Synthesis of lutetium phosphate–apoferritin core–shell nanoparticles for potential applications in radioimmunoimaging and radioimmunotherapy of cancers
Abstract
We report a novel approach for synthesizing LuPO4–apoferritin core–shell nanoparticles based on an apoferritin template. To prepare the nanoparticle, we used non-radioactive lutetium as a model target or surrogate for radiolutetium (177Lu). The central cavity, multi-channel structure, and chemical properties of apoferritin are well-suited for sequentially diffusing lutetium and phosphate ions into the cavity, resulting in a stable core–shell composite. We characterized the synthesized LuPO4–apoferritin nanoparticle using