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Article
Nature Biotechnology  22, 969 - 976 (2004)
Published online: 18 July 2004; | doi:10.1038/nbt994

In vivo cancer targeting and imaging with semiconductor quantum dots

Xiaohu Gao1, Yuanyuan Cui2, Richard M Levenson3, Leland W K Chung2 & Shuming Nie1

1  Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Hematology and Oncology, and the Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, 1639 Pierce Drive, Suite 2001, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.

2  Department of Urology and Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, 1365 Clifton Road, Suite B5101, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.

3  Cambridge Research & Instrumentation, Inc., 35-B Cabot Road, Woburn, Massachusetts 01801, USA.

Correspondence should be addressed to Leland W K Chung lwchung@emory.edu or Shuming Nie snie@emory.edu
We describe the development of multifunctional nanoparticle probes based on semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) for cancer targeting and imaging in living animals. The structural design involves encapsulating luminescent QDs with an ABC triblock copolymer and linking this amphiphilic polymer to tumor-targeting ligands and drug-delivery functionalities. In vivo targeting studies of human prostate cancer growing in nude mice indicate that the QD probes accumulate at tumors both by the enhanced permeability and retention of tumor sites and by antibody binding to cancer-specific cell surface biomarkers. Using both subcutaneous injection of QD-tagged cancer cells and systemic injection of multifunctional QD probes, we have achieved sensitive and multicolor fluorescence imaging of cancer cells under in vivo conditions. We have also integrated a whole-body macro-illumination system with wavelength-resolved spectral imaging for efficient background removal and precise delineation of weak spectral signatures. These results raise new possibilities for ultrasensitive and multiplexed imaging of molecular targets in vivo.

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Nature Biotechnology
ISSN: 1087-0156
EISSN: 1546-1696
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