Studies of optical imaging and fluorescence microscopy with nanoparticles functionalized for brain targeting with NIR

Nowadays the Central Nervous System (CNS) is made object of studying from the international scientific community. The pathologies that affects this system are extremely disabling and many times chronicles therefore represent a big burden for the patient and his family. The study of cerebral diseases is very difficult because this district is characterized by a complex morphology; a very important structure in the CNS is represented by the BBB (blood-brain-barrier), one of the most drawback on the transit of the active principles and contrast agents. One of the strategies for crossing this barrier is the preparation of CNS-targeted nanoparticles (NPs), a nanometrical carrier modified on the surface with specific peptides, that allow the BBB crossing. The aim of this project is the development of poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) NPs engineered with a simil-opioid glycopeptide (g7) which is able to cross the BBB in order to use for in vivo imaging modifying the NPs with a marker, the near-infrared probe (DY-675). After i.v. administration in mice, a confocal and fluorescence microscopy study allowed to detect the presence of the DY-675 in the brain.