Development of a polymeric nanoparticulate delivery system for indocyanine green

Purpose. The objective of this project was to develop an intravenously administrable poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticulate delivery system for Indocyanine Green (ICG), to enhance the potential for ICG use in tumor imaging and therapy.; Methods. For this purpose PLGA nanoparticles entrapping ICG were engineered by spontaneous emulsification solvent diffusion method. ICG entrapment in nanoparticles was determined and physicochemical characterization of nanoparticles was performed. The stability of ICG in nanoparticles formulation under various conditions was determined. The intracellular uptake of ICG in nanoparticles by B16-F10 and C-33A cancer cell lines was studied in comparison with the free ICG solution. Anti-proliferation studies against cancer cells were performed to prove the photodynamic activity of ICG in nanoparticles. Biodistribution of ICG when delivered through nanoparticles and solution were evaluated in mice after tail vein injection.; Results. PLGA nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 350 nm and 74% ICG entrapment were obtained. The nanoparticles were nearly spherical in shape with zeta potential of -16 mV. The nanoparticles formulation provided overall stability to ICG with degradation half-lives of 2.5--3.5 days as compared to 10--20 hr of free ICG solutions. The intracellular uptake of ICG through nanoparticles was directly proportional to time and extracellular nanoparticle concentration. The intracellular uptake of ICG was enhanced about 100-fold by nanoparticles formulation as compared to the free ICG solution. Nanoparticles formulation showed significant photodynamic effect at nano-molar ICG concentrations and very low light dose (fluence: 0.22 W/cm2 and energy density: 1.1 J/cm2). In-vivo, the blood circulation-time and retention-time of ICG in various organs was enhanced 2--5 times by nanoparticles formulation as compared to the free ICG solution.; Conclusions. A PLGA nanoparticlute delivery system was developed for ICG, which demonstrated its capability in enhancing the potential of ICG use in tumor diagnosis and anticancer therapy.