Vascular-Targeted Nanoparticles for Molecular Imaging and Therapy

Abstract

This chapter describes the vascular-targeted nanoparticles for molecular imaging and therapy. Molecular imaging involves the noninvasive real-time observation of in vivo biologic events at the molecular level. In nearly all cases, molecular imaging will require the delivery of a probe to the tissue site of interest. The design of probes for molecular imaging target two basic classes of biologic events, including alteration in metabolic processes and changes in receptor expression. In the case of metabolic probes, small molecules are used that can perfuse most tissues and pathologic regions in the body. The integrins are one of the best characterized members of the adhesion molecule family that is upregulated in angiogenic endothelial cells found in tumors and certain inflammatory injuries. The integrins are transmembrane molecules that favor the anchorage of endothelial cells to a wide variety of extracellular matrix proteins with an exposed arginine, glycine, aspartate amino acid sequence. The in vivo imaging of angiogenic tumors using anti-avb3-targeted polymerized vesicles comprised of the murine antibody LM609 attached to PVs labeled with the MR contrast agent gadolinium in the V2 carcinoma model in rabbits is also elaborated.