In Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Livers Using Biodegradable Hyaluronic Acid‐Conjugated Silica Nanoparticles

Abstract

The diagnosis of liver diseases is generally carried out via ultrasound imaging, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The emerging photoacoustic imaging is an attractive alternative to diagnose even early stage of liver diseases providing high‐resolution anatomical and functional information in deep tissue noninvasively. However, the liver has insufficient photoacoustic contrast due to low optical absorbance in the near‐infrared windows. Here, a new hyaluronate–silica nanoparticle (HA–SiNP) conjugate for liver‐specific delivery and imaging for the diagnosis of liver diseases is developed. The HA–SiNP conjugates show high liver‐specific targeting efficiency, strong optical absorbance near‐infrared windows, excellent biocompatibility, and biodegradability. The liver‐specific targeting efficiency is verified by in vitro cellular uptake test, and in vivo and ex vivo photoacoustic imaging. In vivo photoacoustic imaging shows that photoacoustic amplitude in the liver injected with HA–SiNP conjugates is 4.4 times higher than that of the liver injected with SiNP. The biocompatibility and biodegradability of HA–SiNP conjugates are verified by cell viability test, optical spectrum analysis of urine, and inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectroscopy (ICP‐MS) analysis. Taken together, HA–SiNP conjugates may be developed as a promising liver targeted photoacoustic imaging contrast agent and liver‐targeted drug delivery agent.

Degradability and Clearance of Inorganic Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

“…Copyright 2011, American Society for Clinical Investigation. c–f) Reproduced with permission . Copyright 2018, Wiley‐VCH.…”

“…Due to its high biocompatibility and biodegradability, hyaluronic acid (HA) has been intensively studied as a drug‐delivery carrier with specific targeting to the liver . Kim and co‐workers reported a new type of HA‐integrated ultrasmall silica nanoparticles (HA‐SiNPs) for specific delivery and imaging toward the diagnosis of liver disease . HA having negative charges and SiNP showing strong PA signal in the NIR window could help the system avoid nonspecific binding and aid in visualizing the targeted delivery to the liver tissue and the clearance from the body (Figure c,d).…”

Emerging and Innovative Theranostic Approaches for Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Status and Advances

“…Through the recognition of these receptors by targeting ligands on MSNs, more smart targeting strategies have been achieved. The targeting ligands now used for MSN-based HCC theranostics include lactobionic acid (Zhang et al, 2012), folic acid (Chen et al, 2019), arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) (Chen et al, 2012), transferring (Hao et al, 2017), hyaluronic acid (Lee et al, 2018), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (Ao et al, 2018), and others ( Table 1).…”

Nanoparticles in Biomedicine-Focus on Imaging Applications

“…10). Mesoporous silica NPs are also used as promising [115][116][117][118] ultrahigh field MRI imaging contrast agents.…”