MRI compatible MS2 nanoparticles designed to cross the blood-brain-barrier: providing a path towards tinnitus treatment

We confront the fundamental challenge of surpassing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and delivering contrast agents to the brain to better diagnose neuronal conditions. MS2 bacteriophage-based nanoparticles were used as the basis of our nanocarrier system. The external surface of MS2 was modified with angiopep-2 ligand to facilitate crossing of the BBB, and the interior of the capsid was loaded with the MRI contrast agent Mn2+ via porphyrin ring intercalation for imaging. This work sets the stage for loading the MS2 cargo region with therapeutics to be delivered to specific brain sites, which were previously not accessible due to BBB restrictions.173