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Spatial and Temporal Control of T Cell Activation Using a Photoactivatable Agonist
Published on: April 25, 2018
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Activatable Sonoafterglow Nanoprobes for T-Cell Imaging
Cheng Xu1, Shasha He1, Xin Wei1
1School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637457, Singapore.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|April 19, 2023
Summary
A novel ultrasound-induced afterglow nanoprobe (Q-SNAP) detects granzyme B, enabling precise imaging of T-cell immunoactivation. This breakthrough allows early disease diagnosis and monitoring of immunotherapy effectiveness in deep tissues.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Nanotechnology
- Immunology
Background:
- Current immune imaging probes lack correlation with immune responses or have limited depth penetration.
- Real-time imaging is crucial for early disease diagnosis and precision immunotherapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop an ultrasound-induced afterglow (sonoafterglow) nanoprobe for specific granzyme B detection.
- Enable accurate in vivo imaging of T-cell immunoactivation with deep tissue penetration.
Main Methods:
- Designed a nanoprobe (Q-SNAP) with sonosensitizers, afterglow substrates, and quenchers.
- Utilized ultrasound to generate singlet oxygen, initiating an afterglow signal upon granzyme B-mediated quencher release.
- Achieved deep-tissue imaging (4 cm) due to ultrasound's penetration capabilities.
Main Results:
- Q-SNAP demonstrated a low limit of detection (2.1 nm) for granzyme B.
- Successfully distinguished autoimmune hepatitis from healthy liver tissue early (4 h post-injection).
- Effectively monitored T-cell hyperactivation reversal using cyclosporin A treatment.
Conclusions:
- Sonoafterglow nanoprobe (Q-SNAP) offers a sensitive and deep-tissue imaging method for T-cell immunoactivation.
- Enables dynamic monitoring of T-cell dysfunction and evaluation of immunotherapy for deep-seated lesions.

