Preparation of Targeted Nano-Microbubble Contrast Agent and Its Application in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the application value of microbubble contrast materials in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Firstly, ordinary nano-microbubbles and biotinylated nano-microbubbles were prepared by rotary evaporation method and mechanical vibration method. Then, the biotinylated anti-six-transmembrane prostate epithelial antigen-1 (STQWK-1) antibody was connected with the previously prepared nano-microbubbles with the help of biotin-avidin method, so as to generate a nano-microbubble contrast agent targeting prostate PC3 cells. While the contrast agent was characterized based on the immunofluorescence method, a microscope was applied to observe the in vitro targeting performance of targeted nano-microbubbles on PC3 cells. A prostate PC3 cell nude mouse transplanted tumor model was established, so that the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) effect of different contrast agents on transplanted tumor was compared, which were applied in CEUS examination of prostate cancer patients. The results showed that the targeted nano-microbubbles could display circular green fluorescence under the microscope, and the blank nano-microbubbles had no display under the microscope. Both ultrasonic microbubbles were circular and evenly distributed. The in vitro targeting experiments indicated that targeted nano-bubbles could accumulate on the surface of prostate cancer PC3 cells, and tumor transplantation model proved that the targeted contrast agent carrying STQWK-1 antibody had a strong development and enhancement effect. In the diagnosis of prostate cancer patients, the sensitivity (83.3% vs. 52%), specificity (66.7% vs. 36.3%), accuracy (75% vs. 47.2%), and other indicators of the diagnosis of targeted nano-bubbles prepared showed marked advantages compared with routine trans-rectal US (TRUS) diagnosis. The contrast agent prepared in this study could be specifically targeted to prostate PC3 cells in vitro, which had the effect of development and enhancement and had a good diagnostic performance in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.