Aptamer-crosslinked microbubbles: smart contrast agents for thrombin-activated ultrasound imaging

Adv Mater. 2012 Nov 27;24(45):6010-6. doi: 10.1002/adma.201201484. Epub 2012 Sep 3.

Abstract

Thrombosis, or malignant blood clotting, is associated with numerous cardiovascular diseases and cancers. A microbubble contrast agent is presented that produces ultrasound harmonic signal only when exposed to elevated thrombin levels. Initially silent microbubbles are activated in the presence of both thrombin-spiked and freshly clotting blood in three minutes with detection limits of 20 nM thrombin and 2 aM microbubbles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry*
  • Blood / diagnostic imaging*
  • Blood / metabolism
  • Blood Coagulation / physiology*
  • Contrast Media / chemical synthesis
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry
  • Microbubbles*
  • Molecular Imaging / methods*
  • Rabbits
  • Thrombin / analysis*
  • Thrombin / metabolism
  • Ultrasonography / methods*

Substances

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • Contrast Media
  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Thrombin