Pooled nanoparticle screening using a chemical barcoding approach.

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Developing efficient nanoparticle delivery systems is crucial for targeted therapies.
• Current screening methods for nanoparticle uptake can be resource-intensive and lack sensitivity.
• A need exists for modular and sensitive platforms to assess nanoparticle delivery in pooled settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a small molecule-based barcoding platform for pooled screening of nanoparticle delivery.
• To demonstrate the utility of aryl halide-based tags (halocodes) for high-sensitivity detection and tracking of nanoparticles.
• To validate the platform's performance in quantifying nanoparticle uptake in cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Development of a barcoding platform using aryl halide-based tags (halocodes).
• High-sensitivity detection of halocodes via gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry or electron capture.
• Synthesis of a halocoded library of polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) nanoparticles for pooled screening.
• Quantification of nanoparticle uptake in ovarian cancer cells and spatial mapping using mass spectrometry imaging (MSI).

Main Results:

• Achieved high-sensitivity detection of nanoparticles at minimal halocode concentrations without altering their properties.
• Demonstrated successful pooled screening of nanoparticle uptake in ovarian cancer cells, with results correlating to conventional assays.
• Showcased the potential of halocodes for spatial mapping of nanoparticles using MSI.

Conclusions:

• Halocoding offers an accessible and modular platform for screening nanoparticle delivery.
• The platform enables quantification of pooled nanocarrier libraries in diverse biological settings.
• This technology advances the assessment of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems.