A phospholipid spin label used as a liposome-associated MRI contrast agent

Gadolinium-Functionalized Peptide Amphiphile Micelles for Multimodal Imaging of Atherosclerotic Lesions

The leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally are cardiovascular diseases, and nanomedicine can provide many improvements including disease-specific targeting, early detection, and local delivery of diagnostic agents. To this end, we designed fibrin-binding, peptide amphiphile micelles (PAMs), achieved by incorporating the targeting peptide cysteine-arginine-glutamic acid-lysine-alanine (CREKA), with two types of amphiphilic molecules containing the gadoliniuim (Gd) chelator diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), DTPA-bis(stearylamide)(Gd), and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[(poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG))-2000]-DTPA(Gd) (DSPE-PEG2000-DTPA(Gd)). The material characteristics of the resulting nanoparticle diagnostic probes, clot-binding properties in vitro, and contrast enhancement and safety for dual, optical imaging-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were evaluated in the atherosclerotic mouse model. Transmission electron micrographs showed a homogenous population of spherical micelles for formulations containing DSPE-PEG2000-DTPA(Gd), whereas both spherical and cylindrical micelles were formed upon mixing DTPA-BSA(Gd) and CREKA amphiphiles. Clot-binding assays confirmed DSPE-PEG2000-DTPA(Gd)-based CREKA micelles targeted clots over 8-fold higher than nontargeting (NT) counterpart micelles, whereas no difference was found between CREKA and NT, DTPA-BSA(Gd) micelles. However, in vivo MRI and optical imaging studies of the aortas and hearts showed fibrin specificity was conferred by the peptide ligand without much difference between the nanoparticle formulations or shapes. Biodistribution studies confirmed that all micelles were cleared through both the reticuloendothelial system and renal clearance, and histology showed no signs of necrosis. In summary, these studies demonstrate the successful synthesis, and the molecular imaging capabilities of two types of CREKA-Gd PAMs for atherosclerosis. Moreover, we demonstrate the differences in micelle formulations and shapes and their outcomes in vitro versus in vivo for site-specific, diagnostic strategies, and provide the groundwork for the detection of thrombosis via contrast-enhancing agents and concurrent therapeutic delivery for theranostic applications.

Electron paramagnetic resonance: a powerful tool to support magnetic resonance imaging research

The purpose of this paper is to describe some of the areas where electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has provided unique information to MRI developments. The field of application mainly encompasses the EPR characterization of MRI paramagnetic contrast agents (gadolinium and manganese chelates, nitroxides) and superparamagnetic agents (iron oxide particles). The combined use of MRI and EPR has also been used to qualify or disqualify sources of contrast in MRI. Illustrative examples are presented with attempts to qualify oxygen sensitive contrast (i.e. T1 - and T2 *-based methods), redox status or melanin content in tissues. Other areas are likely to benefit from the combined EPR/MRI approach, namely cell tracking studies. Finally, the combination of EPR and MRI studies on the same models provides invaluable data regarding tissue oxygenation, hemodynamics and energetics. Our description will be illustrative rather than exhaustive to give to the readers a flavour of 'what EPR can do for MRI'.

MRI observation of the light-induced release of a contrast agent from photo-controllable polymer micelles

The encapsulation of molecules into nanocarriers is studied for its potential in delivering a high dose of anticancer drugs to a tumor, while minimizing side effects. Most systems either release their content in a non-specific manner or under specific environmental conditions such as temperature or pH. We have synthesized a novel class of photo-controllable polymer micelles that can stably encapsulate a hydrophilic compound and subsequently release it upon absorption of UV light. Here, we describe an in vitro magnetic resonance imaging assay that can evaluate the state of incorporation of a small Gd-based contrast agent. Our results indicate that the contrast agent alone can diffuse through a filter, but that the same agent incorporated into micelles cannot. After exposure to UV light, the micelles released the contrast agent, which could then diffuse through the filter.

Specific in vitro labeling of cells with a fluorine-19 probe encapsulated in antibody-targeted liposomes: a F-19 NMR spectroscopy study

Liposomes containing dexamethasone phosphate (DMp) were covalently coupled to protein A and then incubated with murine L929 fibroblast and RDM4 thymoma cells in the presence of monoclonal antibodies specific for the major histocompatibility complex. The detection of the specific F-19 labeling of cells is rapid (minutes). Such a strategy might be useful to study the kinetics of internalization processes of bound liposomes on cultured living cells.

Selective MR imaging of labeled human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by liposome mediated incorporation of dextran-magnetite particles

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were incubated with large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) containing encapsulated dextran-magnetite particles (DMP). This resulted in an efficient incorporation of DMP. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of DMP in cells mainly in phagosomes and secondary lysosomes. DMP-labeled PBMCs showed a strong increase of the transverse relaxation rate (up to 16.6 s-1 for 5 x 10(7) cells/ml) and, accordingly, a great loss of signal intensity in MR imaging. The fraction of DMP containing PBMCs could be enriched by magnetic cell separation. The major population of the DMP containing cells proved to be monocytes. When PBMCs depleted of monocytes were used for labeling, DMP uptake was observed also in the peripheral blood lymphocytes. The labeling of PBMCs presented here may be used in future studies of selective MR imaging of in vivo cell migration in a variety of immunologically compromised tissue states, e.g., tumors, transplantations, and abscesses.

The design of liposomal paramagnetic MR agents: effect of vesicle size upon the relaxivity of surface-incorporated lipophilic chelates

The 1/T1 NMRD profiles of lipid vesicles with the paramagnetic ion Gd attached via a chelate covalently linked to the membrane surface show a peak at approximately 20 MHz indicating that fluctuations of approximately 10(-8) s contribute to the form of the dispersion profile. If the correlation time for fluctuations of the paramagnetic chelate on the membrane surface is much less than the correlation time for rotation of the lipid vesicle, it would be expected that the measured 1/T1 relaxation rate for solvent protons should be invariant with vesicle size above a certain minimum vesicle diameter. We show that this is indeed the case for vesicles in the size range 50 to 400 nm average diameter and discuss general design considerations for the preparation of vesicle-associated MR contrast agents based upon paramagnetic chelates either trapped within the vesicle interior or attached to the membrane surface.

Permeability of liposomal membranes to water: results from the magnetic field dependence of T1 of solvent protons in suspensions of vesicles with entrapped paramagnetic ions

The diffusive permeability to water molecules, Pd, of lipid vesicles with entrapped paramagnetic solute ions can be determined rapidly from analysis of the magnetic field dependence (nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion, or NMRD profile) of T1 of exterior solvent water protons. Such data yield tau, the mean lifetime of solvent molecules inside the vesicles, from tau = (fT1Para) - T1Ves, where f is the volume fraction of entrapped water, T1Para is the observed T1 corrected for buffer background, and T1Ves is the relaxation time of water protons in the entrapped solution. For small spherical unilamellar vesicles of inner radius R, Pd = R/3 tau, f can be obtained accurately from knowledge of both the concentration of Gd(DTPA)2- in the solution in which the vesicles were formed and the average concentration of ions in the final sample. At low temperatures, in the limit of slow exchange, T1Para becomes independent of field and tau = fT1Para; the observation of a field-independent profile is a control that confirms that no paramagnetic material is external to the vesicles. We have measured T1Para, using a field-cycling relaxometer, for suspensions of POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-lecithin) vesicles with 100-500 mM entrapped Gd(DTPA)2- and membrane concentrations of cholesterol ranging from 0 to 40 mol %. These profiles, which span the field range 0.01-50 MHz proton Larmor frequency, were taken at 5, 15, 25, and 35 degrees C. Concentrations of Gd(DTPA)2- were determined independently by both ICP analyses and NMRD methods. Values for Pd for vesicles with 100 mM Gd(DTPA)2- and outer diameters 100 nm +/- 20%, as determined by quasielastic light scattering, are 63, 47, 24, 16, and 8.7 x 10(-4) cm s-1, at 25 degrees C, for cholesterol concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40%, respectively. The corresponding activation enthalpies are 14, 14, 14, 17, and 17 kcal/M. Comparison with 2H NMR studies of deuterated POPC vesicles with no cholesterol at 20 degrees C, and with 10% at 40 degrees C, which yielded the same order parameter for the palmitoyl acyl chains, gives no indication of a correlation between order parameter and permeability.

Comparative evaluation of two membrane-based liposomal MRI contrast agents

Two phospholipids--one bearing a nitroxide free radical covalently attached to its polar headgroup, and the other bearing a similarly attached chelating agent with bound gadolinium--were compared in vivo as liposomal contrast agents for MR imaging. In each case the phospholipid contrast agent was incorporated into the membranes of sonicated unilamellar vesicles. The agent with bound gadolinium proved to be considerably more potent at highlighting regions of liposome biodistribution than did its spin-labelled analogue. Injected intramuscularly into rats, the spin-label liposomes produced local tissue contrast that persisted for 1 h; while under similar conditions, the liposomal gadolinium persisted for over 24 h. By comparison, water-soluble, nonliposomal DTPA-Gd3+ (dimeglumine), was rapidly cleared from the same intramuscular sites--appearing in kidney bladder within 15 min of injection. When delivered intravenously, maximum effect from both liposomal agents was observed in liver and spleen within 1-2 h, although the spin-label agent produced only marginal contrast. The concomitant use of fat suppression proved a valuable adjunct to liposomal contrast for imaging organs of the reticuloendothelial system.

Relaxation efficacy of paramagnetic and superparamagnetic microspheres in liver and spleen

A distinct knowledge of the relationship between physiochemical properties, cellular distribution and relaxation efficacy of particulate MR contrast media is needed for the development of tissue specific contrast compounds. To study these relations paramagnetic gadolinium labelled microspheres and superparamagnetic iron oxide microspheres (MSM) were injected intravenously to rats. The T1 and T2 relaxation times of the liver and spleen were recorded and the gadolinium tissue content quantified. A clear relationship between the gadolinium dose and the gadolinium concentration of the liver and spleen was observed while the T1 of the tissues remained unchanged. After injection of MSM, T2 of liver and both T1 and T2 of spleen decreased dose-dependently. The splenic relaxation efficacy of MSM was higher compared with that of liver, probably due to the morphology of the spleen allowing a scattered cellular sequestration of MSM. To mimic a uniform tissue distribution of the contrast agents, the liver and spleen samples were homogenized and a marked increase in the intrinsic relaxation efficacy of both the paramagnetic and superparamagnetic microspheres was observed.

A liposomal MRI contrast agent: phosphatidylethanolamine-DTPA

The chelating agent, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), was attached via one -COOH group to the amino headgroup of phosphatidylethanolamine to produce a phospholipid which is also a powerful chelating agent. It readily assembles into the walls of lipid bilayer structures as a liposome-associated carrier of cations for MR contrast or radioisotope studies. Freeze-etch electron microscopy showed that phosphatidylethanolamine-DTPA formed satisfactory sonicated vesicles when mixed with natural phospholipids at up to 50 wt%. The resultant structures with bound gadolinium effectively shortened T1 and T2 of surrounding water protons. When sonicated liposomes bearing chelating agent with bound 111In3+ were injected intravenously into rats, uptake was primarily by liver and spleen. By 24 h postinjection there was biliary excretion of this material. Phosphatidylethanolamine-DTPA may have some general utility as an amphiphilic liposomal chelating agent for polyvalent cations.

Delivery of nitroxide spin label to cultured cells by liposomes

The positively charged nitroxide spin label, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-N-oxyl-4-trimethylammonium (Cat1), was encapsulated in two types of liposomes, phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine (PS/PC) and phosphatidylserine/distearoylphosphatidylcholine/dipalmitoylphosphatidyl choline (PS/DSPC/DPPC). The liposomes were incubated with mouse thymus-bone marrow (TB) cells to study the uptake and metabolism of nitroxides entrapped in liposomes. The effects of temperature, metabolic inhibitors, and fixation of cells were investigated. The results indicate that different mechanisms are involved in the uptake of these two types of liposomes. PS/PC liposomes interact predominantely with the plasma membrane of TB cells and release Cat1 continuously, whereas the majority of PS/DSPC/DPPC liposomes are taken into the cells intact via endocytosis. These findings suggest that it may be possible to deliver nitroxides selectively, either to the membrane of cells or to their interior by manipulating the lipid composition of the liposomes. This study also found that the rate of reduction of Cat1 delivered using liposomes was increased under hypoxic conditions. Thus, the use of liposomes for in vivo delivery of nitroxides has the potential to provide NMR contrast that reflects different metabolic conditions.

Gadolinium-labeled liposomes containing paramagnetic amphipathic agents: targeted MRI contrast agents for the liver

Unique paramagnetic liposomal contrast agents were synthesized and utilized for selective augmentation of T1 MR imaging of the livers of normal Balb/c mice. Amphipathic gadolinium complexes, which mimic phospholipids, were incorporated into the lamella of small unilamellar liposomes (SUV) such that they became an integral part of its surface. T1 signal enhancement of normal liver approached 150% after iv administration of the paramagnetic liposomes, determined by experiments performed on a 1.9-T, experimental whole-body MRI unit. Tracer studies utilizing gadolinium-153-tagged SUV revealed that the agents exhibited excellent in vivo stability, compared to liposomal preparations in which paramagnetic agents are simply entrapped in the aqueous core of the liposome vesicle.