Curcumin-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles for detecting amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease mice using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

A comprehensive literatures update of clinical researches of superparamagnetic resonance iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging

“…In vivo, the particles can penetrate the BBB of both Tg2576 Alzheimer's disease model and nontransgenic mice brain. Cur-SPIO binds amyloid plaques in mouse brains, as shown by multiple detection methods (154). T2* ex vivo MRI reveals more dark spots in transgenic mice than control mice (Figure 20).…”

β-Amyloid Biomarker Detection for Alzheimer’s Disease

“…As result from all the tests, the dark spots on the MRI of Tg mice were in fact amyloid beta plaques labeled with curcumin-iron oxide NPs and these were confirmed by the immunohistochemical staining of the same brains [32]. These results were not observed in the control group, the Tg mice and control group were significantly different [32]. Regarding the safety of both, the SPIO and curcumin, the SPIO it is a clinically approved contrast agent for MRI and also curcumin demonstrated safety in a human clinical trial that resulted in no adverse chronic effect during 6 months of high dose consumption (4 g/day).…”

“…After MRI studies, the brains were sectioned and stained for later immunohistochemical tests to correlate with MRI results. As result from all the tests, the dark spots on the MRI of Tg mice were in fact amyloid beta plaques labeled with curcumin-iron oxide NPs and these were confirmed by the immunohistochemical staining of the same brains [32]. These results were not observed in the control group, the Tg mice and control group were significantly different [32].…”

“…NPs can be pooled with other particles or chemicals and be measured with different techniques. For example, a research conducted by Cheng et al [32] involved combining superparamagnetic NPs with curcumin and using MRI technique to measure Ab plaques in a mouse model. Curcumin is a natural product extracted from turmeric (the root of the Curcuma longa plant), and in this research it is used as the amyloid binding tracer.…”

“…Regarding the safety of both, the SPIO and curcumin, the SPIO it is a clinically approved contrast agent for MRI and also curcumin demonstrated safety in a human clinical trial that resulted in no adverse chronic effect during 6 months of high dose consumption (4 g/day). They performed several in vitro tests to observer how these NPs reacted before moving to the mouse model [32]. Another nanoparticle that can be implemented as MRI contrast agent are the gold NPs due to the optical properties.…”