Biodistributions and Imaging of Poly(ethylene glycol)-Conjugated Silicon Quantum Dot Nanoparticles in Osteosarcoma Models via Intravenous and Intratumoral Injections

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor with relatively high mortality rates in children and adolescents. While nanoparticles have been widely used in assisting the diagnosis and treatment of cancers, the biodistributions of nanoparticles in osteosarcoma models have not been well studied. Herein, we synthesize biocompatible and highly photoluminescent silicon quantum dot nanoparticles (SiQDNPs) and investigate their biodistributions in osteosarcoma mouse models after intravenous and intratumoral injections by fluorescence imaging. The bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-conjugated SiQDNPs, when dispersed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), can emit red photoluminescence with the photoluminescence quantum yield more than 30% and have very low in vitro and in vivo toxicity. The biodistributions after intravenous injections reveal that the SiQDNPs are mainly metabolized through the livers in mice, while only slight accumulation in the osteosarcoma tumor is observed. Furthermore, the PEG conjugation can effectively extend the circulation time. Finally, a mixture of SiQDNPs and indocyanine green (ICG), which complement each other in the spectral range and diffusion length, is directly injected into the tumor for imaging. After the injection, the SiQDNPs with relatively large particle sizes stay around the injection site, while the ICG molecules diffuse over a broad range, especially in the muscular tissue. By taking advantage of this property, the difference between the osteosarcoma tumor and normal muscular tissue is demonstrated.