Lisette H. Deddens1, Matti M. Van Schooneveld2, Susanne M A Van der Pol3, Rolf Koole2, Helga E. De Vries3, Willem J M Mulder4, Rick M. Dijkhuizen1
1Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; 2Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; 3Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands; 4Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute and Imaging Science Laboratories, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA
Neuroinflammation plays a critical role in various brain disorders. Specific multimodal imaging probes may shed new light on the explicit involvement of distinct neuroinflammatory events, which could make way for new or improved anti-inflammatory treatment strategies. This study reports on the assembly and application of a probe consisting of fluorescent quantum dots in silica with a paramagnetic lipid coating targeted to ICAM-1. The probe is biocompatible, specifically taken up by inflamed mouse cerebrovascular endothelial cells and detectable with MRI. It may provide a useful tool for in vivo molecular MR and optical imaging of upregulated cell adhesion molecules after neuroinflammation.