Browsing by Author "Nimi, N"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Asialoglycoprotein receptor targeted optical and magnetic resonance imaging and therapy of liver fbrosis using pullulan stabilized multi-functional iron oxide nanoprobe
    (Scientific Reports., 2021-09) Saraswathy, A; Nazeer, SS; Nimi, N; Hema, S; Parvathy, RS; Jibin, K; Victor, M; Fernandez, FB; Sabareeswaran, A; Shenoy, SJ; Harikrishna Varma, PR; Jayasre, RS
    Early diagnosis and therapy of liver fibrosis is of utmost importance, especially considering the increased incidence of alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver syndromes. In this work, a systematic study is reported to develop a dual function and biocompatible nanoprobe for liver specific diagnostic and therapeutic applications. A polysaccharide polymer, pullulan stabilized iron oxide nanoparticle (P-SPIONs) enabled high liver specificity via asialogycoprotein receptor mediation. Longitudinal and transverse magnetic relaxation rates of 2.15 and 146.91 mM−1 s−1 respectively and a size of 12 nm, confirmed the T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) efficacy of P-SPIONs. A current of 400A on 5 mg/ml of P-SPIONs raised the temperature above 50 °C, to facilitate effective hyperthermia. Finally, a NIR dye conjugation facilitated targeted dual imaging in liver fibrosis models, in vivo, with favourable histopathological results and recommends its use in early stage diagnosis using MRI and optical imaging, and subsequent therapy using hyperthermia.
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    Blood protein adsorption and compatibility studies of gold nanoparticles
    (GOLD BULLETIN, 2011) Nimi, N; Paul, W; Sharma, CP
    Gold nanoparticles are considered to be real jewels. The significant growth of their application for labeling, delivery, heating, and sensing shows their significance in biology and/or life sciences. PEGylated gold nanoparticles also have significant application in drug and gene delivery. However, comprehensive information on the compatibility of these nanoparticles to blood is limited in literature. An attempt has been made to study the protein adsorption, blood cell aggregation, and C3 adsorption onto these particles to evaluate its complement activation potential and blood compatibility. It has been observed that these nanoparticles do not induce any complement activation or blood cell aggregation. Particles were non-hemolytic and the adsorptions of proteins were negligible which further validates its significance in drug delivery and gene delivery applications.
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    Fluorescent carbon dots tailored iron oxide nano hybrid system for in vivo optical imaging of liver fibrosis
    (Methods and Applications in Fluorescence, 2023-03) Nazeer, SS; Saraswathy, A; Nimi, N; Sarathkumar, E; Resmi, AN; Shenoy, SJ; Jayasree, RS
    Hybrid nanoparticles are innovative invention of last decade designed to overcome limitations of single-component nanoparticles by introducing multiple functionalities through combining two or more different nanoparticles. In this study, we are reporting development of magneto-fluorescent hybrid nanoparticles by combining iron oxide and carbon nanoparticles to enablein vivofluorescence imaging which also has all the required characteristic properties to use as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agent. In order to achieve dual-functional imaging, alginate and pullulan coated super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (ASPION and PSPION) and Carbon dots (Cdts) were synthesised separately. ASPIONs and PSPIONs were further chemically conjugated with Cdts and developed dual-functional nanohybrid particles ASPION-Cdts and PSPION-Cdts. Subsequently, evaluation of the materials for its size, functionalisation efficiency, fluorescence and magnetic properties, biocompatibility and cellular uptake efficiency has been carried out. Fluorescence imaging of liver fibrosis was performedin vivoin rodent model of liver fibrosis using the two nanohybrids, which is further confirmed by high fluorescence signal from the harvested liver.
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    Magnetic nanoparticles for liver imaging.
    (Nature India. 2013, 2013-12) Saraswathy, A; Nazeer, SS; Nimi, N; Arumugam, S; Shenoy, SJ; Jayasree, RS
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    Multifunctional hybrid nanoconstruct of zerovalent iron and carbon dots for magnetic resonance angiography and optical imaging: An In vivo study
    (Biomaterials, 2018-07) Nimi, N; Saraswathy, A; Nazeer, SS; Francis, N; Shenoy, SJ; Jayasree, RS
    In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), gadolinium (Gd) complexes are very often used as contrast agents to enhance the signal from soft tissue deformities and vascular anomalies, to improve the accuracy of diagnosis. The safety concern of using Gd complexes in renally compromised patients pose limitations on its application. To overcome this scenario, we introduce a nontoxic zerovalent iron based nanoparticle as a novel contrast agent for MR angiography and a hybrid version of the same to serve as a dual function contrast agent for targeted liver imaging. The synthesized zerovalent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles after citrate stabilization (C@ZVI) had an average size of 10 nm and exhibited paramagnetic property which is a prerequisite for a positive MRI contrast agent. The longitudinal magnetic relaxivity, r1 of C@ZVI was 4.93 mM-1s-1 which is much higher than that of clinically used Gd based agent, gadoterate meglumine (3.6 mM-1s-1). For multimodal imaging of the liver, initially the ZVI nanoparticle was tailored with a highly liver specific polysaccharide pullulan, and later with fluorescent carbon dots (Cdts) facilitating both optical and MR imaging. The magnetic relaxivity was retained in P@ZVI-Cdts for T1 contrast imaging with an r1 value of 3.48 mM-1s-1. The in vivo MR angiogram using C@ZVI and the liver targeted MRI and optical imaging using P@ZVI-Cdts were successfully demonstrated proving their potential as MRA contrast agent and a liver specific multimodal imaging agent.
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    Near infrared-emitting multimodal nanosystem for in vitro magnetic hyperthermia of hepatocellular carcinoma and dual imaging of in vivo liver fibrosis
    (Scientific Reports, 2023-08) Nazeer, SS; Saraswathy, A; Nimi, N; Santhakumar, H; Radhakrishnapillai Suma, P; Shenoy, SJ; Jayasree, RS
    Prolonged usage of traditional nanomaterials in the biological field has posed several short- and long-term toxicity issues. Over the past few years, smart nanomaterials (SNs) with controlled physical, chemical, and biological features have been synthesized in an effort to allay these challenges. The current study seeks to develop theranostic SNs based on iron oxide to enable simultaneous magnetic hyperthermia and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), for chronic liver damage like liver fibrosis which is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. To accomplish this, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were prepared, coated with a biocompatible and naturally occurring polysaccharide, alginate. The resultant material, ASPIONs were evaluated in terms of physicochemical, magnetic and biological properties. A hydrodynamic diameter of 40 nm and a transverse proton relaxation rate of 117.84 mM−1 s−1 pronounces the use of ASPIONs as an efficient MRI contrast agent. In the presence of alternating current of 300 A, ASPIONs could elevate the temperature to 45 °C or more, with the possibility of hyperthermia based therapeutic approach. Magnetic therapeutic and imaging potential of ASPIONs were further evaluated respectively in vitro and in vivo in HepG2 carcinoma cells and animal models of liver fibrosis, respectively. Finally, to introduce dual imaging capability along with magnetic properties, ASPIONs were conjugated with near infrared (NIR) dye Atto 700 and evaluated its optical imaging efficiency in animal model of liver fibrosis. Histological analysis further confirmed the liver targeting efficacy of the developed SNs for Magnetic theranostics and optical imaging as well as proved its short-term safety, in vivo.
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    Preparation of hydroxyapatite porous scaffolds from a coral like synthetic inorganic precusrsor for use as a bone graft substitute and a drug delivery vehicle
    (Materials Science and Engineering C, 2018-11) Nimi, N; Palangadan, R; Fernandez, FB; Varma, H
    A novel surfactant free hydrothermal method was developed for the preparation of large hydroxyapatite scaffolds. Synthetic calcium carbonate (calcite) was used as the starting material which when mixed with an inorganic setting solution containing phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide forms the porous precursor body with pore size 20-700 μm. The porous precursor body was then hydrothermally converted to hydroxyapatite scaffolds when treated in basic phosphate solution of pH 10.5 at 150 °C and 15 bar pressure maintaining the structural stability and integrity. X-ray diffraction and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the developed material consist of single phase crystalline hydroxyapatite. Surface morphology and microstructures were studied using scanning electron microscopy and porosity was evaluated by micro CT analysis. The cell material interactions evaluated by cell viability assays and live cell staining methods confirmed the cell compatibility. The drug release study at physiological pH implied that the developed materials could be promising in sustained long-term release. The results emerged have shown that the hydrothermal conversion of inorganic coral-like precursor is effective to produce porous bioactive hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone regeneration as well as drug delivery vehicles for the treatment of infectious bone diseases such as osteomyelitis.
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    Synthesis and characterization of dextran stabilized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for in vivo MR imaging of liver fibrosis
    (Carbohydrate Polymers., 2013-10) Saraswathy, A; Nazeer, SS; Nimi, N; Sabareeswaran, A; Shenoy, SJ; Jayasree, RS