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Biomolecular Imaging of Cellular Uptake of Nanoparticles using Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Microscopy
Published on: May 16, 2022
Functionalized gold nanoparticles: a detailed in vivo multimodal microscopic brain distribution study
Fernanda Sousa1, Subhra Mandal, Chiara Garrovo
1NanoBioMed Lab @ LANADA (Laboratory for Nanodiagnostics, Drug Delivery and Analysis), CBM-Cluster in Biomedicine S.c.r.l., Basovizza, AREA Science Park, Trieste, Italy.
Nanoscale
|October 16, 2010
Summary
Researchers tracked polyelectrolyte-coated gold nanoparticles in mice, finding peak brain concentration within 24 hours. These nanoparticles show potential as nano drugs for prion diseases, accumulating in key brain regions.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders with limited treatment options.
- Gold nanoparticles offer potential as drug delivery vehicles.
- Polyelectrolyte multilayers can be used to functionalize nanoparticles for targeted delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in vivo biodistribution of polyelectrolyte multilayer coated gold nanoparticles.
- To assess the potential of these nanoparticles as a nano drug for prion disease.
- To determine the cellular-level distribution within the brain.
Main Methods:
- Intravenous injection of nanoparticles into live mice.
- Near-infrared time-domain imaging for in vivo biodistribution tracking (up to 7 days).
- Ex vivo analysis using X-ray microtomography, confocal laser, and fluorescence microscopy for precise brain distribution.
Main Results:
- Peak nanoparticle concentration in the mouse head observed between 19 and 24 hours post-injection.
- Particles primarily accumulated in specific brain regions: hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebral cortex.
- Demonstrated successful tracking from the whole animal down to the cellular level.
Conclusions:
- Polyelectrolyte multilayer coated gold nanoparticles exhibit favorable biodistribution characteristics for brain targeting.
- The observed accumulation in key brain regions supports their potential as nano drugs for prion diseases.
- Further research is warranted to explore therapeutic efficacy.
