99mTc-Methionine Gold Nanoparticles as a Promising Biomaterial for Enhanced Tumor Imaging

Methionine-gold nanoparticles (MGNs) was synthesized by conjugating methionine via dithiocarbamate linkage to gold nanoparticles (GNPs), prepared simultaneously by one pot modified Burst method. Formation of MGNs was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy and appearance of new IR bands in the range of 934 cm(-1) to 1086 cm(-1) and shifting of N-C,S-S and S-C-S stretching, confirms the involvement of '-S-C-S-' group of methionine dithiocarbamate with GNPs. The presence of Au in MGNs was confirmed by EDXA spectrum, whereas TEM, SAED and XRD revealed that MGNs are nanocrystalline (similar to 13 nm) and have face-centered cubic structure. MGNs was labeled with Tc-99m (TMGNs) with radiolabeling efficiency greater than 99% using 300 mu g of stannous chloride, pH 7 and 90.6 MBq of (TcO4)-Tc-99m. The stability data showed that the conjugate will remain infrangible in systemic circulation and in acidic microenvironment of tumor. The blood kinetic profile of TMGN in rabbits and biodistribution studies in EAT tumor bearing balb/c mice showed longer in vivo circulation and slow clearance compared to radiolabeled methionine (TM). TMGN demonstrated nearly three-fold higher tumor accumulation (3.9 +/- 0.35% ID/g), 2-fold lower tumor saturation dose (1.0 mu g/kg) and higher tumor retention compared with TM. Data showed that the TMGN tumor: blood ratio (1.05) is nearly 2.5-fold higher than TM (0.44), whereas TMGN tumor: muscle ratio (97.5) is nearly 8-fold higher than TM (11.6). In conclusion, TMGN showed excellent tumor targeting and has promising prospects as a SPECT-radiopharmaceutical for imaging tumors. (c) 2020 American Pharmacists Association (R). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The methionine-gold nanoparticles (MGNs) showed excellent tumor targeting ability and has promising prospects as a SPECT radiopharmaceutical for imaging tumors.