Radiolabeled multi-layered coated gold nanoparticles as potential biocompatible PET/SPECT tracers

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Radiochemistry
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Precision medicine requires advanced radiopharmaceuticals for accurate disease diagnosis.
• Current radiotracers face challenges in accessibility, targeting specificity, and multimodal imaging capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel multimodal radiotracers for both SPECT and PET imaging.
• To create gold nanoparticle-based agents functionalized with glucosamine for enhanced tumor targeting.
• To ensure radiotracer compatibility with established radioisotopes (99mTc and 68Ga).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of gold nanoparticle cores using the Turkevich method.
• Surface functionalization with polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and glucosamine (GA).
• Radiolabeling with Technetium-99m (99mTc) and Gallium-68 (68Ga); assessment of stability and biocompatibility.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of AuPEG-PEI-GA conjugates.
• Achieved radiolabeling with 99mTc and 68Ga.
• Demonstrated stability of 99mTc complexes (>22 hours) and 68Ga complexes (slight decrease after 1 hour).
• Preliminary biocompatibility assessment on fibroblasts showed promising results.

Conclusions:

• Developed dual-modality (SPECT/PET) radiotracers with potential for targeted imaging.
• Glucosamine functionalization offers a strategy for targeting glucose-avid tissues.
• Further in vivo studies are warranted to evaluate diagnostic efficacy and biodistribution.