Perfluorocarbon-Based 19F MRI Nanoprobes for In Vivo Multicolor Imaging

Abstract

In vivo multicolor imaging is important for monitoring multiple biomolecular or cellular processes in biology. 19F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging in vivo imaging technique because it can non-invasively visualize 19F nuclei without endogenous background signals. Therefore, 19F MRI probes capable of multicolor imaging are in high demand. Herein, we report five types of perfluorocarbon-encapsulated silica nanoparticles that show 19F NMR peaks with different chemical shifts. Three of the nanoprobes, which show spectrally distinct 19F NMR peaks with sufficient sensitivity, were selected for in vivo multicolor 19F MRI. The nanoprobes exhibited 19F MRI signals with three colors in a living mouse. Our in vivo multicolor system could be utilized for evaluating the effect of surface functional groups on the hepatic uptake in a mouse. This novel multicolor imaging technology will be a practical tool for elucidating in vivo biomolecular networks by 19F MRI.