%0 Journal Article %T In vivo fluorescence imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma using a novel GPC3-specific aptamer probe %A Zhao, Menglong %A Dong, Lili %A Liu, Zhuang %A Yang, Shuohui %A Wu, Weizhong %A Lin, Jiang %J Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery %D 2018 %B 2018 %9 %! In vivo fluorescence imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma using a novel GPC3-specific aptamer probe %K %X Background: Glypican-3 (GPC3) is highly expressed in most of the hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), even in small HCCs. It may be used as a potential biomarker for early detection of HCC. The aptamer is a promising targeting agent with unique advantages over antibody. This study was to introduce a novel GPC3 specific aptamer (AP613-1), to verify its specific binding property in vitro , and to evaluate its targeting efficiency in vivo by performing near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging on an HCC xenograft model. Methods: AP613-1 was generated from the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. Flow cytometry and aptamer-based immunofluorescence imaging were performed to verify the binding affinity of AP613-1 to GPC3 in vitro . NIR Fluorescence images of nude mice with unilateral (n=12) and bilateral (n=4) subcutaneous xenograft tumors were obtained. Correlation between the tumor fluorescence intensities in vivo and ex vivo was analyzed. Results: AP613-1 could specifically bind to GPC3 in vitro . In vivo and ex vivo tumors, fluorescence intensities were in excellent correlation (P in vivo (P ex vivo (P=0.022). In the mice with bilateral subcutaneous tumors injected with AF750 labeled AP613-1, Huh-7 tumors showed significantly higher fluorescence intensities than A549 tumors both in vivo (P=0.016) and ex vivo (P=0.004). Conclusions: AP613-1 displays a specific binding affinity to GPC3 positive HCC. Fluorescently labeled AP613-1 could be used as an imaging probe to subcutaneous HCC in xenograft models. %U https://qims.amegroups.org/article/view/18810 %V 8 %N 2 %P 151-160 %@ 2223-4306