Affibody-based nanoprobes for HER2-expressing cell and tumor imaging

Biomaterials. 2011 Mar;32(8):2141-8. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.11.053. Epub 2010 Dec 13.

Abstract

This article reports the affibody-based nanoprobes specifically target and image human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2)-expressing cells and tumors. The affibody molecules are a promising class of targeting ligands with simple, robust, and precise structure and high affinity. Using near-infrared (NIR) quantum dots (QDs) and iron oxide (IO) nanoparticles as two representative nanomaterials, we designed anti-HER2 affibody molecules with a N-terminus cysteine residue (Cysteine-Z(HER2:342)) and precisely conjugated with maleimide-functionalized nanoparticles to make nanoparticle-affibody conjugates. The in vitro and in vivo study showed the conjugates are highly specific to target and image HER2-expressing cells and tumors. This work indicated the nanoparticle-affibody conjugates may be excellent candidates as targeting probes for molecular imaging and diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Imaging / methods*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Quantum Dots
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • affibody (ZHER2-342)2
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Receptor, ErbB-2