مطهره رضوان

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) due to their high porosity and adjustable structure, serving as drug carriers and new contrast agents in biomedicine. Designing efficient nanoplatforms that leverage the combined properties of both MNPs and MOFs is of great importance.In this study, we introduce a simple in-situ synthesis method for a mesopore core-shell nanocomposite structure of MOF@Cu-ferrite. Initially, Cu-ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized using a hydrothermal method. Subsequently, the addition of fumaric acid to the Cu-ferrite nanoparticles activated the F0 component, inducing MOF nucleation. As a result, the Cu-ferrite core was gradually covered with a crystalline MOF shell, forming the MOF@Cu-ferrite structure. The MOF@Cu-ferrite nanocomposite is characterized by high porosity, numerous accessible surface functional sites, good crystalline stability, low toxicity of copper, excellent water dispersion, high magnetic properties, and cost-effectiveness. This study investigates the effect of the MOF@Cu-ferrite nanocomposite on the MRI signal intensity. T2-weighted images were obtained using MRI scanner at various iron concentrations of the magnetic nanocomposite, showing a significant change in signal intensity with increasing iron concentration. The transverse relaxivity rate (r2) for different iron concentrations was found to be 504.7 mM-1s-1. The results showed that Cu-ferrite magnetic nanoparticles coated with MOF have significant potential as negative contrast agents in MRI, reducing T2 relaxation time and improve contrast intensity in MR images.

Advancements in cancer imaging are rapidly moving from the detection and size measurement of a lesion to the quantitative assessment of metabolic processes and cellular and molecular interactions. Tumor stroma as an important factor in tumor pathophysiology plays an important role in treatment strategies and targeting the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, successful cancer control requires the study of complex cellular and molecular interactions in cancer tissue. The integration of advances in molecular biology, synthetic chemistry, and imaging techniques has shifted imaging-based diagnosis to molecular function. Therefore, imaging science seeks to find applications in basic science, preclinical, and translational research in cancer. Positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, optical imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging are the primary tools being developed for oncologic imaging. These techniques are being developed due to the development of molecular probes that have recently been improved to record in vivo molecular and physiological properties. Herein, we review molecular imaging techniques and common probes in preclinical studies, as well as their application strategies.