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Ultra-sensitive Nanoprobe Modified with Tumor Cell Membrane for UCL/MRI/PET Multimodality Precise Imaging of
Hanyi Fang1,2, Mengting Li1,2, Qingyao Liu1,2
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer in which the estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor are not expressed, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 is not amplified or overexpressed either, which make the clinical diagnosis and treatment very challenging. Molecular imaging can provide an effective way to diagnose TNBC. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), are a promising new generation of molecular imaging probes. However, UCNPs still need to be improved for tumor-targeting ability and biocompatibility. This study describes a novel probe based on cancer cell membrane-coated upconversion nanoparticles (CCm-UCNPs), owing to the low immunogenicity and homologous-targeting ability of cancer cell membranes, and modified multifunctional UCNPs. This probe exhibits excellent performance in breast cancer molecular classification and TNBC diagnosis through UCL/MRI/PET tri-modality imaging in vivo. By using this probe, MDA-MB-231 was successfully differentiated between MCF-7 tumor models in vivo. Based on the tumor imaging and molecular classification results, the probe is also expected to be modified for drug delivery in the future, contributing to the treatment of TNBC. The combination of nanoparticles with biomimetic cell membranes has the potential for multiple clinical applications.
Insights
Researchers developed novel cancer cell membrane-coated upconversion nanoparticles (CCm-UCNPs) for improved triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) diagnosis. This molecular imaging probe shows promise for differentiating TNBC subtypes and potential future therapeutic applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Molecular Imaging
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to the absence of key biomarkers.
- Molecular imaging offers a promising avenue for TNBC diagnosis, with upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) emerging as potential probes.
- Existing UCNPs require enhancements in tumor-targeting and biocompatibility for clinical utility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel molecular imaging probe for enhanced breast cancer molecular classification and TNBC diagnosis.
- To improve the tumor-targeting ability and biocompatibility of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs).
- To evaluate the tri-modality imaging capabilities (UCL/MRI/PET) of the novel probe in vivo.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of cancer cell membrane-coated upconversion nanoparticles (CCm-UCNPs) using biomimetic principles.
- In vivo tri-modality imaging (UCL/MRI/PET) for molecular classification of breast cancer subtypes.
- Differentiation of MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) from MCF-7 tumor models using the CCm-UCNPs probe.
Main Results:
- The CCm-UCNPs probe demonstrated effective homologous-targeting and low immunogenicity.
- Successful in vivo differentiation between MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 tumor models was achieved.
- The probe exhibited excellent performance in breast cancer molecular classification and TNBC diagnosis via tri-modality imaging.
Conclusions:
- Biomimetic cancer cell membrane coating significantly enhances UCNP functionality for molecular imaging.
- The developed CCm-UCNPs probe is highly effective for in vivo TNBC diagnosis and molecular subtyping.
- This approach holds potential for future therapeutic modifications and broader clinical applications in oncology.
