Tetraphenylethylene-conjugated polycation covered iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance/optical dual-mode imaging

Magnetic resonance (MR)/optical dual-mode imaging with high sensitivity and high tissue resolution have attracted many attentions in biomedical applications. To avert aggregation-caused quenching of conventional fluorescence chromophores, an aggregation-induced emission molecule tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-conjugated amphiphilic polyethylenimine (PEI) covered superparamagnetic iron oxide (Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites) was prepared as an MR/optical dual-mode probe. Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites exhibited good fluorescence property and presented higher T(2) relaxivity (352 Fe mM(−1)s(−1)) than a commercial contrast agent Feridex (120 Fe mM(−1)s(−1)) at 1.5 T. The alkylation degree of Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE effects the restriction of intramolecular rotation process of TPE. Reducing alkane chain grafting ratio aggravated the stack of TPE, increasing the fluorescence lifetime of Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites. Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites can effectively labelled HeLa cells and resulted in high fluorescence intensity and excellent MR imaging sensitivity. As an MR/optical imaging probe, Alkyl-PEI-LAC-TPE/SPIO nanocomposites may be used in biomedical imaging for certain applications.