Nanocrystal Core Lipoprotein Biomimetics for Imaging of Lipoproteins and Associated Diseases

Lipoproteins are natural nanoparticles composed of phospholipids and apolipoproteins that transport lipids throughout the body. As key effectors of lipid homeostasis, the functions of lipoproteins have been demonstrated to be crucial during the development of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore various strategies have been used to study their biology and detect them in vivo. A recent approach has been the production of lipoprotein biomimetic particles loaded with diagnostically active nanocrystals in their core. These include, but are not limited to: quantum dots, iron oxide or gold nanocrystals. Inclusion of these nanocrystals enables the utilization of lipoproteins as probes for a variety of imaging modalities (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, fluorescence) while preserving their biological activity. Furthermore as some lipoproteins naturally accumulate in atherosclerotic plaque or specific tumor tissues, nanocrystal core lipoprotein biomimetics have been developed as contrast agents for early diagnosis of these diseases.