Nano Convergence

Table 2 Peptide-nanoparticle conjugates for molecular imaging nanoprobes

From: Peptide–nanoparticle conjugates: a next generation of diagnostic and therapeutic platforms?

Imaging		Peptide		Nanoparticle (NP)		Animal studies	Results	Refs.
Modality	Probe	Name	Target or role	Type	Size	Animal studies	Results	Refs.
NIR	FITC	DEVD peptide sequence	Cleave caspase-3	Biotinylated NP, Acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-Cys(StBu)-Lys(Biotin)-CBT	100–300 nm	N/A	Twofold enhanced (fluorescent intensity, vs. SA-FITC)	[80]
	Zn²⁺ coordinated cyclic peptide NP (f-PNP)	RGD	Targets α_vβ₃ Integrin	Fluorescent cyclic peptide NP (f-PNP, self-assembled)	28 nm	Xenografted EC mouse model	Highly photostable and narrow emission spectrum	[81, 82]
	Small-molecule NIR-II organic dye	RM26 peptide	Targets gastrin-releasing peptide receptor	DSPE-mPEG NP	60 nm	U87MG (glioblastoma) tumor bearing mouse model	Highly sensitive and specific to GRPR	[83]
CT	AuNP	RGD	Targets α_vβ₃ integrin	Dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs)	4.0 nm (Au core)	N/A	Enhanced X-ray attenuation compared to Omnipaque	[84]
	AuNP + IR780 (Fluor)	Angiopep-2	Targets glioma	DTX-loaded PLGA@Au NP	180 nm	U87MG (glioblastoma) tumor bearing mice	4 h (Whitening effect AT the target site)	[85]
	AuNP + Cy5.5 (Fluor)	Fibrin-targeting peptide and Thrombin-activatable fluorescent peptide	Targets fibrin and Cleave thrombin	Glycol-chitosan-coated AuNP (GC-AuNP) and SiO₂@AuNP	127 nm (Pep-GC-AuNP) and 39.8 nm (Pep-SiO₂@AuNP)	C57Bl/6 mouse model	Remained at the target site for up to 3 weeks	[86, 87]
PET	¹⁸F	CK and CLPFFD peptides	Targets β-amyloid fiber	AuNP	12 nm (hybrids)	Sprague–Dawley rat model	NPs were trapped by reticuloendothelial system (RES)	[89, 90]
	⁶⁴Cu	RGD	Targets α_vβ₃ integrin	Au-tripods	10–15 nm	U87MG (glioblastoma) tumor bearing mice	Threefold enhanced (PAI contrast, vs. blocking group)	[91]
	¹²⁵I ⁷⁶Br	RGD	Targets α_vβ₃ integrin	PEO dendrimer	12 nm	Unilateral hindlimb ischemia-induced mice	50-fold enhanced (affinity, vs. free peptide) > twofold enhanced (ischemic to nonischemic hindlimb ratio, vs. nontargeted NP)	[92]
MRI	Iron oxide	RGD	Targets α_vβ₃ integrin	Iron oxide NP	< 10 nm (NP) 8.4 nm (Hybrid)	U87MG (glioblastoma) tumor bearing mice	42% (tumor MR signal intensity reduction, 15% for free peptide)	[94]
	Iron oxide	RGD	Targets α_vβ₃ integrin	Superparamagnetic polymeric micelles (SPPM): SPIO NPs inside the core of a PEG-PLA co-polymer micelle	9.9 nm (SPIO) 50–75 nm (SPPM)	A549 (lung), MDA-MB-231 (breast), U87MG (Glioblastoma) tumor bearing mice	10⁻¹² mol/L (detection limit)	[95, 96]
	Iron oxide	CREKA	Targets fibrin	Amino dextran-coated SPIO	50 nm	Mouse model	NPs accumulates in tumor vessel → self-amplifying tumor homing	[97]
Multi-modal	Hollow Au nanosphere (HAuNS, CT) ⁶⁴Cu (PET)	RGD	Targets α_vβ₃ integrin	HAuNS	44.7 nm	VX2 tumor-bearing rabbit model	0.20% (tumor uptake, vs. 0.099% for non-RGD NP)	[98]
Multi-modal	Cy5 (Fluor) Gd (MRI)	Activatable cell penetrating peptides (ACPPs)	Targets active MMP-2 and -9	G5 PAMAM dendrimer	4.6 nm	HT-1080 (fibrosarcoma) tumor-harboring mice	4- to 15-fold enhanced (NP uptake, vs. unconjugated peptides)	[99]

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