Molecular Cancer Imaging in the Second Near-Infrared Window Using a Renal-Excreted NIR-II Fluorophore-Peptide Probe

In vivo molecular imaging of tumors targeting a specific cancer cell marker is a promising strategy for cancer diagnosis and imaging guided surgery and therapy. While targeted imaging often relies on antibody-modified probes, peptides can afford targeting probes with small sizes, high penetrating ability, and rapid excretion. Recently, in vivo fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) shows promise in reaching sub-centimeter depth with microscale resolution. Here, a novel peptide (named CP) conjugated NIR-II fluorescent probe is reported for molecular tumor imaging targeting a tumor stem cell biomarker CD133. The click chemistry derived peptide-dye (CP-IRT dye) probe afforded efficient in vivo tumor targeting in mice with a high tumor-to-normal tissue signal ratio (T/NT > 8). Importantly, the CP-IRT probes are rapidly renal excreted (≈87% excretion within 6 h), in stark contrast to accumulation in the liver for typical antibody-dye probes. Further, with NIR-II emitting CP-IRT probes, urethra of mice can be imaged fluorescently for the first time noninvasively through intact tissue. The NIR-II fluorescent, CD133 targeting imaging probes are potentially useful for human use in the clinic for cancer diagnosis and therapy.