Francisco Perez-Balderas1,2, Benjamin G.
Davis2, Sander IvanKasteren2, Alexandr Khrapichev1,
Andrew Jefferson3, Claire Bristow1, Sebastien Serres1,
Robin P. Choudhury3, Daniel C. Anthony4, Nicola R.
Sibson1
1CR/UK Gray Institute for
Radiation Oncology & Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire,
United Kingdom; 2Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of
Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom; 3Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of
Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom; 4Department of
Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles have been extensively used for several biomedical applications. Recently, microparticles of iron oxide (MPIO) have been advantageously employed in cellular tracking and early detection of endovascular pathologies. Unfortunately, the commercially available MPIO used suffer from a lack of biodegradability that precludes their medical use. We have developed fully biodegradable multimeric MPIO (mMPIO) with a size ca. 1 μm that combine the superior imaging capabilities of MPIO with the excellent biodegradability and clearance of SPIO. We demonstrate here both in vitro and in vivo degradation of our novel mMPIO, and their sensitive in vivo contrast effects.