An imaging nanoparticle comprising a plant virus particle having an interior surface and an exterior surface, an imaging agent that is linked to the interior and/or exterior surface, and a layer of biocompatible mineral such as silica coated over the exterior surface, is described. The imaging nanoparticle can be used in method of generating an image of a tissue region of a subject, by administering to the subject a diagnostically effective amount of an imaging nanoparticle and generating an image of the tissue region of the subject to which the imaging nanoparticle has been distributed.

The invention provides an improved modified magnetosome that contains more iron therein with the combination of the expressed genes. This is achieved by co-expression of (a) one or more bacterial magnetotactic genes to amplify iron uptake, compartmentalization and biomineralization in cells, with (b) one or more mammalian iron handling proteins that together augment(s) and/or regulate the cells iron pool. As a result, mammalian cells or bacterial cells that are transfected or transformed, respectively, can be more effectively tracked using various imaging technologies.

The present invention relates to an isolated cellular targeted delivery system comprising a CD45.sup.+ leukocyte cell comprising within said cell a complex of one or more iron binding proteins and an active ingredient as well as methods for producing such isolated cellular targeted delivery system and uses of such system for therapy, in particular for therapy of cancer.

The present invention relates to an isolated cellular targeted delivery system comprising a CD45+ leukocyte cell comprising within said cell a complex of one or more iron binding proteins and an active pharmaceutically active substance and/or label as well as methods for producing such isolated cellular targeted delivery system and uses of such system for prophylaxis, therapy, diagnosis or theragnosis, in particular for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccination, therapy of cancer, particularly metastatic cancer or inflammatory diseases.

Provided herein are methods of producing exosome mimetics that are homogenous in size and are akin to native exosomes in structure and/or biological function. Also provided herein are the use of the EMs as delivery vehicles to deliver agents (e.g., therapeutic agents or diagnostic agents) for treating or diagnosing a disease.

An imaging nanoparticle comprising a plant virus particle having an interior surface and an exterior surface, an imaging agent that is linked to the interior and/or exterior surface, and a layer of biocompatible mineral such as silica coated over the exterior surface, is described. The imaging nanoparticle can be used in method of generating an image of a tissue region of a subject, by administering to the subject a diagnostically effective amount of an imaging nanoparticle and generating an image of the tissue region of the subject to which the imaging nanoparticle has been distributed.

The present invention relates to a superparamagnetic gold nanoparticle cluster-protein nanoparticle fusion body for magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic thermotherapy. According to the present invention, a superparamagnetic gold nanoparticle cluster-protein nanoparticle fusion body which has target directionality and a high density of ultrafine gold nanoparticles uniformly coupled to the surface of protein nanoparticles can be fabricated with neither a separate surface stabilization process nor a separate target directionality conferring process. Hence, the superparamagnetic gold nanoparticle cluster-protein nanoparticle fusion body according to the present invention is superior to conventional gold nanoparticles in terms of biocompatibility and has excellent target directionality as well as being identified to have a temperature elevation potential in an alternating magnetic field and a functionality as a T2-MRI contrast medium thanks to the superparamagnetism property of the ultrafine gold nanoparticles.

A rod-shaped plant virus having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and at least one imaging agent that is linked to the interior and/or exterior surface is described. The rod-shaped viruses can be combined into larger spherical nanoparticles. A rod-shaped plant virus or spherical nanoparticles including an imaging agent can be used in a method of generating an image of a tissue region of a subject such as a tumor or atherosclerotic tissue by administering the virus particle to the subject and generating an image of the tissue region of the subject to which the virus particle has been distributed.

The invention is directed to the field of gene therapy, i.e. gene delivery into target cells, tissue, organ and organism, and more particularly to gene delivery via viral vectors. The inventors showed that it is possible by chemical coupling to modulate the coupling of a ligand in the surface of the capsid of AAV, for example AAV2 and AAV3b. In particular, the present invention relates to a recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus (rAAV) vector particle having at least one primary amino group contained in the capsid proteins, chemically coupled with at least one ligand L, wherein coupling of said ligand L is implemented through a bond comprising a —CSNH— bond and an optionally substituted aromatic moiety. Particularly, the inventors tested the chemical coupling of mannose ligand on AAV2 for subretinally injection to rats. The present invention further relates to a method for chemically coupling an Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) vector particle with at least one ligand L and to a Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus (rAAV) vector particle obtained by said method as well as a pharmaceutical composition comprising it and their corresponding medical use.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods using protein reporters as imaging agents in .sup.129Xe NMR and MRI applications. It is described that bla and MBP are genetically-encoded proteins that induce a detectable chemical shift during .sup.129Xe NMR, allowing for use as protein reporters in research and clinical applications.