Caro, CarlosGámez, FranciscoQuaresma, PedroPáez-Muñoz, Jose MaríaDomínguez, AlejandroPearson, John RPernía Leal, ManuelBeltrán, Ana M.Fernandez-Afonso, YilianDe la Fuente, Jesús M.Franco, RicardoPereira, EuláliaGarcía-Martín, Maria Luisa2024-02-192024-02-192021-03-20http://hdl.handle.net/10668/4488http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/18292In this study, we report the synthesis of gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles capped with polyvinylpyrrolidone (Fe@Au NPs). The as-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) exhibited good stability in aqueous media and excellent features as contrast agents (CA) for both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray computed tomography (CT). Additionally, due to the presence of the local surface plasmon resonances of gold, the NPs showed exploitable "light-to-heat" conversion ability in the near-infrared (NIR) region, a key attribute for effective photothermal therapies (PTT). In vitro experiments revealed biocompatibility as well as excellent efficiency in killing glioblastoma cells via PTT. The in vivo nontoxicity of the NPs was demonstrated using zebrafish embryos as an intermediate step between cells and rodent models. To warrant that an effective therapeutic dose was achieved inside the tumor, both intratumoral and intravenous routes were screened in rodent models by MRI and CT. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution confirmed the multimodal imaging CA capabilities of the Fe@AuNPs and revealed constraints of the intravenous route for tumor targeting, dictating intratumoral administration for therapeutic applications. Finally, Fe@Au NPs were successfully used for an in vivo proof of concept of imaging-guided focused PTT against glioblastoma multiforme in a mouse model.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Imaging-guided therapyMultimodal imagingContrast agentMRICTPhotothermal therapyZebrafishTemperatureTissuesNanoparticlesImagen multimodalMedios de contrasteImagen por resonancia magnéticaTomografíacComputarizada por rayos XTerapia fototérmicaPez cebraTemperaturaTejidosNanopartículasNeoplasiasAnimalsMiceContrast MediaZebrafishSurface Plasmon ResonancePovidoneHot TemperatureRodentiaTissue DistributionMetal NanoparticlesMultimodal ImagingTomography, X-Ray ComputedMagnetic Resonance ImagingNeoplasmsAttribution 4.0 International3380463610.3390/pharmaceutics130304161999-4923Pharmaceuticsopen access