In vivo photoacoustic monitoring using 700-nm region Raman source for targeting Prussian blue nanoparticles in mouse tumor model

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 2000 - 9
• Main Authors: Bui, Nhat Quang, Cho, Soon-Woo, Moorthy, Madhappan Santha, Park, Sang Min, Piao, Zhonglie, Nam, Seung Yun, Kang, Hyun Wook, Kim, Chang-Seok, Oh, Junghwan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 31-01-2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 140/125; 140/133; 59; 631/1647/245/2226; 631/67/2321; 96/63; Absorption; Animal models; Animals; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell Line, Tumor; Ferrocyanides - chemistry; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Light sources; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; multidisciplinary; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Neoplasms, Experimental - diagnostic imaging; Photoacoustic Techniques - instrumentation; Photoacoustic Techniques - methods; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20139-0

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is a noninvasive imaging tool to visualize optical absorbing contrast agents. Due to high ultrasonic resolution and superior optical sensitivity, PAI can be used to monitor nanoparticle-mediated cancer therapy. The current study synthesized Food and Drug Administration-approved Prussian blue (PB) in the form of nanoparticles (NPs) with the peak absorption at 712 nm for photoacoustically imaging tumor-bearing mouse models. To monitor PB NPs from the background tissue
in vivo
, we also developed a new 700-nm-region stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) source (pulse energy up to 200 nJ and repetition rate up to 50 kHz) and implemented optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM). The SRS-assisted OR-PAM system was able to monitor PB NPs in the tumor model with micrometer resolution. Due to strong light absorption at 712 nm, the developed SRS light yielded a two-fold higher contrast from PB NPs, in comparison with a 532-nm pumping source. The proposed laser source involved cost-effective and simple system implementation along with high compatibility with the fiber-based OR-PAM system. The study highlights the OR-PAM system in conjunction with the tunable-color SRS light source as a feasible tool to assist NP-mediated cancer therapy.