Genetically tailored magnetosomes used as MRI probe for molecular imaging of brain tumor

M. Boucher (1, 2) , F. Geffroy (3, 1) , S. Prévéral (4, 5) , L. Bellanger (6) , E. Selingue (1) , Géraldine Adryanczyk-Perrier (4, 5) , M. Pean (4, 5) , Christopher T. Lefèvre (4, 5) , D Pignol (4, 5) , N. Ginet (4, 5, 7) , S. Mériaux (1)

1 UNIRS - Unité d'imagerie par résonance magnétique à très haut champ et de spectroscopie
2 OSUG - Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble
3 NEUROSPIN - Service NEUROSPIN
4 BIAM - Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies d'Aix-Marseille (ex-IBEB)
5 MEM - Microbiologie Environnementale et Moléculaire
6 SPI - Service de Pharmacologie et d'Immunoanalyse
7 LCB - Laboratoire de chimie bactérienne

We investigate here the potential of single step production of genetically engineeredmagnetosomes, bacterial biogenic iron-oxide nanoparticles embedded in a lipid vesicle, as a new tailorable magnetic resonance molecular imaging probe. We demonstrate in vitro the specific binding and the significant internalization into U87 cells of magnetosomes decorated with RGD peptide. After injection at the tail vein of glioblastoma-bearing mice, we evidence in the first 2 h the rapid accumulation of both unlabeled and functionalized magnetosomes inside the tumor by Enhanced Permeability and Retention effects. 24 h after the injection, a specific enhancement of the tumor contrast is observed on MR images only for RGD-labeled magnetosomes. Post mortem acquisition of histological data confirms MRI results with more magnetosomes found into the tumor treated with functionalized magnetosomes. This work establishes the first proof-of-concept of a successful bio-integrated production of molecular imaging probe for MRI.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology

M. Boucher, F. Geffroy, S. Prévéral, L. Bellanger, E. Selingue, et al.. Genetically tailored magnetosomes used as MRI probe for molecular imaging of brain tumor. Biomaterials, 2017, 121, pp.167 - 178. ⟨10.1016/j.biomaterials.2016.12.013⟩. ⟨hal-01707807⟩