Nanoparticle targeting to diseased vasculature for imaging and therapy

(A) Nanoparticle schematic. Nano-precipitation method was used to create PLA nanoparticles. DIR fluorescent dye (red) was incorporated to track particles. Particle surfaces were coated with PEG maleimide groups (PEG as green, maleimide as yellow) where antibodies were bound with thiol chemistry. (B) Elastic lamina fibers schematic. In healthy arteries, elastic lamina has core amorphous elastin which is coated on the surface with microfibrills such as fibrillins and fibulins. In the diseased state, the microfibrillar proteins degrade along with amorphous elastin, thus exposing core elastin. Nanoparticles (NPs) coated with antibodies that are specific to core elastin are used to target degraded elastic lamina in diseased artery while sparing healthy vessel with native elastic lamina.118