Designed Active Fluorescence Magneto Nanoprobes for Molecular Target by Membrane Type1-Matrix Metalloproteinase and Their Application to Imaging

Magnetic nanocrystals (MNCs) have recently demonstrated excellent magnetic properties and low toxicity that can be applied to magnetic resonance imaging systems. [1] Also fluorescent-dye conjugated nanoparticles are representative examples of optical nanoprobe systems. [2] In a concept to develop a new type of nanoprobes which can amplify each of advantageous components, novel fluorescent magnetic poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) nanoparticles (FMPNs) were synthesized for the application of highly efficient bimodal imaging probes; magnetic resonance (MR) and optical imaging. Nanocomposites, composed of hydrophobic lauric acid-coated 10nm MNCs embedded in fluorescent (rhodamine B) labeled PMMA nanoparticles, were fabricated in a simple way by nano-emulsion method. The obtained nanocomposites have a homogeneous size of 80 nm. In the spin-spin relaxation time (T2) weighted MR images, FMPNs solution presented high relaxivity coefficient (720.62 mM-1sec-1) because of large amounts of fabricated magnetic components on PMMA. The potential of FMPNs as optical imaging probes estimated in the microtube before and after the application of permanent magnet. Then their corresponding optical images clearly demonstrated that FMPNs produced excellent fluorescent intensities ensuring successful application as effective optical imaging agents. Conclusively, FMPNs, as bimodal imaging probes, not onl