Tailoring polymersome bilayer permeability improves enhanced permeability and retention effect for bioimaging

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Self-assembled nanoparticles are utilized for pathologic tissue imaging.
• Current nanoparticles disintegrate rapidly in circulation, limiting their efficacy.
• This instability hinders effective association with and imaging of target sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To stabilize polymersomes by reducing bilayer permeability.
• To extend nanoparticle circulation lifetime for improved bioimaging.
• To enhance tumor detection and imaging quality in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized polymersomes from poly(2-hydroxyethyl-co-octadecyl aspartamide) with methacrylate groups.
• Decreased bilayer permeability via increased methacrylate packing density and chemical cross-linking.
• Evaluated particle stability in physiological media and tumor highlighting in mice using near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes.

Main Results:

• Polymersomes with decreased bilayer permeability exhibited enhanced particle stability.
• These stabilized polymersomes demonstrated improved tumor highlighting in mice over 2 days.
• Reduced bilayer permeability correlated with extended nanoparticle lifetime and superior imaging.

Conclusions:

• Decreasing polymersome bilayer permeability is an effective strategy for stabilizing nanoparticles.
• Enhanced nanoparticle stability improves in vivo bioimaging and tumor detection.
• This approach holds promise for advancing both diagnosis and image-guided therapies.