99mTc-hematoporphyrin linked albumin nanoparticles for lung cancer targeted photodynamic therapy and imaging

Abstract

In this study, we fabricated albumin nanoparticles (ANP) using a solvent diffusion method and modified the surface of the ANP with hematoporphyrin (HP) which has been used for cancer photodynamic therapy. Hematoporphyrin linked albumin nanoparticles (HP-ANP) were further functionalized with gamma-emitting nuclides (^99mTc) for scintigraphic imaging. The fabrication method for HP-ANP was optimized extensively to obtain HP-ANP particles within the size range of 100 to 200 nm. HP-ANP had enhanced accumulation in A549 and CT-26 cancer cell lines, and photodynamic activity against A549 cells after UV exposure. HP-ANP also showed increased accumulation in murine lung tumors, which was induced by CT-26 colon cancer cells, compared to normal lungs. Pharmacokinetics of ^99mTc chelated HP-ANP (^99mTc-HP-ANP) was estimated through scintigraphic imaging of rabbits. ^99mTc-HP-ANP demonstrated good imaging properties in the rabbit with a much more extended biological half life compared to ^99mTc-HP. ^99mTc-HP-ANP could be utilized as a radio-diagnostic tool for cancer as well as the obvious application for photodynamic therapy.