Kurzfassung

This proposal describes a new concept for optical imaging of prostate cancer. The consortium will address development and evaluation of novel imaging probes as well as a concept for optical imaging with depth resolution. This approach relies on nanocapsule-based smart imaging probes. Capsules obtained by interfacial polymerization and inverse miniemulsion contain a fluorophore in such a concentration that self-quenching occurs; additionally, the polymer shell contains a peptide sequence,...This proposal describes a new concept for optical imaging of prostate cancer. The consortium will address development and evaluation of novel imaging probes as well as a concept for optical imaging with depth resolution. This approach relies on nanocapsule-based smart imaging probes. Capsules obtained by interfacial polymerization and inverse miniemulsion contain a fluorophore in such a concentration that self-quenching occurs; additionally, the polymer shell contains a peptide sequence, which is cleaved exclusively by the enzyme hepsin highly upregulated in prostate cancer cells. Enzymatic cleavage will result in release of the fluorophore from the capsules and recovery of fluorescence in malignant tissue. Imaging probes are evaluated in cell culture and an in vivo substitute model in particular to optimize release kinetics of the dye and to demonstrate cell selectivity of cleavage. Based on experimental data of optical coefficients of prostatic tissue, a numerical model is developed for propagation of excitation and fluorescence light at different wavelengths. These investigations will provide reliable data on the potential of optical detection of prostate cancer in humans.
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