Amide conjugates of the DO3A-N-(α-amino)propionate ligand: leads for stable, high relaxivity contrast agents for MRI?

Complexes of Bifunctional DO3A-N-(α-amino)propinate Ligands with Mg(II), Ca(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Lanthanide(III) Ions: Thermodynamic Stability, Formation and Dissociation Kinetics, and Solution Dynamic NMR Studies

The thermodynamic, kinetic, and structural properties of Ln³⁺ complexes with the bifunctional DO3A-ACE⁴⁻ ligand and its amide derivative DO3A-BACE⁴⁻ (modelling the case where DO3A-ACE⁴⁻ ligand binds to vector molecules) have been studied in order to confirm the usefulness of the corresponding Gd³⁺ complexes as relaxation labels of targeted MRI contrast agents. The stability constants of the Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ complexes of DO3A-ACE⁴⁻ and DO3A-BACE⁴⁻ complexes are lower than for DOTA⁴⁻ and DO3A³⁻, while the Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ complexes have similar and higher stability than for DOTA⁴⁻ and DO3A³⁻ complexes. The stability constants of the Ln(DO3A-BACE)⁻ complexes increase from Ce³⁺ to Gd³⁺ but remain practically constant for the late Ln³⁺ ions (represented by Yb³⁺). The stability constants of the Ln(DO3A-ACE)⁴⁻ and Ln(DO3A-BACE)⁴⁻ complexes are several orders of magnitude lower than those of the corresponding DOTA⁴⁻ and DO3A³⁻ complexes. The formation rate of Eu(DO3A-ACE)⁻ is one order of magnitude slower than for Eu(DOTA)⁻, due to the presence of the protonated amine group, which destabilizes the protonated intermediate complex. This protonated group causes the Ln(DO3A-ACE)⁻ complexes to dissociate several orders of magnitude faster than Ln(DOTA)⁻ and its absence in the Ln(DO3A-BACE)⁻ complexes results in inertness similar to Ln(DOTA)⁻ (as judged by the rate constants of acid assisted dissociation). The ¹H NMR spectra of the diamagnetic Y(DO3A-ACE)⁻ and Y(DO3A-BACE)⁻ reflect the slow dynamics at low temperatures of the intramolecular isomerization process between the SA pair of enantiomers, R-Λ(λλλλ) and S-Δ(δδδδ). The conformation of the C_α-substituted pendant arm is different in the two complexes, where the bulky substituent is further away from the macrocyclic ring in Y(DO3A-BACE)⁻ than the amino group in Y(DO3A-ACE)⁻ to minimize steric hindrance. The temperature dependence of the spectra reflects slower ring motions than pendant arms rearrangements in both complexes. Although losing some thermodynamic stability relative to Gd(DOTA)⁻, Gd(DO3A-BACE)⁻ is still quite inert, indicating the usefulness of the bifunctional DO3A-ACE⁴⁻ in the design of GBCAs and Ln³⁺-based tags for protein structural NMR analysis.

MRI-visible polymer based on poly(methyl methacrylate) for imaging applications

Macromolecular contrast agents are very attractive to afford efficient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visualization of implantable medical devices.

Thermodynamic stability, kinetic inertness and relaxometric properties of monoamide derivatives of lanthanide(III) DOTA complexes

A complete thermodynamic and kinetic solution study on lanthanide(III) complexes with monoacetamide (DOTAMA, L1) and monopropionamide (DOTAMAP, L2) derivatives of DOTA (DOTA = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) was undertaken with the aim to elucidate their stability and inertness in aqueous media. The stability constants of GdL1 and GdL2 are comparable, whereas a more marked difference is found in the kinetic inertness of the two complexes. The formation of the Eu(III) and Ce(III) complexes takes place via the formation of the protonated intermediates which can deprotonate and transform into the final complex through a OH(-) assisted pathway. GdL2 shows faster rates of acid catalysed decomplexation with respect to GdL1, which has a kinetic inertness comparable to GdDOTA. Nevertheless, GdL2 is one order of magnitude more inert than GdDO3A. A novel DOTAMAP-based bifunctional chelating ligand and its deoxycholic acid derivative (L5) were also synthesized. Since the coordinated water molecule in GdL2 is characterized by an exchange rate ca. two orders of magnitude greater than in GdL1, the relaxivity of the macromolecular derivatives of L5 should not be limited by the slow water exchange process. The relaxometric properties of the supramolecular adduct of GdL5 with human serum albumin (HSA) were investigated in aqueous solution by measuring the magnetic field dependence of the (1)H relaxivity which, at 20 MHz and 298 K, shows a 430% increase over that of the unbound GdL5 chelate. Thus, Gd(III) complexes with DOTAMAP macrocyclic ligands can represent good candidates for the development of stable and highly effective bioconjugate systems for molecular imaging applications.

Gold nanoparticles functionalised with fast water exchanging Gd3+ chelates: linker effects on the relaxivity

Linker length has little effect on the relaxivity of Gd³⁺ chelates immobilized onto gold nanoparticles.

Ga[NO2A-N-(α-amino)propionate] chelates: synthesis and evaluation as potential tracers for 68Ga PET

A reversible pH-trigged N₃O₃⇆N₄O₂ coordination isomerism was demonstrated for the Ga[NO2A-N-(α-amino)propionate] chelate in the pH range 4–6.