• Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for Malignant Brain Tumors
  • Remarkable Boron Delivery Of iRGD-Modified Polymeric Nanoparticles For Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
  • Selective molecular imaging of viable cancer cells with pH-activatable fluorescence probes

 

In this presentation, 2 boron related applications in the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment will be discussed. These include Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) and fluorescent imaging of cancer cells.

BNCT is a type of radiation therapy. When non-radioactive boron 10 is irradiated with low-energy thermal neutrons, high linear energy transfer occurs in the nuclear reaction, producing alpha particles and recoil lithium 7 nuclei. BNCT can selectively apply high doses of particle radiation to tumor cells containing BPA and BSH, 2 common boron agents used clinically. As an example, we present the images of fluoride 18 labeling and the clinical results of BNCT for malignant brain tumors.

BSH and BPA are the only 2 boron agents currently used clinically, However, both are lacking targeting ability to tumor cells, thereby limiting their applications. Therefore, there is a necessity to develop new boron agents. A polymer-based tumor-targeted boron delivery system was designed for BNCT and it is proposed to use iRGD modified polymeric nanoparticles for active targeted delivery of boron and doxorubicin (DOX) in BNCT.

Specific and sensitive tumor imaging techniques can facilitate cancer diagnosis. A pH-activatable fluorescent imaging probe was synthesized by conjugating a boron containing agent with Trastuzumab. This probe is activated after entering lysosomes within cells. Ex vivo and in vivo imaging of HER2+ lung cancer cells in mice was performed. The probe was highly specific with minimal background signal and also reflected cell viability. The design concept is applicable to other targeting agents involving cellular internalization.

 

 

Presentation time:  20191213 - 1

Team Members:    Ozan DEMIRCILER   7107055057

                              Hsin-Yi WANG           7108041038

                              Yi-Ching WU              7108041004