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Long circulation time is critical for blood pool contrast agents used in high-resolution magnetic resonance angiography. For iron oxide particle contrast agents, size and surface properties significantly influence their in vivo performance. We developed a novel long-circulating blood pool contrast agent by introducing zwitterionic structure onto the particle surface. Zwitterionic structure was fabricated by 3-(diethylamino)propylamine (DEAPA) grafted onto the surface of ployacrylic acid coated magnetite nanoparticles via EDC/NHS [N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbo-diimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide] coupling chemistry. Zwitterionic particles demonstrated five times lower macrophage cell uptake than the original particles and low cell toxicity. Magnetic resonance angiography indicated that zwitterionic nanoparticles had much longer in vivo circulation time than the original particles and were an ideal candidate for blood pool contrast agent. We suppose that zwitterionic modification by DEAPA and EDC/NHS can be used generally for coating nanoparticles with carboxyl surface and to prolong their circulating time., (Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles are of potential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for tumor diagnosis. However, ultrasmall particle size or negative surface charge lead to relative short half-life which limit the utilization of USPIO for in vivo MRI contrast agents. Methods: Superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA)were synthetized, and modified by 3-amino propanol and 3-diethyl amino propyl amine. The characteristics of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were investigated through transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Zata potential analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and relaxation properties analysis. Magnetic resonance imaging animal experiment was performed. Results: The synthetized nanoparticles were irregular spherical, with small particle size, few agglomeration, and good dispersion in water. After modification, the potential fluctuation of nanoparticles was small, and the isoelectric point of nanoparticles changed to high pH. After 3-amino propanol modification, the weight loss of the curve from 820 to 940 °C was attributed to the decomposition of 3-amino propanol molecules on the surface. The T1 relaxation rate of nanoparticles changed little before and after modification, which proved that the modification didn't change the relaxation time. Brighter vascular images were observed after 3-amino propanol modification through measurement of magnetic resonance tumor imaging. Conclusion: These data indicated the Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified by 3-amino propanol should be a better contrast agent in the field of magnetic resonance tumor imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Microwave-assisted polyol process was developed for the synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles with precisely controlled size, high crystallinity and high water solubility. The process is simple, time-saving and low energy-consuming due to the advantages of polyols and microwave irradiation combined. The crystal phases of the nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and Raman spectrum. The coating materials of the nanoparticles were analyzed by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. Precise size tuning enables an easier way to adjust the relaxation properties of the magnetite nanoparticles. The colloid nanoparticles with high longitudinal relaxivity (r 1) and low ratio of transverse relaxivity (r 2) to r 1 have a potential application in magnetic resonance angiography. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]