conjugated with Alexa Fluor 750 and 64Cu through DOTA chelator. PET and NIRF imaging was carried out at 30 min and 24 h post-injection with 64C...

The integrin αvβ6 is an emerging biomarker for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). An αvβ6-binding peptide was previously selected from a phage-displayed peptide library. Here, we utilize a multivalent design to develop a peptidic probe for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of αvβ6+ NSCLC tumors. Multimeric presentation of this peptide, RGDLATLRQL, on a bifunctional copper chelator was...

Copper-64 was produced in large scales and high specific activities in late 1990s’ using compact cyclotrons based by 64Ni(p,n)64Cu reaction and many radiopharmaceuticals developed since then by various groups based on interesting physicochemical and nuclear properties of the radionuclide. The unique emission of beta particles as well as positron particles offers a spectacular real therapeutic/d...