Small molecule organic probe IR-PEG-FA-Gd for MRI-guided photothermal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma
Objective To prepare IR-PEG-FA-Gd (IPFG), an MRI nanoprobe targeting hepatocellular carcinoma, to evaluate its near-infrared photothermal conversion performance, and to explore its efficacy in photothermal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Gd3 + was chelated into IR-PEG-FA nanoparticles using the physical chelation method, and the MRI nanoprobe IPFG targeting hepatocellular carcinoma was prepared; the MRI nanoprobe IPFG targeting hepatocellular carcinoma was prepared;its ex vivo and in vivo photothermal heating performance was monitored using 808 nm lasers;the in situ hepatocellular carcinoma mouse model was constructed, and the effects of photothermal therapy treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma were monitored by using IVIS imaging and MRI to monitor the photothermal therapy treatment effect of IPFG for hepatocellular carcinoma. Results Under 808 nm laser irradiation, the temperature of IPFG solution could reach 87.3℃ within 4 min; the tumor temperature of IPFG group reached 48.0℃ within 3 min in the subcutaneous tumor model. Even when covered with 3 mm chicken breast tissue to simulate the biological environment, the IPFG solution could still warm up to 47.3℃ within 4 min;after photothermal therapy treatment, the tumor signal almost disappeared in the IPFG group, which was significantly better than that in the IPG group and the control group, and the resolution of MRI imaging was higher in the IPFG group. Conclusion IPFG has good near-infrared photothermal conversion efficacy, and it demonstrates excellent MRI and photothermal treatment effects in liver cancer photothermal therapy, which provides a new strategy for precision treatment of liver cancer.