Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
MR Molecular Imaging of Prostate Cancer with a Small Molecular CLT1 Peptide Targeted Contrast Agent
Published on: September 3, 2013
AuNP-DG: deoxyglucose-labeled gold nanoparticles as X-ray computed tomography contrast agents for cancer imaging
Bulent Aydogan1, Ji Li, Tijana Rajh
1Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. baydogan@radonc.bsd.uchicago.edu
Purpose:
To study the feasibility of using 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG)-labeled gold nanoparticle (AuNP-DG) as a computed tomography (CT) contrast agent with tumor targeting capability through in vitro experiments.
Procedures:
Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were fabricated and were conjugated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. The human alveolar epithelial cancer cell line, A-549, was chosen for the in vitro cellular uptake assay. Two groups of cell samples were incubated with the AuNP-DG and the unlabeled AuNP, respectively. Following the incubation, the cells were washed with sterile PBS to remove the excess gold nanoparticles and spun to cell pellets using a centrifuge. The cell pellets were imaged using a microCT scanner immediately after the centrifugation. The reconstructed CT images were analyzed using a commercial software package.
Results:
Significant contrast enhancement in the cell samples incubated with the AuNP-DG with respect to the cell samples incubated with the unlabeled AuNP was observed in multiple CT slices.
Conclusions:
Results from this study demonstrate enhanced uptake of 2-DG-labeled gold nanoparticle by cancer cells in vitro and warrant further experiments to study the exact molecular mechanism by which the AuNP-DG is internalized and retained in the tumor cells.
