A hyperspectral method to assay the microphysiological fates of nanomaterials in histological samples
Abstract
Nanoparticles are used extensively as biomedical imaging probes and potential therapeutic agents. As new particles are developed and tested in vivo, it is critical to characterize their biodistribution profiles. We demonstrate a new method that uses adaptive algorithms for analysis of hyperspectral dark-field images to study the interactions between tissues and administered nanoparticles. This non-destructive technique quantitatively identifies particles in ex vivo tissue sections and enables detailed observations of accumulation patterns arising from organ-specific clearance mechanisms, particle size, and the molecular specificity of nanoparticle surface coatings. Unlike nanoparticle uptake studies with electron microscopy, this method is tractable for imaging large fields of view. Adaptive hyperspectral image analysis achieves excellent detection sensitivity and specificity and is capable of identifying single nanoparticles. Using this method, we collected the first data on the sub-organ distribution of several types of gold nanoparticles in mice and observed localization patterns in tumors.
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Author details
Funding
Claire Giannini Fund
- Adam de la Zerda
Stanford Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiative Seed Grant
- Adam de la Zerda
U.S. Air Force (FA9550-15-1-0007)
- Adam de la Zerda
National Institutes of Health (NIH DP50D012179)
- Adam de la Zerda
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (DFS# 06-13)
- Adam de la Zerda
Susan G. Komen (SAC15-00003)
- Adam de la Zerda
Mary Kay Foundation (017-14)
- Adam de la Zerda
Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation
- Adam de la Zerda
Skippy Frank Foundation
- Adam de la Zerda
Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence and Translation (CCNE-T U54CA151459)
- Adam de la Zerda
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All animal experiments in this study were performed in compliance with IACUC guidelines and with the Stanford University Animal Studies Committee's Guidelines for the Care and Use of Research Animals (APLAC Protocol #27499 and #29179).
Copyright
© 2016, SoRelle et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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