CD63 as novel target for nanoemulsion-based ¹⁹F MRI imaging and drug delivery to activated cardiac fibroblasts

Rationale: Cardiac fibroblasts are activated following myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiac fibrosis is a major driver of the growing burden of heart failure. A non-invasive targeting method for activated cardiac fibroblasts would be advantageous because of their importance for imaging and therapy. Methods: Targeting was achieved by linking a 7-amino acid peptide (EP9) to a perfluorocarbon-containing nanoemulsion (PFC-NE) for visualization by ^(19)F-combined with ¹H-MRI. In vivo and ex …