Dual-labeled nanoparticles based on small extracellular vesicles for tumor detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are promising natural nanoplatforms for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
• Clinical translation requires better tools to understand sEV pharmacokinetics and tumor microenvironment interactions.
• Current limitations hinder the full potential of sEVs in clinical oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dual-labeled small extracellular vesicle (sEV) probe for in vivo imaging and pharmacokinetic studies.
• To investigate the biodistribution and cellular uptake of the dual-sEV probe in a glioblastoma model.
• To assess the diagnostic potential of the dual-sEV probe in cancer xenografts.

Main Methods:

• Designed a dual-sEV probe using radioactive and fluorescent labeling of goat milk sEVs.
• Evaluated in vitro cellular uptake in RAW 264.7, U87, and HeLa cells using optical and nuclear techniques.
• Assessed in vivo pharmacokinetics and biodistribution in a glioblastoma xenograft model.

Main Results:

• Dual-sEV probe showed highest in vitro uptake in inflammatory cells (RAW 264.7), followed by glioblastoma U87 cells.
• In vivo studies revealed a blood circulation time of approximately 8 hours with primary hepatobiliary elimination.
• The dual-sEV probe demonstrated intense tumor uptake in vivo and confirmed interactions with tumor cells and associated macrophages.

Conclusions:

• Developed a novel chemical approach for dual radioactive and fluorescent labeling of sEVs.
• The dual-sEV probe facilitates in vivo and in vitro studies of exogenous sEVs.
• This dual nanoprobe shows promise for cancer diagnosis and understanding nanosystem behavior in drug delivery.