Real-time molecular imaging of tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism in vivo by hyperpolarized 1-(13)C diethyl succinate

Synthetic approach for unsaturated precursors for parahydrogen induced polarization of choline and its analogs

Reported here are (i) a new synthetic approach for preparation of (ii) a new compound class, of -OH, for example, an -OH group is replaced with acetyl protecting group, protected 1,2-dehydrocholine analogs and (iii) a new synthetic route for betaine aldehyde. The CC bond of 1,2-dehydrocholine moiety can be used for molecular addition of parahydrogen producing -OH protected hyperpolarized choline by parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP). The reported synthetic approach allows for incorporation of (15) N and deuterium labels, which are necessary for preparation of highly polarized PHIP contrast agents. Isotope labeling with (15) N and/or deuterium was conducted. Hyperpolarized (15) N-choline enabled by the reported synthetic approach can be potentially used as an imaging biomarker of cancer similar to choline positron emission tomography tracers.

Conversion of nuclear spin isomers of ethylene

A theoretical model of the nuclear spin isomer conversion in C2H4 induced by the intramolecular spin-spin interaction between hydrogen nuclei has been developed. In the ground electronic state, C2H4 has four nuclear spin isomers in contrast to two isomers in the molecules studied so far in this field of research. At the gas pressure of 1 Torr, the rate of conversion between isomers with the nuclear spin symmetries B1u and B2u was found to be 5.2 × 10(-4) s(-1), which coincides within experimental uncertainties with the rate recently measured by Sun et al. (Science 2005, 310, 1938). It was determined that at low gas pressures the conversion is induced mainly by the mixing of only one pair of rotational states. The calculated pressure dependence of the conversion rate predicts that conversion slows down with increasing pressure at pressures higher than 300 Torr.

NMR of hyperpolarised probes

Increasing the sensitivity of NMR experiments is an ongoing field of research to help realise the exquisite molecular specificity of this technique. Hyperpolarisation of various nuclei is a powerful approach that enables the use of NMR for molecular and cellular imaging. Substantial progress has been achieved over recent years in terms of both tracer preparation and detection schemes. This review summarises recent developments in probe design and optimised signal encoding, and promising results in sensitive disease detection and efficient therapeutic monitoring. The different methods have great potential to provide molecular specificity not available by other diagnostic modalities.

In vivo magnetic resonance imaging of hyperpolarized silicon particles

Silicon-based micro- and nanoparticles have gained popularity in a wide range of biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability in vivo, as well as their flexible surface chemistry, which allows drug loading, functionalization and targeting. Here, we report direct in vivo imaging of hyperpolarized (29)Si nuclei in silicon particles by magnetic resonance imaging. Natural physical properties of silicon provide surface electronic states for dynamic nuclear polarization, extremely long depolarization times, insensitivity to the in vivo environment or particle tumbling, and surfaces favourable for functionalization. Potential applications to gastrointestinal, intravascular and tumour perfusion imaging at subpicomolar concentrations are presented. These results demonstrate a new background-free imaging modality applicable to a range of inexpensive, readily available and biocompatible silicon particles.

The negative impact of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex deficiency on matrix substrate-level phosphorylation

A decline in α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC) activity has been associated with neurodegeneration. Provision of succinyl-CoA by KGDHC is essential for generation of matrix ATP (or GTP) by substrate-level phosphorylation catalyzed by succinyl-CoA ligase. Here, we demonstrate ATP consumption in respiration-impaired isolated and in situ neuronal somal mitochondria from transgenic mice with a deficiency of either dihydrolipoyl succinyltransferase (DLST) or dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (DLD) that exhibit a 20-48% decrease in KGDHC activity. Import of ATP into the mitochondrial matrix of transgenic mice was attributed to a shift in the reversal potential of the adenine nucleotide translocase toward more negative values due to diminished matrix substrate-level phosphorylation, which causes the translocase to reverse prematurely. Immunoreactivity of all three subunits of succinyl-CoA ligase and maximal enzymatic activity were unaffected in transgenic mice as compared to wild-type littermates. Therefore, decreased matrix substrate-level phosphorylation was due to diminished provision of succinyl-CoA. These results were corroborated further by the finding that mitochondria from wild-type mice respiring on substrates supporting substrate-level phosphorylation exhibited ~30% higher ADP-ATP exchange rates compared to those obtained from DLST(+/-) or DLD(+/-) littermates. We propose that KGDHC-associated pathologies are a consequence of the inability of respiration-impaired mitochondria to rely on "in-house" mitochondrial ATP reserves.

Which way does the citric acid cycle turn during hypoxia? The critical role of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex

The citric acid cycle forms a major metabolic hub and as such it is involved in many disease states involving energetic imbalance. In spite of the fact that it is being branded as a "cycle", during hypoxia, when the electron transport chain does not oxidize reducing equivalents, segments of this metabolic pathway remain operational but exhibit opposing directionalities. This serves the purpose of harnessing high-energy phosphates through matrix substrate-level phosphorylation in the absence of oxidative phosphorylation. In this Mini-Review, these segments are appraised, pointing to the critical importance of the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex dictating their directionalities.

Quantitative analysis of molecular transport across liposomal bilayer by J-mediated 13C Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization

We introduce a new NMR technique to dramatically enhance the solution-state (13)C NMR sensitivity and contrast at 0.35 T and at room temperature by actively transferring the spin polarization from Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization (ODNP)-enhanced (1)H to (13)C nuclei through scalar (J) coupling, a method that we term J-mediated (13)C ODNP. We demonstrate the capability of this technique by quantifying the permeability of glycine across negatively charged liposomal bilayers composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG). The permeability coefficient of glycine across this DPPC/DPPG bilayer is measured to be (1.8 ± 0.1) × 10(-11)m/s, in agreement with the literature value. We further observed that the presence of 20 mol % cholesterol within the DPPC/DPPG lipid membrane significantly retards the permeability of glycine by a factor of 4. These findings demonstrate that the high sensitivity and contrast of J-mediated (13)C ODNP affords the measurement of the permeation kinetics of small hydrophilic molecules across lipid bilayers, a quantity that is difficult to accurately measure with existing techniques.

Parahydrogen Induced Polarization with Rh-based Monodentate Ligand in Water

Reported here is a water soluble Rh(I)-based catalyst for performing parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP). The [Rh(I)(norbornadiene)(THP)(2)](+)[BF(4)](-) catalyst utilizes the monodentate phosphine ligand tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine (THP). The monodentate PHIP catalyst is less susceptible to oxygenation by air and THP ligand and is significantly less expensive than bidentate water-soluble PHIP ligands. In situ PHIP detection with this monodentate Rh(I) based catalyst in water yielded 12% (13)C polarization for the parahydrogen addition product, 2-hydroxyethyl 1-(13)C-propionate-d(2,3,3) (HEP), with a (13)C T(1) relaxation of 108 seconds at 0.0475 T. PHIP polarization yields were high, reflecting efficient hydrogenation even under conditions of high content of the oxidized phosphine form of the THP ligand.