Optical imaging has great potential for studying molecular recognitions both
in vivo and
in vitro, yet nuclearimaging is the most effective clinical molecular imaging modality. The combination of optical and nuclear imagingmodalities may provide complementary information for improving diagnosis and management of diseases. In thisstudy we developed an optical and nuclear dual-labeled imaging agent,
111In-DTPA-Bz-NH-SA-K(IR-783-S-Ph-CO)-c(CGRRAGGSC)NH
2, called DLIA-
IL11R
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
.
111In-DTPA-Bz-NH-SA is the radiotracer moiety; a near-infrareddye IR-783-S-Ph-COOH serves as the fluorescent emitter; and the cyclic peptide c(CGRRAGGSC), which isknown to target interleukin 11
receptor alpha-chain (IL-11R
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
), delivers the desired imaging agent to its target.Experiments revealed that the cyclic peptide c(CGRRAGGSC) continued to possess the targeting capability toIL-11R
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
after the conjugation of the optical and nuclear tracers. Furthermore, the presence of the metal isotopechelator did not cause quenching of fluorescence emission. The cross validation and direct comparison of opticaland nuclear imaging of a tumor was achieved using a single injection, and the preliminary results show theconjugate has tumor targeting capabilities
in vivo.