Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging tool that bridges the traditional depth limits of ballistic optical imaging and the resolution limits of diffuse optical imaging. Using the acoustic waves generated in response to the absorption of pulsed laser light, it provides noninvasive images of absorbed optical energy density at depths of several centimeters with a resolution of ∼100 μm. This versatile and scalable imaging modality has now shown potential for molecular imaging, which enables visualization of biological processes with systemically introduced contrast agents. Understanding the relative merits of the vast range of contrast agents available, from small-molecule dyes to gold and carbon nanostructures to liposome encapsulations, is a considerable challenge. Here we critically review the physical, chemical and biochemical characteristics of the existing photoacoustic contrast agents, highlighting key applications and present challenges for molecular PAI.

/pdf/contrast-agents-for-molecular-photoacoustic-imaging-1qnxfpef28.pdf

Contrast agents for molecular photoacoustic imaging

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1149/1945-7111/ab6bc4/pdf

Review—Recent Advances in Carbon Nanomaterials as Electrochemical Biosensors

Fluorescence bioimaging is a powerful, versatile, method for investigating, both in vivo and in vitro, the complex structures and functions of living organisms in real time and space, also using super-resolution techniques. Being poorly invasive, fluorescence bioimaging is suitable for long-term observation of biological processes. Long-term detection is partially prevented by photobleaching of organic fluorescent probes. Semiconductor quantum dots, in contrast, are ultrastable, fluorescent contrast agents detectable even at the single nanoparticle level. Emission color of quantum dots is size dependent and nanoprobes emitting in the near infrared (NIR) region are ideal for low back-ground in vivo imaging. Biocompatibility of nanoparticles, containing toxic elements, is debated. Recent safety concerns enforced the search for alternative ultrastable luminescent nanoprobes. Most recent results demonstrated that optimized silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) and fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) show almost no photobleaching in a physiological environment. Moreover in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies demonstrated their unique biocompatibility. Si QDs and FNDs are hence ideal diagnostic tools and promising non-toxic vectors for the delivery of therapeutic cargos. Most relevant examples of applications of Si QDs and FNDs to long-term bioimaging are discussed in this review comparing the toxicity and the stability of different nanoprobes.

Nanodiamonds and silicon quantum dots: ultrastable and biocompatible luminescent nanoprobes for long-term bioimaging

Nanosized crosslinked polymer networks, named as nanogels, are playing an increasingly important role in a diverse range of applications by virtue of their porous structures, large surface area, good biocompatibility and responsiveness to internal and/or external chemico-physical stimuli. Recently, a variety of carbon nanomaterials, such as carbon quantum dots, graphene/graphene oxide nanosheets, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and nanodiamonds, have been embedded into responsive polymer nanogels, in order to integrate the unique electro-optical properties of carbon nanomaterials with the merits of nanogels into a single hybrid nanogel system for improvement of their applications in nanomedicine. A vast number of studies have been pursued to explore the applications of carbon-based hybrid nanogels in biomedical areas for biosensing, bioimaging, and smart drug carriers with combinatorial therapies and/or theranostic ability. New synthetic methods and structures have been developed to prepare carbon-based hybrid nanogels with versatile properties and functions. In this review, we summarize the latest developments and applications and address the future perspectives of these carbon-based hybrid nanogels in the biomedical field.

Carbon-based hybrid nanogels: a synergistic nanoplatform for combined biosensing, bioimaging, and responsive drug delivery

One of the major challenges in our contemporary society is to facilitate healthy life for all human beings. In this context, cancer has become one of the most deadly diseases around the world, and despite many advances in theranostics techniques the treatment of cancer still remains an important problem. With recent advances made in the field of nano-biotechnology, carbon-based nanostructured materials have drawn special attention because of their unique physicochemical properties, giving rise to great potential for the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. This review deals with four different types of carbon allotrope including carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerenes and nanodiamonds and summarizes the results of recent studies that are likely to have implications in cancer theranostics. We discuss the applications of these carbon allotropes for cancer imaging and drug delivery, hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy and acoustic wave assisted theranostics. We focus on the results of different studies conducted on functionalized/conjugated carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerenes and nanodiamond based nanostructured materials reported in the literature in the current decade. The emphasis has been placed on the synthesis strategies, structural design, properties and possible mechanisms that are perhaps responsible for their improved theranostic characteristics. Finally, we discuss the critical issues that may accelerate the development of carbon-based nanostructured materials for application in cancer theranostics.

Recent advances in carbon based nanosystems for cancer theranostics.

Aims: [Gd@C-82(OH)(22)](n) is a new type of nanoparticle with potent antineoplastic activity and low toxicity compared with traditional drugs. In this study, we explored, for the first time, the effect of [Gd@C-82(OH)(22)](n) on the cell cycle using human breast cancer MCF-7 and human umbilical vein endothelial ECV304 cell lines by flow cytometry. Methods: Cell viability was assessed through CCK-8 assay, and MCF-7 tumor-bearing mice were examined after 2 weeks of treatment with [Gd@C-82(OH)(22)](n). Cell cycle-related gene expression was detected by microarray and confirmed by real-time PCR and RNAi. Results: Cell viability studies confirmed that [Gd@C-82(OH)(22)](n) inhibits breast cancer effectively with very low toxicity. Flow cytometric data and microarray results reveal that [Gd@C-82(OH)(22)](n) mediates G0/G1 arrest in both cell lines by regulating the expression of several genes, such as cyclin D2, cyclin E and CDK4, among others, in the related cell cycle. Conclusion: Results further demonstrated that [Gd@C-82(OH)(22)](n) could inhibit tumor growth by inducing tumor cell and vein endothelial cell G0/G1 arrest, which may explain the low toxicity of [Gd@C-82(OH)(22)](n).

Metallofullerol nanoparticles with low toxicity inhibit tumor growth by induction of G0/G1 arrest (Retracted article. See vol. 8, pg. 1356, 2013)

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Metallofullerol nanoparticles with low toxicity inhibit tumor growth by induction of G0/G1 arrest (Retracted article. See vol. 8, pg. 1356, 2013)