%0 Journal Article
%T Photoacoustic imaging of integrin-overexpressing tumors using a novel ICG-based contrast agent in mice
%A Alessandro Maiocchi
%A Alessia Cordaro
%A Claudia Cabella
%A Federica Buonsanti
%A Francesco Blasi
%A Giovanni Valbusa
%A Lorena Pizzuto
%A Luisa Poggi
%A Martina Capozza
%A Paolo Oliva
%J Archive of "Photoacoustics".
%D 2018
%R 10.1016/j.pacs.2018.07.007
%X PhotoAcoustic Imaging (PAI) is a biomedical imaging modality currently under evaluation in preclinical and clinical settings. In this work, ICG is coupled to an integrin binding vector (ICG-RGD) to combine the good photoacoustic properties of ICG and the favourable ¦Áv¦Â3-binding capabilities of a small RGD cyclic peptidomimetic. ICG-RGD is characterized in terms of physicochemical properties, biodistribution and imaging performance. Tumor uptake was assessed in subcutaneous xenograft mouse models of human glioblastoma (U-87MG, high ¦Áv¦Â3 expression) and epidermoid carcinoma (A431, low ¦Áv¦Â3 expression). ICG and ICG-RGD showed high PA signal in tumors already after 15£¿min post-injection. At later time points the signal of ICG rapidly decreased, while ICG-RGD showed sustained uptake in U-87MG but not in A431 tumors, likely due to the integrin-mediated retention of the probe. In conclusion, ICG-RGD is a novel targeted contrast agents for PAI with superior biodistribution, tumor uptake properties and diagnostic value compared to ICG
%K Indocyanine green
%K Tumor targeting
%K Contrast agents
%K Photoacoustic imaging
%K ¦Áv¦Â3-Integrin
%K Optoacoustic imaging
%U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6086215/