Open AccessTantalum oxide nanoparticles as versatile contrast agents for X-ray computed tomography
Author(s) -
Shatadru Chakravarty,
Jeremy M.L. Hix,
Kaitlyn A Wiewiora,
Maximilian Volk,
Elizabeth Kenyon,
Dorela Shuboni-Mulligan,
Bárbara Blanco-Fernandez,
Matti Kiupel,
Jennifer S. Thomas,
Lorenzo F. Sempere,
Erik M. Shapiro
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
nanoscale
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.038
H-Index - 224
eISSN - 2040-3372
pISSN - 2040-3364
DOI - 10.1039/d0nr01234c
Subject(s) - tantalum , nanoparticle , computed tomography , materials science , oxide , nanotechnology , tomography , contrast (vision) , x ray , optics , radiology , metallurgy , medicine , physics
Here, we describe the synthesis, characterization and in vitro and in vivo performance of a series of tantalum oxide (TaO x ) based nanoparticles (NPs) for computed tomography (CT). Five distinct versions of 9-12 nm diameter silane coated TaO x nanocrystals (NCs) were fabricated by a sol-gel method with varying degrees of hydrophilicity and with or without fluorescence, with the highest reported Ta content to date (78%). Highly hydrophilic NCs were left bare and were evaluated in vivo in mice for micro-CT of full body vasculature, where following intravenous injection, TaO x NCs demonstrate high vascular CT contrast, circulation in blood for ∼3 h, and eventual accumulation in RES organs; and following injection locally in the mammary gland, where the full ductal tree structure can be clearly delineated. Partially hydrophilic NCs were encapsulated within mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs; TaO x @MSNPs) and hydrophobic NCs were encapsulated within poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA; TaO x @PLGA) NPs, serving as potential CT-imagable drug delivery vehicles. Bolus intramuscular injections of TaO x @PLGA NPs and TaO x @MSNPs to mimic the accumulation of NPs at a tumor site produce high signal enhancement in mice. In vitro studies on bare NCs and formulated NPs demonstrate high cytocompatibility and low dissolution of TaO x . This work solidifies that TaO x -based NPs are versatile contrast agents for CT.