The Development of Nanoparticles for Targeted Head and Neck Cancer Detection with Molecular Imaging

Abstract

Objectives: 1) Develop an accurate detection system for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using tumor specific nanoparticle-based probes. 2) Apply these probes for real-time non-invasive HNSCC detection using molecular imaging (MI) system. Methods. Fluorescence-labeled LDS nanoparticles targeting Hsp47 (a highly specific biomarker for HNSCC) were constructed. The HNSCC targeted properties of these constructs were evaluated in vitro using human HNSCC tumor cell lines and in a mouse model of HNSCC with a MI system. Results: Fluorescence-labeled LDS nanoparticles demonstrated HNSCC tumor cell targeting properties in vitro. Furthermore, this targeting strategy demonstrated accurate and real time tumor detection using MI system. Conclusions: Our study suggests that these novel nanoparticle-based HNSCC tumor-targeting constructs have the potential to be used clinically for non-invasive, accurate, and real time detection of tumors for patients evaluated for HNSCC.