Magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles-aided dual MR/NIRF imaging to identify macrophage enrichment in atherosclerotic plaques

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2020.102330
• Publication Date: 2020-11-08T06:34:39Z
• Authors: Menglin Wu; Xue Li; Qi Guo; Jiang Li; Guoping Xu; Guilai Li; Jiahui Wang; Xuening Zhang
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Cell Death; Cell Survival; Macrophages; Scavenger Receptors, Class A; Biocompatible Materials; Silicon Dioxide; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Fluorescence; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; 3. Good health; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; RAW 264.7 Cells; Animals; Magnetite Nanoparticles; Aorta

Active foamy macrophage enrichment drives atherosclerotic plaque initiation and evolution, and is the prominent target for precisely identifying vulnerable plaque. Precise imaging of high-risk plaque allows promotion of treatment and prevention of vascular pathema. However, current iron oxide (IO) nanoparticles-based magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of plaque is often limited by insufficient perfusion and nonspecific accumulation of peri-aortic lymph nodes. Besides that, intrinsic defects of MR also impede its use for accurately identifying plaque details. Herein, by conjugating with PP1 peptide, a novel magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticle (PIMI) loaded with near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) dye (IR820) was fabricated to specifically target and quantify macrophage enrichment of atherosclerotic plaque in ApoE-/- mice using dual MR/NIRF imaging. Biocompatibility experiments ulteriorly confirmed the high safety of PIMI nanoparticles in vivo, which lays the foundation of next-generation contrast agent for recognizing macrophage-rich plaque in the near future.