2026-10-11T13:36:34Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34031530 2026-09-30T11:07:44Z category_146 category_7 category_19 category_21 category_873 category_39 category_45 category_46 category_64 portal_63 item_type_2 month_year_09_2026

Melanin-Inspired Nanoparticle Tattoo Inks for Precise Marking and Surveillance of Gastrointestinal Lesions Mallikarjun Gosangi (4173940) Amanda Tsui (25143340) Lingchen Fu (14935970) Jordan R. Yaron (8599935) Rahul Pannala (24438043) Kaushal Rege (1334088) Space Science Medicine Pharmacology Biotechnology Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Sociology Immunology Cancer poor spatial fidelity minimal lateral spread lesion localization relies least 2 months inspired nanoparticle tattoo inflammatory bowel disease including colorectal cancer improving endoscopic localization extensive diffusion observed enhanced spatial orientation endoscopic white light enabled reproducible multipoint elicit minimal macrophage mediated inflammatory responses highly localized tattoos effective surgical management mint tattoo markings based tattoo ink synthetic melanin nanoparticles generation contrast agent encapsulated synthetic melanin clinical carbon ink mint inks resulted mint inks represent based tattoos mint inks surgical outcomes fibrotic responses based marking submucosal injection significant advantage serosal surfaces providing precise promising next precise marking findings demonstrate easily injectable distinctly visible conventional carbon contrast relative contrast marking compromised precision colloidally stable 9 weeks Accurate endoscopic marking of suspicious lesions and polyps is essential for the effective surgical management of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, including colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Currently, lesion localization relies on submucosal injection of a carbon-based tattoo ink; however, this ink exhibits extensive tissue diffusion and extravasation, leading to poor spatial fidelity, compromised precision, and risk for fibrotic responses. Given the need for contrast relative to endoscopic white light and biocompatibility, we report here the design and evaluation of melanin-inspired nanoparticle tattoo (MINT) inks, formulated from synthetic melanin nanoparticles and biopolymer-encapsulated synthetic melanin. MINT inks are designed to be durable, high-contrast, easily injectable, and colloidally stable for at least 2 months and to elicit minimal macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses in vitro. In live porcine colon studies, submucosal injection of MINT inks resulted in highly localized tattoos with minimal lateral spread over 9 weeks of follow-up, which is a significant advantage over the extensive diffusion observed with clinical carbon ink. MINT tattoo markings were distinctly visible from both mucosal and serosal surfaces of the intestine and enabled reproducible multipoint and quadrant-based marking, which enhanced spatial orientation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that MINT inks are biocompatible and capable of providing precise, long-lasting, high-contrast marking of lesions in the colon. By overcoming the limitations of conventional carbon-particle-based tattoos, MINT inks represent a promising next-generation contrast agent for improving endoscopic localization and surgical outcomes in GI diseases. 2026-09-30T00:00:00Z Dataset Media 10.1021/acsnano.6c11696.s002 https://figshare.com/articles/media/Melanin-Inspired_Nanoparticle_Tattoo_Inks_for_Precise_Marking_and_Surveillance_of_Gastrointestinal_Lesions/34031530 CC BY-NC 4.0