Gas-Generating, pH-Responsive Calcium Carbonate Hybrid Particles with Biomimetic Coating for Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging

This work reports the fabrication of biocompatible and pH-sensitive hybrid polydopamine/bovine serum albumin/calcium carbonate (PDA/BSA/CaCO3) particles via a rapid precipitation method. These hybrid particles generate hyperechogenic carbon dioxide bubbles upon exposure to low pH environments, making them ideal as a contrast agent and detector for tumor cells. This study also highlights the application of red blood cell membrane (RBC)-derived membranes as a biomimetic coating for PDA/BSA/CaCO3 hybrid particles in order to modulate protein corona formation, a natural physiological response that alters tailored properties of most nanomaterials that are administered systemically. Results of this work demonstrate that the RBC membrane-coated hybrid particles are ideal for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as noninvasive multimodal imaging, photothermal and photodynamic therapy, and "personalized" drug delivery systems.