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Synthesis, MTT assay, 99m-Technetium radiolabeling, biodistribution evaluation of radiotracer and in vitro magnetic resonance imaging study of P,N-doped graphene quantum dots as a new multipurpose imaging nano-agent

  • Morteza Mollazadeh , Ashraf Fakhari ORCID logo EMAIL logo , Tohid Mortezazadeh , Farshid Babapour Mofrad and Ali Jamali Nazarie
Published/Copyright: May 24, 2024
Radiochimica Acta
From the journal Radiochimica Acta Volume 112 Issue 9

Abstract

In this study, a new nano-structure, N,P-doped graphene quantum dots (N,P-GQDs), were synthesized as multipurpose imaging agent for performing scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Some standard characterization methods were used to identify the nano-structure. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation using MTT assay revealed that N,P-GQDs nanoparticles had no significant cytotoxicity after 24 and 48 h against normal (MCF-10A) and cancerous (MCF 7) human breast cell line in concentration up to 200 μg/mL. The N,P-GQDs were radiolabeled with Technetium-99m as 99mTc-(N,P-GQDs) and the radiochemical purity was assayed by ITLC concluding RCP ≥ 95 %. The passing of 99mTc-(N,P-GQDs) through 0.1 µm filter demonstrated that 70.8 % of particles were <0.1 µm. In order to perform scintigraphy, the 99mTc-(N,P-GQDs) were injected to female healthy Wistar rats. The results showed that the radio-complex was captured and eliminated just by kidneys. Moreover, in vitro T1-weighted phantom MRI imaging showed that the N,P-GQDs have proper relaxivity in comparison to Dotarem® as a clinically available contrast agent. The results showed that the N,P-GQDs have potential to be considered as a novel and encouraging agent for both molecular MRI and nuclear medicine imagings.

Keywords: radiolabeling; graphene quantum dots; technetium-99m; biodistribution
Corresponding author: Ashraf Fakhari, Medical Radiation Sciences Research Team, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, E-mail:

Acknowledgments

We thank the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Medical Radiation Sciences Research Team and Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch for officially supporting us. We also thank Dr. Ashkan Shomali and Azadeh Ostadchinigar, and Shimi Sanat Nano Tech. Co. for expert consultation on the synthesis of N,P-GQDs and interpretation of the analysis, Dr. Shahram Dabiri for his contribution to performing scintigraphy and Habib Rahnema for his assistance with reviewing and editing this article. We would like to appreciate of the cooperation of Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Reza General Hospital, Tabriz, Iran in conducting of this research.

  1. Research ethics: The study was approved by the Medical Radiation Sciences Research Team and Research Ethics Committee (REC) of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. (Code:IR.TBZMED.AEC.1402.049).

  2. Author contributions: MM, AF and TM designed the reseach and collected the data. MM, AF, TM and FBM processed and interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. AJN reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

  3. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

  4. Research funding: None declared.

  5. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Received: 2023-06-06
Accepted: 2024-03-14
Published Online: 2024-05-24
Published in Print: 2024-09-25

© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Review
  3. Phytoremediation of radium contaminated soils: recent advances and prospects
  4. Original Papers
  5. Kinetic evaluation of the uranyl peroxide synthetic route on morphology
  6. Fabrication and characterization of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide decorated diatomite composite materials and their adsorption performance for uranium ions
  7. The performance of iron-silicate-based biochar as a sorbent material towards 133Ba retention from radioactive liquid waste
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  9. Synthesis, MTT assay, 99m-Technetium radiolabeling, biodistribution evaluation of radiotracer and in vitro magnetic resonance imaging study of P,N-doped graphene quantum dots as a new multipurpose imaging nano-agent
  10. Assessment of radioactivity and radiological risk indices in the sediments of the Tam Giang-Cau Hai, Thi Nai, and Nai lagoons in the Center of Vietnam
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https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2023-0180
Keywords for this article
radiolabeling; graphene quantum dots; technetium-99m; biodistribution

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Review
  3. Phytoremediation of radium contaminated soils: recent advances and prospects
  4. Original Papers
  5. Kinetic evaluation of the uranyl peroxide synthetic route on morphology
  6. Fabrication and characterization of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide decorated diatomite composite materials and their adsorption performance for uranium ions
  7. The performance of iron-silicate-based biochar as a sorbent material towards 133Ba retention from radioactive liquid waste
  8. Challenges in the solution phase synthesis of PSMA-11 and PSMA-617: organic ligands for radiopharmaceutical preparations in prostate cancer medication
  9. Synthesis, MTT assay, 99m-Technetium radiolabeling, biodistribution evaluation of radiotracer and in vitro magnetic resonance imaging study of P,N-doped graphene quantum dots as a new multipurpose imaging nano-agent
  10. Assessment of radioactivity and radiological risk indices in the sediments of the Tam Giang-Cau Hai, Thi Nai, and Nai lagoons in the Center of Vietnam
  11. Study of gamma, neutron, and proton interaction parameters of some immunotherapy drugs using EpiXs, NGCal, and PSTAR software
  12. Gamma and neutron attenuation of SiO2–B2O3–BaO–Li2O glasses doped with CeO2
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