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Biointerphases

Journal for Biophysical Chemistry

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Iron-based ferritin nanocore as a contrast agent a)

Biointerphases volume 5, pages FA48–FA52 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Self-assembling protein cages have been exploited as templates for nanoparticle synthesis. The ferritin molecule, a protein cage present in most living systems, stores excess soluble ferrous iron in the form of an insoluble ferric complex within its cavity. Magnetic nanocores formed by loading excess iron within an engineered ferritin from Archaeoglobus fulgidus (AfFtn-AA) were studied as a potential magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast agent. The self-assembly characteristics of the AfFtn-AA were investigated using dynamic light scattering technique and size exclusion chromatography. Homogeneous size distribution of the assembled nanoparticles was observed using transmission electron microscopy. The magnetic properties of iron-loaded AfFtn-AA were studied using vibrating sample magnetometry. Images obtained from a 3.0 T whole-body MRI scanner showed significant brightening of T1 images and signal loss of T2 images with increased concentrations of iron-loaded AfFtn-AA. The analysis of the MR image intensities showed extremely high R2 values (5300 mM−1 s−1) for the iron-loaded AfFtn-AA confirming its potential as a T2 contrast agent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Bioengineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 637457, Singapore

    Barindra Sana, Chueh Loo Poh & Sierin Lim

  2. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 91125, California

    Eric Johnson

  3. Radlink Diagnostic Imaging, Paragon Medical, 238859, Singapore

    Kenneth Sheah

Authors
  1. Barindra Sana
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  2. Eric Johnson
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  3. Kenneth Sheah
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  4. Chueh Loo Poh
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  5. Sierin Lim
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Chueh Loo Poh or Sierin Lim.

Additional information

This paper is part of an In Focus section on Biointerphase Science in Singapore, sponsored by Brukner Optik Southeast Asia, IMRE, the Provost's Office and School of Materials Science and Engineering of Nanyang Technological University, and Analytical Technologies Pte Ltd.

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Sana, B., Johnson, E., Sheah, K. et al. Iron-based ferritin nanocore as a contrast agent a). Biointerphases 5, FA48–FA52 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3483216

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3483216