Development of cell-membrane coatings for the stealth delivery of MRI-active nanoparticles

Abstract

The development of multifunctional nanomaterials has been shown to be the key for enhancing cancer diagnosis and therapy. Nanomatryoshkas, nanoparticles consisting of a gold core, interstitial nanoscale SiO2 layer, and a gold shell layer, are appropriated for bioimaging and treatment applications in the near-IR, where light has a maximal penetration depth in biological tissue. However, one of the main challenges in the nanomedicine today is to overcome the barriers of the immune system. In this way, the aim of the present project is the development of new multifunctional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-active nanomatryoshkas and their coating with natural cell-membranes to camouflage the particles in vivo. These new nanocomposites will be characterized by electron microscopy, magnetic measurements, and spectroscopic techniques and applied in photothermal therapy studies in various cell lines, including cancer cells. (AU)