Optical imaging of ovarian cancer using HER-2 affibody conjugated nanoparticles

Computed Tomography (CT), Ultrasound (US), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have been the mainstay of clinical imaging regimens for the detection of ovarian cancer. However, without tumor specific contrast enhancement, these imaging modalities lack specificity and sensitivity in the detection of small primary and disseminated tumors in the peritoneal cavity. Herein, we illustrate a fairly new near infrared (NIR) optical imaging approach developed in our laboratory for the noninvasive detection of ovarian tumors using a HER-2 targeted nanoparticle-based imaging agent in an orthotopic mouse model of ovarian cancer. We used multimodal imaging approaches to detect the disease accurately and rapidly by utilizing a single imaging agent, NIR dye-labeled HER-2 affibody conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles. This agent targets HER-2 receptors, which are overexpressed in ovarian tumors. This chapter outlines materials and methods for the: (1) production of HER-2 targeted nanoparticles; (2) establishment of an orthotopic human ovarian cancer xenograft model; (3) monitoring of tumor growth by bioluminescence imaging; (4) administration of targeted nanoparticles followed by NIR optical imaging for the detection of orthotopic ovarian cancers with targeted accumulation of the nanoparticle imaging probes.