Detection of PD-L1 expression levels in malignant pleural mesothelioma with a targeted MRI nanoprobe .

Objectives: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated potential in inhibiting the growth of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), and their efficacy is associated with the expression of programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1). This study evaluated a PD-L1-targeted nanoprobe for detecting PD-L1 expression in a nude mouse model of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

Methods: A PD-L1-binding peptide (WL-12) was conjugated with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) to create the nanoprobe WL-12@Fe₃O₄. The nanoprobe's stability, biotoxicity, targeting ability, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging effects were assessed and compared to non-targeted Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. ΔT2 values and PD-L1 expression were measured in H226 and MSTO-211H tumor tissues over 4 weeks to analyze correlations.

Results: The WL-12@Fe₃O₄ nanoprobe demonstrated uniform distribution and a spherical shape, with a larger size (43.82 nm) and lower surface potential (-9.34 ± 0.54 mV) compared to Fe₃O₄ (32.67 nm, -20.20 ± 0.88 mV, < 0.05). The XPS and FT-IR analysis results indicate the successful coupling of WL-12 with FeO It was well dispersed in serum and saline and showed no cytotoxicity or organ damage . The probe selectively accumulated in PD-L1-expressing MPM cells, especially MSTO-211H, and exhibited significantly higher uptake in high PD-L1-expressing H460 cells (930.22 ± 11.75 ng/mL) compared to low PD-L1-expressing A549 cells (254.89 ± 17.33 ng/mL, < 0.05). Tumor iron levels in the WL-12@Fe₃O₄ group were significantly elevated (141.02 ± 17.33 μg/g) compared to controls (36.43 ± 3.56 μg/g, < 0.05), with no significant differences in other organs ( > 0.05). The T2 values of H226 and MSTO-211H tumors decreased after probe injection, with ΔT2 values significantly higher in the targeted group than the nontargeted group ( < 0.05). ΔT2 values increased over 4 weeks, correlating strongly with PD-L1 expression ( < 0.05).

Conclusion: The PD-L1-targeted nanoprobe with MRI is a promising tool for noninvasive, real-time assessment of PD-L1 expression in MPM.