The synthesis and targeting of PPP-type copolymers to breast cancer cells: Multifunctional platforms for imaging and diagnosis

Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis and application of water-soluble, biomolecule conjugated PPP copolymers bearing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) side chains as fluorescent probes for the in vitro imaging of cancer cells. The targeting of fluorescent polymers to breast cancer cells allows effective visualization and discrimination of MCF7 cells from human mammary epithelial cells. Furthermore, these materials are also suitable for efficient radiolabeling via ¹²⁵I which enables dual-modality holding the possibility of both radioactive and fluorescence imaging in cancer diagnosis applications.