Antibody-Targeted Magnetic Nanoparticles to Track Immune Cells In Vivo

Brain tumors can prove difficult to diagnose and successfully treat. Gliomas, and in particular glioblastomas, are the most common type of primary brain tumor. The most difficult part about treating these tumors is the fact that they are able to migrate through the extracellular space inside the brain. Recurrence is also highly possible due to their invasive nature, leading to the destruction of nearby tissues. The migratory nature of these tumors makes imaging difficult. To combat this, antibodies can be conjugated to the surface of nanoparticles such as superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles to help target the immune cells. This creates a unique bimodal system that is able to detect the brain cancer cells and assist tumor surgery in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).