Synthesis and biological evaluation of radiolabeled photosensitizer linked bovine serum albumin nanoparticles as a tumor imaging agent

In this study, we reported on the synthesis and biological evaluation of radiolabeled fluorescent dye conjugated bovine serum albumin nanoparticles within the size range 190–210 nm. The bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSANPs) were prepared using a desolvation method, and chemical cross-linking was performed using gluteraldehyde. Furthermore, pheophorbide-a (PH-A) was loaded on the BSANPs. The results obtained from dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy have proved that nanoparticles are highly monodisperse and near-spherical shaped. The photo-physical properties of the PH-A-BSANPs were obtained using the spectrophotometric techniques. According to the results, PH-A and BSANPs show high non-covalent interaction. PH-A loaded nanoparticles were labeled with 99mTc and the radio-labeling efficiency was determined as 90 ± 1.2%. Biodistribution studies of 99mTc labeled PH-A-BSANPs and PH-A were carried out using female Albino Wistar rats, and 99mTc-PH-A-BSANPs showed a significantly higher uptake in the breast and uterus than 99mTc-PH-A. Cell culture study was carried out in MCF-7 cell line (human breast adenocarcinoma cell line). According to the cell culture studies, 99mTc-PH-A-BSANPs showed a higher uptake than 99mTc-PH-A. Moreover, PH-A-BSANPs demonstrated good photo-physical properties and BSANPs increased the uptake of PH-A on to the MCF-7 cell line. These results confirm that 99mTc labeled PH-A-BSANPs could be utilized for radioimaging.

99mTc-PH-A complex (right) conjugated bovine serum albumin nanoparticles within the size range from 190 to 210 nm for use as a cancer targeting agent. Fluorescence microscopy image of PH-A-BSANPs inside MCF-7 cells (left).Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide