Hypoxia-specific ultrasensitive detection of tumours and cancer cells in vivo

Xianchuang Zheng, Xin Wang, Hui Mao, Wei Wu, Baorui Liu and Xiqun Jiang ()
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Xianchuang Zheng: Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology (Nanjing University), Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University
Xin Wang: Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology (Nanjing University), Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University
Hui Mao: Emory University
Wei Wu: Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology (Nanjing University), Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University
Baorui Liu: Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University
Xiqun Jiang: Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology (Nanjing University), Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Highly sensitive and specific non-invasive molecular imaging methods are particularly desirable for the early detection of cancers. Here we report a near-infrared optical imaging probe highly specific to the hypoxic tumour microenvironment to detect tumour and cancer cells with the sensitivity to a few thousands cancer cells. This oxygen-sensitive, near-infrared emitting and water-soluble phosphorescent macromolecular probe can not only report the hypoxic tumour environment of various cancer models, including metastatic tumours in vivo, but can also detect a small amount of cancer cells before the formation of the tumour based on the increased oxygen consumption during cancer cell proliferation. Thus, the reported hypoxia-sensitive probe may offer an imaging tool for characterizing the tumour microenvironment in vivo, detecting cancer cells at a very early stage of tumour development and lymph node metastasis.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6834

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