Targeting Diagnosis of High-Risk Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Using Ultrasound Contrast Agent With the BRAF^V600E...

High-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with BRAF mutation have lymph node and distant metastases and poor prognosis. Therefore, this study aims to develop a targeted ultrasound contrast agent for the BRAF^V600E mutation to screen high-risk PTC at early stage.

The targeted lipid nanobubbles carrying BRAF^V600E antibody were prepared using thin film hydration-sonication and avidin-biotin binding methods. The physicochemical properties and stability of the targeted nanobubbles were detected by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The target binding abilities of the targeted nanobubbles in the PTC cells (B-CPAP) overexpressed mutant BRAF^V600E were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and fluorescence microscopy. After PTC tumor models overexpressed mutant BRAF^V600E were established, the enhanced images of targeted lipid nanobubbles and untargeted lipid nanobubbles on PTC tumors in nude mice were observed using contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging.

The targeted lipid nanobubbles revealed uniform, round morphology, and good stability with a nanoscale size. Besides, BRAF^V600E monoclonal antibody was observed to be combined on the surface of lipid nanobubbles. Furthermore, the targeted nanobubbles had a good targeting diagnosis ability in PTC cells with BRAF^V600E overexpression. Moreover, the targeted nanobubbles had better ultrasound enhancement and peak intensity of the time-intensity curve (P < .001) in PTC tumors with BRAF^V600E overexpression as compared to the untargeted lipid nanobubbles.

The targeted lipid nanobubbles carrying BRAF^V600E antibody could be regarded as a potential targeted ultrasound contrast agent for the diagnosis of high-risk PTC.