A Chelator-Free Multifunctional [⁶⁴Cu]CuS Nanoparticle Platform for Simultaneous Micro-PET/CT Imaging and Photothermal Ablation Therapy

Abstract

We synthesized and evaluated a novel class of chelator-free [ 64 Cu]-CuS nanoparticles (NPs) suitable for both PET imaging and as photothermal coupling agents for photothermal ablation.[ 64 Cu]-CuS NPs were simple to make, possessed excellent stability, and allowed robust noninvasive micro-PET imaging. Furthermore, CuS NPs displayed strong absorption in the nearinfrared (NIR) region (peak 930 nm), passive targeting prefers the tumor site, and mediated ablation of U87 tumor cells upon exposure to NIR light both in vitro and in vivo after either intratumoral or intravenous injection. The combination of small diameter (~11 nm diameter), strong NIR absorption, and integration of 64 Cu as a structural component makes [ 64 Cu]-CuS NPs ideally suited for multifunctional molecular imaging and therapy.

Copper sulfide nanoparticles: from synthesis to biomedical applications

“…For example, CuS nanospheres ( Figure 1d) could be synthesized simply by mixing aqueous solutions of CuCl2, sodium citrate, and Na2S together at room temperature and the following reaction at 90 °C for 15 min [8]. The size and shape of the nanospheres could be tuned by changing parameters such as the category of the precursors, temperature of the reaction, reaction time, and etc.…”

“…Alternatively, 64 Cu-labeled CuS NPs provide a chelator-free method for PET/CT imaging. 64 Cu (T1/2 = 12.7 h; β+, 0.653 MeV [17.8 %]; β−, 0.579 MeV [38.4 %]) has decay characteristics that allow for both PET imaging and targeted radiotherapy for cancer [8]. In an interesting report, chelator-free, PEG modified, 64 Cu-labeled CuS NPs (~11 nm in diameter) were constructed to serve as both a PET tracer and a therapy agent in tumor bearing mice (Figure 4).…”

“…Besides possessing the common features of semiconductor nanomaterials, including the variable energy structure and enhanced surface properties, CuS NPs are capable of forming various stoichiometries with unique optical and electrical properties, and thus they are explored as a potential platform for biosensing [3,4], molecular imaging [5], photothermal therapy [6], drug delivery [7], and theranostic agents [8].…”

Hyaluronan-modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for bimodal breast cancer imaging and photothermal therapy

“…Noble metal-based nanostructures, such as gold nanospheres, 1,2 gold nanorods, 3,4 gold nanoshells, 5 gold nanocages, 6 Cu-based semiconductor nanoparticles, 7 and carbon nanotubes 8 are the chief nanomaterials that have been well prepared and demonstrated powerful NIR laser-induced PTT efficacy. However, their promising clinical applications were largely limited due to the innate toxicity and unknown long-term toxicity of these aforementioned PTT agents.…”

In vitro and in vivo mapping of drug release after laser ablation thermal therapy with doxorubicin-loaded hollow gold nanoshells using fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging

“…Photothermal agents that have NIR absorbance properties are clinically preferred for PTA therapy because they have high tissue-penetrating ability and photothermal conversion efficiency [3][4][5]. Photothermal agents for PTA therapy include organic compounds [6,7], carbon-based materials [5], copper sulfide [8,9], and noble metal-based nanostructures [10][11][12]. Of this last group, poly(ethyelene glycol)-coated hollow gold nanospheres (PEG-HAuNS), which are nontoxic and nonimmunogenic, can be used for NIR laser-induced PTA of tumors with minimal damage to surrounding normal tissue [12][13][14][15][16].…”