19F magnetic resonance (19F MR) tracers stand out for their wide range of applications in experimental and clinical medicine, as they can be precisely located in living tissues with negligible fluorine background. This contribution demonstrates the long-term dissolution of multiresponsive fluorinated implants designed for prolonged release. Implants were detected for 14 (intramuscular injection) and 20 (subcutaneous injection) months by 19F MR at 4.7 T, showing favorable MR relaxation times, biochemical stability, biological compatibility and slow, long-term dissolution. Thus, polymeric implants may become a platform for long-term local theranostics.

• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Early detection of metastasis is crucial for successful cancer treatment. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies are used to detect possible pathways of metastasis spread. We present a unique non-invasive diagnostic alternative to biopsy along with an intraoperative imaging tool for surgery proven on an in vivo animal tumor model. Our approach is based on mannan-based copolymers synergistically targeting: (1) SLNs and macrophage-infiltrated solid tumor areas via the high-affinity DC-SIGN (dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin) receptors and (2) tumors via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. The polymer conjugates were modified with the imaging probes for visualization with magnetic resonance (MR) and fluorescence imaging, respectively, and with poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (POX) to lower unwanted accumulation in internal organs and to slow down the biodegradation rate. We demonstrated that these polymer conjugates were successfully accumulated in tumors, SLNs and other lymph nodes. Modification with POX resulted in lower accumulation not only in internal organs, but also in lymph nodes and tumors. Importantly, we have shown that mannan-based polymer carriers are non-toxic and, when applied to an in vivo murine cancer model, and offer promising potential as the versatile imaging agents.

• Keywords
• 4T1 cells, MRI, SLN, cancer, mannan, multimodality imaging,
• MeSH
• Apoptosis MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Lymphatic Metastasis MeSH
• Mannans chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Mice, Inbred BALB C MeSH
• Mice, Inbred C3H MeSH
• Mice, Nude MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Tumor Cells, Cultured MeSH
• Breast Neoplasms metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Nanoparticles administration & dosage   chemistry   MeSH
• Optical Imaging MeSH
• Cell Proliferation MeSH
• Sentinel Lymph Node metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Mannans MeSH

Over the last few years, the development and relevance of 19F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for use in clinical practice has emerged. MRI using fluorinated probes enables the achievement of a specific signal with high contrast in MRI images. However, to ensure sufficient sensitivity of 19F MRI, fluorine probes with a high content of chemically equivalent fluorine atoms are required. The majority of 19F MRI agents are perfluorocarbon emulsions, which have a broad range of applications in molecular imaging, although the content of fluorine atoms in these molecules is limited. In this review, we focus mainly on polymer probes that allow higher fluorine content and represent versatile platforms with properties tailorable to a plethora of biomedical in vivo applications. We discuss the chemical development, up to the first imaging applications, of these promising fluorine probes, including injectable polymers that form depots that are intended for possible use in cancer therapy.

• Keywords
• 19F MRI probe, Fluorine, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Molecular imaging, Polymer,
• MeSH
• Fluorine chemistry   MeSH
• Fluorocarbons chemistry   MeSH
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration MeSH
• Contrast Media chemistry   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Molecular Probes chemistry   MeSH
• Molecular Imaging instrumentation   methods   MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Polymers chemistry   MeSH
• Scattering, Radiation MeSH
• Reactive Oxygen Species metabolism   MeSH
• Light MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Fluorine-19 Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods   trends   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Fluorine MeSH
• Fluorocarbons MeSH
• Contrast Media MeSH
• Molecular Probes MeSH
• Polymers MeSH
• Reactive Oxygen Species MeSH