期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：2017
卷号：114
期号：27
页码：6960-6965
DOI：10.1073/pnas.1701944114
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Multifunctional nanoparticles for biomedical applications have shown extraordinary potential as contrast agents in various bioimaging modalities, near-IR photothermal therapy, and for light-triggered therapeutic release processes. Over the past several years, numerous studies have been performed to synthesize and enhance MRI contrast with nanoparticles. However, understanding the MRI enhancement mechanism in a multishell nanoparticle geometry, and controlling its properties, remains a challenge. To systematically examine MRI enhancement in a nanoparticle geometry, we have synthesized MRI-active Au nanomatryoshkas. These are Au core–silica layer–Au shell nanoparticles, where Gd(III) ions are encapsulated within the silica layer between the inner core and outer Au layer of the nanoparticle (Gd-NM). This multifunctional nanoparticle retains its strong near-IR Fano-resonant optical absorption properties essential for photothermal or other near-IR light-triggered therapy, while simultaneously providing increased T1 contrast in MR imaging by concentrating Gd(III) within the nanoparticle. Measurements of Gd-NM revealed a strongly enhanced T1 relaxivity (r1 ∼ 24 mM−1⋅s−1) even at 4.7 T, substantially surpassing conventional Gd(III) chelating agents (r1 ∼ 3 mM−1⋅s−1 at 4.7 T) currently in clinical use. By varying the thickness of the outer gold layer of the nanoparticle, we show that the observed relaxivities are consistent with Solomon–Bloembergen–Morgan (SBM) theory, which takes into account the longer-range interactions between the encapsulated Gd(III) and the protons of the H2O molecules outside the nanoparticle. This nanoparticle complex and its MRI T1-enhancing properties open the door for future studies on quantitative tracking of therapeutic nanoparticles in vivo, an essential step for optimizing light-induced, nanoparticle-based therapies.
关键词：T1 MRI contrast ; gadolinium ; Au nanoparticle ; relaxivity
