Targeted Dual-Modality Imaging of Pisum Sativum Agglutinin Functionalized CuFeSe2 Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cholangiocarcinoma Diagnosis

Purpose : To improve cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) diagnosis by exploiting pisum sativum agglutinin (PSA) to target mannose-type N-glycans over-expressed on CCA cells, and to evaluate CuFeSe ₂ -PSA nanoparticles as a dual-modality contrast agent for T2-weighted MRI and CT imaging. Procedures : CuFeSe ₂ nanoparticles were surface-functionalized with PSA. Their physicochemical properties, dispersity, biosafety, and dual-contrast capability (T2-MRI and CT) were assessed in vitro. Targeting specificity toward CCA cells and tissues was examined with both in vitro cellular assays and in vivo animal models. Results : Functionalization with PSA improved nanoparticle dispersity and biosafety. The resulting CuFeSe ₂ -PSA nanoparticles provided effective contrast enhancement for both T2-MRI and CT. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that PSA markedly increased the probe’s recognition and accumulation in CCA cells and tumor tissues, leading to prominently enhanced tumor contrast and delineation. Conclusions : CuFeSe ₂ -PSA nanoparticles constitute a novel diagnostic platform that enables precise dual-modality imaging of CCA and hold potential for future therapeutic applications, offering a promising approach for clinical CCA diagnosis.