TY - JOUR T1 - Evaluation of Upconverting nanoparticles towards heart theranostics JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/721035 SP - 721035 AU - Kermorgant Marc AU - Ben Salem Jennifer AU - Santelli Julien AU - Calise Denis AU - Oster Anne-Cécile AU - Lairez Olivier AU - Coudret Christophe AU - Verelst Marc AU - Gales Céline AU - Senard Jean-Michel AU - Beaudry Francis AU - Pavy-Le Traon Anne AU - Roux Clément AU - Mauricot Robert AU - Dina N. Arvanitis Y1 - 2019/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/07/31/721035.abstract N2 - Restricted and controlled drug delivery to the heart remains a challenge giving frequent off-target effects as well as limited retention of drugs in the heart. There is a need to develop and optimize tools to allow for improved design of drug candidates for treatment of heart diseases. Over the last decade, novel drug platforms and nanomaterials were designed to confine bioactive materials to the heart. Yet, the research remains in its infancy, not only in the development of tools but also in the understanding of effects of these materials on cardiac function and tissue integrity. Upconverting nanoparticles are nanomaterials that recently accelerated interest in theranostic nanomedicine technologies. Their unique photophysical properties allow for sensitive in vivo imaging that can be combined with spatio-temporal control for targeted release of encapsulated drugs.Here we synthesized upconverting NaYF4:Yb,Tm nanoparticles and show for the first time their innocuity in the heart, when injected in the myocardium or in the pericardial space in mice. Nanoparticle retention and upconversion in the cardiac region did not alter heart rate variability, nor cardiac function as determined over a 15-day time course ensuing the sole injection. Altogether, our nanoparticles show innocuity primarily in the pericardial region and can be safely used for controlled spatiotemporal drug delivery.Our results support the use of upconverting nanoparticles as potential theranostics tools overcoming some of the key limitations associated with conventional experimental cardiology. ER -