Self‐Assembly of Semiconducting Polymer Amphiphiles for In Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging

Despite the advantages of semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) over other inorganic nanoparticles for photoacoustic (PA) imaging, their synthetic method is generally limited to nanoprecipitation, which is likely to cause the issue of nanoparticle dissociation. The synthesis of near‐infrared (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced functional materials 2017-02, Vol.27 (8), p.np-n/a
Main Authors: Xie, Chen, Zhen, Xu, Lei, Qunli, Ni, Ran, Pu, Kanyi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brightness
Chemical synthesis
Fluorescence
Grafting
Imaging
Lithosphere
Liver
Materials science
Mice
Nanomaterials
Nanoparticles
Nanostructure
Near infrared radiation
Optical activity
Optical properties
photoacoustic imaging
Polyethylene glycol
polymer amphiphiles
Polymers
Segments
Self assembly
Spas
Synthesis (chemistry)
Tumors
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Summary:Despite the advantages of semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) over other inorganic nanoparticles for photoacoustic (PA) imaging, their synthetic method is generally limited to nanoprecipitation, which is likely to cause the issue of nanoparticle dissociation. The synthesis of near‐infrared (NIR) absorbing semiconducting polymer amphiphiles (SPAs) that can spontaneously self‐assemble into homogeneous nanoparticles for in vivo PA imaging is reported. As compared with their counterpart nanoparticles (SPN1) prepared through nanoprecipitation, SPAs generally have higher fluorescence quantum yields but similar size and PA brightness, making them superior over SPN1. Optical and simulation studies reveal that the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) grafting density plays a critical role in determining the packing of SP segments inside the core of nanoparticles, consequently affecting the optical properties. The small size and structurally stable nanostructure, in conjunction with a dense PEG shell, allow SPAs to passively target tumors of living mice after systemic administration, permitting both PA and fluorescence imaging of the tumors at signals that are ≈1.5‐fold higher than that of liver. This study thus not only provides the first generation of amphiphilic optically active polymers for PA imaging, but also highlights the molecular guidelines for the development of organic NIR imaging nanomaterials. Near‐infrared absorbing semiconducting polymer amphiphiles (SPAs) that can spontaneously self‐assemble into homogenous nanoparticles are synthesized. The small size and structurally stable nanostructure in conjunction with a dense poly(ethylene glycol) shell allow SPAs to passively target tumors of living mice after systemic administration, permitting both photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging of the tumors.
ISSN:1616-301X
1616-3028
DOI:10.1002/adfm.201605397