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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Cell Labeling and Targeting with Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Published on: October 19, 2015
Functionalization of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles with targeting ligands: their physicochemical properties and
Chen Fang1, Omid Veiseh, Forrest Kievit
1Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Aim:
To develop and evaluate two tumor-specific nanoprobes by functionalization of a polyethylene glycol-immobilized nanoparticle with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) or chlorotoxin ligand that targets α(v)β(3) integrin and matrix metalloproteinase-2 receptors, respectively.
Materials & Methods:
The nanoprobes were made of iron oxide cores, biocompatible polymer coating, and surface-conjugated RGD or chlorotoxin peptide. The tumor-targeting specificity of the nanoprobes was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.
Results & Discussion:
Both nanoprobes were highly dispersive and exhibited excellent long-term stability in cell culture media. The RGD-conjugated nanoprobe displayed a strong initial accumulation near neovasculatures in tumors followed by quick clearance. Conversely, the chlorotoxin-enabled nanoprobe exhibited sustained accumulation throughout the tumor.
Conclusion:
These findings revealed the influence of the targeting ligands on the intratumoral distribution of the ligand-enabled nanoprobes. With flexible surface chemistry, our nanoparticle platform can be used in a modular fashion to conjugate biomolecules for intended applications.
