Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Ligand-Mediated Targeted Imaging

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are widely employed as platforms for ligand-mediated targeting in multimodal imaging and targeted therapeutic applications owing to their intrinsic magnetic properties and versatility for surface and core modification. In addition to magnetic resonance imaging contrast, SPIONs can be labeled with radioisotopes incorporated into the crystalline structure or functionalized with chemically bound dyes or chelating agents, enabling complementary imaging modalities such as fluorescence imaging and positron emission tomography. However, chemical functionalization of nanoparticles with targeting ligands can induce alterations not only in their physicochemical properties but also in their interactions with biological systems. These nano-biointeractions are critical determinants of biological performance and must be carefully evaluated. In this study, we investigate the impact of ligand functionalization on SPION-cancer cell interactions to elucidate key parameters relevant to the successful clinical translation of nanomedicine-based targeted imaging agents.