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Carbon Dots as a New Class of Diamagnetic Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (diaCEST) MRI Contrast Agents
Author(s) -
Zhang Jia,
Yuan Yue,
Gao Minling,
Han Zheng,
Chu Chengyan,
Li Yuguo,
van Zijl Peter C. M.,
Ying Mingyao,
Bulte Jeff W. M.,
Liu Guanshu
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201904722
Subject(s) - nanoprobe , diamagnetism , fluorescence , nuclear magnetic resonance , chemistry , magnetic resonance imaging , in vivo , nanotechnology , biophysics , materials science , nanoparticle , magnetic field , medicine , physics , microbiology and biotechnology , quantum mechanics , biology , radiology
Abstract While carbon dots (C‐dots) have been extensively investigated pertaining to their fluorescent, phosphorescent, electrochemiluminescent, optoelectronic, and catalytic features, their inherent chemical exchange saturation transfer magnetic resonance imaging (CEST MRI) properties are unknown. By virtue of their hydrophilicity and abundant exchangeable protons of hydroxyl, amine, and amide anchored on the surface, we report here that C‐dots can be adapted as effective diamagnetic CEST (diaCEST) MRI contrast agents. As a proof‐of‐concept demonstration, human glioma cells were labeled with liposomes with or without encapsulated C‐dots and implanted in mouse brain. In vivo CEST MRI was able to clearly differentiate labeled cells from non‐labeled cells. The present findings may encourage new applications of C‐dots for in vivo imaging in deep tissues, which is currently not possible using conventional fluorescent (near‐infrared) C‐dots.