Multifunctional GdVO₄:Eu core-shell nanoparticles containing ²²⁵Ac for targeted alpha therapy and molecular imaging

Area of Science:

• Nanomaterials Science
• Radiochemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Gadolinium vanadate nanoparticles (NPs) offer potential for multimodal imaging and targeted therapies.
• Europium doping enhances luminescence, while gadolinium provides paramagnetic properties.
• Targeted alpha therapy requires efficient radionuclide delivery and retention systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize europium-doped gadolinium vanadate core-shell nanoparticles.
• To evaluate their multimodal imaging capabilities.
• To assess their performance as radionuclide carriers for targeted alpha therapy, focusing on actinium-225 retention.

Main Methods:

• Aqueous precipitation synthesis route for Gd$_{0.8}$Eu$_{0.2}$VO$_{4}$ core-shell NPs.
• Characterization of NPs for morphology, size distribution, and crystal structure (tetragonal).
• In vitro assessment of radionuclide (Actinium-225 and decay daughters) retention in core and core-shell NPs.

Main Results:

• Synthesized Gd$_{0.8}$Eu$_{0.2}$VO$_{4}$ NPs exhibited spherical morphology and uniform particle size.
• NPs displayed characteristic red luminescence (618 nm) and paramagnetic behavior.
• Core-shell structures significantly reduced the leakage of Actinium-225 and Francium-221 compared to core NPs.

Conclusions:

• Gd$_{0.8}$Eu$_{0.2}$VO$_{4}$ core-shell NPs possess multimodal imaging functionalities (luminescence and magnetism).
• These NPs demonstrate significant potential as radionuclide carriers for targeted alpha therapy due to improved radionuclide retention.
• Further development could leverage these NPs for advanced biomedical applications.