Self-assembled gemcitabine-gadolinium nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging and cancer therapy
Abstract
Nanoparticles with combined diagnostic and therapeutic functions are promising tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Here, we demonstrate a theranostic nanoparticle that integrates an active gemcitabine metabolite and a gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging agent via a facile supramolecular self-assembly synthesis, where the anti-cancer drug gemcitabine-5'-monophosphate (a phosphorylated active metabolite of the anti-cancer drug gemcitabine) was used to coordinate with Gd(III) to self-assemble into theranostic nanoparticles. The formulation exhibits a strong T1 contrast signal for magnetic resonance imaging of tumors in vivo, with enhanced retention time. Furthermore, the nanoparticles did not require other inert nanocarriers or excipients and thus had an exceptionally high drug loading (55 wt%), resulting in the inhibition of MDA-MB-231 tumor growth in mice. Recent advances in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have spurred the development of "theranostic" multifunctional nanoparticles, which combine therapeutic and diagnostic functionalities in a single formulation. Developing simple and efficient synthetic strategies for the construction of nanotheranostics with high drug loading remains a challenge. Here, we...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Breast Cancer: Therapeutic Approaches
Several different therapeutic approaches are used to treat breast cancer. These include chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, and Immunotherapy. Discover the latest research on breast cancer therapeutic approaches here.
Breast Tumorigenesis
Breast tumorigenesis involves the production or formation of tumor(s) in breast tissue. Discover the latest research on breast tumorigenesis here.
Cancer Imaging
Imaging techniques, including CT and MR, have become essential to tumor detection, diagnosis, and monitoring. Here is the latest research on cancer imaging.