DNA aptamer functionalized monodisperse Eu/Mn-WH nanoparticle for in vivo magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging

Because of its biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, bioactivity, and biodegradability, Whitlockite (WH) plays a crucial role in biomedical fields. However, a layer of oleic acid molecules is attached to the surface of WH synthesized by liquid-solid-solution (LSS) method, which hinders its application in biomedicine field. In this paper, we successfully synthesized hydrophilic nanoparticles with bright red fluorescence and excellent magnetic properties (Eu/Mn-WH-Apt NPs) via the ions doping and ligand exchange strategy. In vitro/vivo experiments show that Eu/Mn-WH-Apt nanoparticles have excellent biocompatibility, dispersion stability, tumor targeting ability, satisfactory fluorescence, and magnetic resonance imaging capabilities. Therefore, the prepared multifunctional Eu/Mn-WH-Apt NPs may provide a new strategy and insights for accurately diagnosing clinical cancer.