Core-Shell Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>@C Nanoparticles as Highly Effective T<sub>2</sub> Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies
Huan Yue,
Dejun Zhao,
Tirusew Tegafaw,
Mohammad Yaseen Ahmad,
Abdullah Khamis Ali Al Saidi,
Ying Liu,
Hyunsil Cha,
Byeong Woo Yang,
Kwon Seok Chae,
Sung-Wook Nam,
Yongmin Chang,
Gang Ho Lee
Affiliations
Huan Yue
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Dejun Zhao
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Tirusew Tegafaw
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Mohammad Yaseen Ahmad
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Abdullah Khamis Ali Al Saidi
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Ying Liu
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Hyunsil Cha
Division of Biomedical Science, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41944, Republic of Korea
Byeong Woo Yang
Theranocure, Medlifescience Bldg. 1, Chilgok, Bukgu, Taegu 41405, Republic of Korea
Kwon Seok Chae
Department of Biology Education, Teachers’ College, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Sung-Wook Nam
Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41944, Republic of Korea
Yongmin Chang
Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41944, Republic of Korea
Gang Ho Lee
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Taegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) have been intensively investigated because of their potential biomedical applications due to their high saturation magnetization. In this study, core–shell Fe3O4@C NPs (core = Fe3O4 NPs and shell = amorphous carbons, davg = 35.1 nm) were synthesized in an aqueous solution. Carbon coating terminated with hydrophilic –OH and –COOH groups imparted excellent biocompatibility and hydrophilicity to the NPs, making them suitable for biomedical applications. The Fe3O4@C NPs exhibited ideal relaxometric properties for T2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (i.e., high transverse and negligible longitudinal water proton spin relaxivities), making them exclusively induce only T2 relaxation. Their T2 MRI performance as contrast agents was confirmed in vivo by measuring T2 MR images in mice before and after intravenous injection.
