Magnetic particle spectroscopy of glioma cells targeted with lactoferrin-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticle contrast agents

MPI is a real time imaging modality that promises micromolar sensitivity together with sub-mm spatial resolution using iron oxide nanoparticle tracers [1]. Here, the potential of lactoferrin conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles (Lf-IONPs) in oncology as contrast agents [2] for targeted magnetic particle imaging [3] was explored in glioma cells in vitro. We demonstrated receptor-mediated uptake by C6 glioma cells with Prussian blue staining (PBS) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and evaluated the efficiency of these nanoparticles as MPI contrast agents for cancer diagnosis.