Targeted delivery of nanoparticles to ischemic muscle for imaging and therapeutic angiogenesis.

Targeting of nanoparticles to ischemic tissues was studied in a murine ischemic hindlimb model. Intravenously injected fluorescent nanoparticles allowed ischemia-targeted imaging of ischemic muscles due to increased permeability of blood vessels in hypoxic tissues. Targeting efficiency correlated with blood perfusion after induction of ischemia and was enhanced in early stages of ischemia (<7 days). Therapeutic delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was achieved by VEGF-conjugated nanoparticles and resulted in a 1.7-fold increase in blood perfusion, as compared to control mice. This work supports the application of nanoparticles as imaging and therapeutic modalities for ischemia treatment.