O. Bulgin, E. Van Keuren, C. Albanese, O. Rodriguez, Y. Lee, Y. Chung
Georgetown University,
United States
Keywords: MRI contrast agent, flash nano precipitation, encapsulation
Summary:
Flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) has emerged as an efficient technique for synthesizing polymer nanoparticles and encapsulating hydrophobic molecules. Among various polymers, polystyrene has shown to be easier to work with using this method compared to other plastic polymers. Recently, a liquid-core polystyrene nanoparticle was synthesized, leading to a novel approach for encapsulating fluorinated particles (PCE-perflouro-15-crown-5-ether) with the same technique. These nanocapsules have been demonstrated to be effective contrast agents for 19F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in preclinical settings, even at low magnetic fields and low concentrations. Furthermore, the polystyrene shell can be chemically modified, such as by attaching molecules that target folate receptors, which are over- expressed in tumor cells, or can be replaced with more biocompatible polymers like Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) PLGA. Although these contrast agents might not replace existing ones on the market, they are a necessary intervention for patients with kidney disease. Patients with renal failure can develop nephrogenic system fibrosis after using gadolinium based contrast agents where it gets accumulated in the brain and can be fatal.