CKAP4 Antibody-Conjugated Si Quantum Dot Micelles for Targeted Imaging of Lung Cancer

Abstract

At present, various fluorescent nanomaterials have been designed and synthesized as optical contrast agents for surgical navigation. However, there have been no reports on the preparation of fluorescent contrast agents for lung cancer surgery navigation using silicon quantum dots (Si QDs). This study improved and modified the water-dispersible Si QD micelles reported by Pi et al. to prepare Si QD micelles-CKAP4. The data showed that the Si QD micelles-CKAP4 were spherical particles with a mean hydrodiameter of approximately 78.8 nm. UV–visible absorption of the Si QD micelles-CKAP4 ranged from 200 to 500 nm. With an excitation wavelength of 330 nm, strong fluorescence at 640 nm was observed in the fluorescence emission spectra. Laser confocal microscopy and fluorescence microscopy assay showed that the Si QD micelles-CKAP4 exhibited good targeting ability to lung cancer cells and lung cancer tissues in vitro. The in vivo fluorescence-imaging assay showed that the Si QD micelles-CKAP4 was metabolized by the liver and excreted by the kidney. In addition, Si QD micelles-CKAP4 specifically targeted lung cancer tissue in vivo compared with healthy lung tissue. Cytotoxicity and hematoxylin and eosin staining assays showed that the Si QD micelles-CKAP4 exhibited high biosafety in vitro and in vivo. Si QD micelles-CKAP4 is a specifically targeted imaging agent for lung cancer and is expected to be a fluorescent contrast agent for lung cancer surgical navigation in the future.

Formin‐like 2 promotes angiogenesis and metastasis of colorectal cancer by regulating the EGFL6/CKAP4/ERK axis

“…Cytoskeleton‐associated protein 4 is involved in the progression of multiple tumors, such as lung cancer, esophageal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pancreatic cancer. 9 , 24 , 26 , 27 Retinol‐binding protein 1 activates CKAP4 to promote the malignant progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma through autophagy activation. 28 Here, we identified CKAP4 as a HUVEC membrane receptor for EGFL6.…”

Quantum Dots: An Emerging Approach for Cancer Therapy

“…In vivo fluorescence-imaging investigation revealed that the Si QDs micelles-CKAP4 were metabolized by the liver and eliminated by the kidney. Moreover, they precisely targeted lung cancer tissue in vivo compared with healthy lung tissue (Huang et al, 2021). Cytotoxicity and hematoxylin and eosin staining investigations demonstrated that their high biosafety (Figure 5).…”

A Synergistic pH-Responsive Serum Albumin-Based Drug Delivery System Loaded with Doxorubicin and Pentacyclic Triterpene Betulinic Acid for Potential Treatment of NSCLC

“…This tumor is usually less sensitive to chemo- and radiotherapy and significantly affects human health [ 20 ]. Effective measures for cancer therapeutics are under evaluation, such as cyclodextrin [ 21 ], liposomal [ 22 ], carrier-free nanodrugs [ 23 ], and micelles [ 24 ]. However, a promising therapeutic approach still does not exist [ 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”