Dual‐energy CT imaging of nasopharyngeal cancer cells using multifunctional gold nanoparticles

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to measure the concentration of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) attached to folic acid through cysteamin as the linker (FA-Cys-AuNPs) and AuNPs in KB human nasopharyngeal cancer cells using dual-energy CT (DECT). In this study, nanoparticles with a size of ∼15 nm were synthesized and characterised using UV-Vis, TEM, FTIR and ICP-OES analyses. The non-toxicity of nanoparticles was confirmed by MTT assay under various concentrations (40-100 µg/ml) and incubation times (6, 12 and 24 h). To develop an algorithm for revealing different concentrations of AuNPs in cells, a corresponding physical phantom filled with 0.5 ml vials containing FA-Cys-AuNPs was used. The CT scan was performed at two energy levels (80 and 140 kVp). One feature of DECT is material decomposition, which allows separation and identification of different elements. The values obtained from the DECT algorithm were compared with values quantitatively measured by ICP-OES. Cells were also incubated with AuNPs and FA-Cys-AuNPs at different concentrations and incubation times. Subsequently, by increasing the incubation time in the presence of FA-Cys-AuNPs, in comparison with AuNPs, DECT pixels were increased. Thus, FA-Cys-AuNPs could be a suitable candidate for targeted contrast agent in DECT molecular imaging of nasopharyngeal cancer cells.

Dual-energy computed tomography for head and neck cancer

“…Особенность ДЭКТ состоит в возможности декомпозировать исследуемый материал, что позволяет разделять и идентифицировать различные элементы в исследуемых тканях, в частности наночастицы золота. Данный способ диагностики является фактически молекулярной таргетной визуализацией раковых клеток носоглотки [58]. В последнее время приобретает значение «машинное обучение» при раке области головы и шеи.…”

Evaluation of intracellular distribution of folate functionalized silica nanoparticles using fluorescence and hyperspectral enhanced dark field microscopy

“…Since folate receptors are highly expressed in various human carcinomas such as: colorectal, heart, lung, kidney, ovarian, breast etc ., 7 conjugating nanoparticles (NPs) with folic acid ( e.g. , gold NPs for cell imaging of nasopharyngeal malignancy 27 ) has proven to be a successful approach for targeting cancer cells for either visualization or drug delivery. 28–34 The expression level of folate receptors on the cell membrane is influenced by the cellular metabolism, the higher the proliferation rate (as it is naturally occurring in cancer cells), the more receptors are expressed compared to non-malign cells.…”

“…19 Cancer cells have increased demands of metabolic precursors; 20 thus, the possibility of targeting cancer cells by "feeding" them with DDSs loaded with specific precursors, represents a strategy for an effective perturbation of their evolution. [21][22][23][24][25][26] Since folate receptors are highly expressed in various human carcinomas such as: colorectal, heart, lung, kidney, ovarian, breast etc., 7 conjugating nanoparticles (NPs) with folic acid (e.g., gold NPs for cell imaging of nasopharyngeal malignancy 27 ) has proven to be a successful approach for targeting cancer cells for either visualization or drug delivery. [28][29][30][31][32][33][34] The expression level of folate receptors on the cell membrane is influenced by the cellular metabolism, the higher the proliferation rate (as it is naturally occurring in cancer cells), the more receptors are expressed compared to non-malign cells.…”

CT imaging of gold nanoparticles in a human‐sized phantom

“…At least seven clinical trials are already underway involving AuNPs 6 and one potential therapeutic application relates to dose enhancement in radiation therapy (RT). Many studies have thus been conducted on AuNPs as x‐ray/CT contrast agents, 7–28 but none have yet actually included the visualization or quantification of AuNPs in a human or human‐sized phantom with a clinical multi‐detector CT (MDCT) scanner. This is critical when accounting for clinical kilovolt peak potentials (kVp) in CT imaging, the x‐ray beam filtration used in modern MDCT scanners, the scatter/attenuation that occurs when imaging humans (vs in mice or vials in air), and the detector response of modern MDCT scanners.…”