Fluorescent carbon dots tailored iron oxide nano hybrid system for in vivo optical imaging of liver fibrosis

Abstract Hybrid nanoparticles are innovative invention of last decade designed to overcome limitations of single-component nanoparticles by introducing multiple functionalities through combining two or more different nanoparticles. In this study, we are reporting development of magneto-fluorescent hybrid nanoparticles by combining iron oxide and carbon nanoparticles to enable in vivo fluorescence imaging which also has all the required characteristic properties to use as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agent. In order to achieve dual-functional imaging, alginate and pullulan coated super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (ASPION and PSPION) and Carbon dots (Cdts) were synthesised separately. ASPIONs and PSPIONs were further chemically conjugated with Cdts and developed dual-functional nanohybrid particles ASPION-Cdts and PSPION-Cdts. Subsequently, evaluation of the materials for its size, functionalisation efficiency, fluorescence and magnetic properties, biocompatibility and cellular uptake efficiency has been carried out. Fluorescence imaging of liver fibrosis was performed in vivo in rodent model of liver fibrosis using the two nanohybrids, which is further confirmed by high fluorescence signal from the harvested liver.