Hyaluronic Acid-Modified Fluorescent Probe for Dual Color Imaging of Living Cell

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Biocompatible nanoprobes with strong fluorescence are crucial for accurate tumor detection and diagnosis.
• Developing advanced imaging agents is essential for early cancer identification and treatment monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel nanoparticle with dual fluorescent signals for sensitive tumor cell detection and imaging.
• To evaluate the nanoparticle's performance in vitro and in vivo for cancer cell visualization.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of nanoparticles with a hyaluronic acid-modified outer layer (aggregation-induced emission) and a boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivative inner core.
• Assessment of nanoparticle properties including critical micelle concentration, size, and fluorescence intensity.
• In vitro cell imaging experiments to observe red and blue fluorescence conversion in response to cancer cells.
• In vivo biological imaging using zebrafish models to confirm efficacy.

Main Results:

• The synthesized nanoparticle exhibited low critical micelle concentration, small size, and high fluorescence intensity.
• Stable cell imaging was achieved, demonstrating a distinct red and blue fluorescence conversion specific to cancer cells.
• Zebrafish experiments validated the nanoparticle's utility for in vivo biological imaging.

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-fluorescence responsive nanoparticle provides an effective strategy for detecting and imaging cancer cells.
• This nanoplatform holds significant potential for advancing diagnostic tools in oncology.
• The combination of hyaluronic acid modification and BODIPY core offers a unique approach for targeted tumor visualization.