New light-emitting biomaterial could improve tumor imaging, study shows

Researchers and clinicians have long sought effective ways to locate and map low-oxygen areas in the body to better understand normal and disease processes. Presently, there are no simple, easy or inexpensive methods, preclinical or clinical, for generating oxygen maps of tumors and surrounding tissues with good spatial and temporal resolution.

"The method developed here holds great promise for being able to perform measurements of tumor hypoxia cost-effectively," said study co-author Mark Dewhirst, a professor of radiation oncology, pathology and biomedical engineering at Duke. "This kind of tool could greatly increase our knowledge about methods to eliminate tumor hypoxia, which could lead to more effective treatments."

"Tumors that have insufficient oxygen tend to be more likely to spread from the primary site to other parts of the body," added Michael Weber, director of U.Va.'s Cancer Center. "Despite the overall importance of tumor hypoxia, it is very difficult to measure directly and most methods that are available are very expensive."

The new material currently is being used in preclinical studies to gain insight into cancer biology and treatment response, which could be useful for drug development and testing.

"This technology enables entirely new insights to be obtained, allowing imaging of tumor hypoxia on the scale of tumor cells and small blood vessels," Palmer said.

Eventually the material could be used as an injectable nanosensor, potentially providing continual data on oxygen levels, biological processes and therapy responsiveness.

Hypoxia also is linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes, so the material developed by Zhang and Fraser could have applications in several areas of medicine.

Applications for the light-emitting biomaterial beyond medicine include molecular probes for cell biology, imaging agents for visualizing fluid and aerodynamics, and oxygen sensors for food and drug packaging, tamper resistant seals, and environmental monitoring, such as measuring oxygen levels in bodies of water.

The research is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. National Institutes of Health, the James and Rebecca Craig Foundation, through the U.Va. Cancer Center, and the U.Va. NanoSTAR Institute.

Contact information for the researchers involved:

Cassandra Fraser
U.Va. researcher
434-924-7998

Guoqing Zhang
U.Va. researcher
434-924-7998

Mark Dewhirst
Duke researcher
919-684-4180

Gregory Palmer
Duke researcher
919-684-3907