Comparison between Gd-DTPA and several bisamide derivatives as potential MRI contrast agents

Metabolomic Analysis of N-acetylcysteine Protection of Injury from Gadolinium-DTPA Contrast Agent in Rats with Chronic Renal Failure

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are frequently used to enhance the diagnostic efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging. On the other hand, the association between GBCA administration in patients with advanced renal disease and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) was also noted. NSF is a systemic disorder characterized by widespread tissue fibrosis that may lead to death. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) protects rats from injury induced by gadolinium-based contrast agents, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, a nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomic approach was used to systematically investigate the protective effects of NAC on Gd-DTPA-induced injury. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were given adenine (200 mg·kg^-1 body weight) by oral gavage once a day for 3 weeks to induce chronic renal failure (CRF). NAC (600 mg/L in drinking water for 9 days) pretreatment was initiated 2 days before Gd-DTPA injection (a single tail vein injection, 2 mmol/kg body weight). Serum and liver samples were collected on day 7 after Gd-DTPA injection. By study design, the serum and hepatic metabolic changes of rats were measured in four groups of eight each: CRF, CRF-Gd, CRF-Gd-NAC, and CRF-NAC. Gd-DTPA administration to rats with CRF resulted in disturbances of several metabolic pathways, including glucose, lipid, glutamate, choline, gut microbiota, one-carbon, and purine metabolism. NAC pretreatment reversed the abundance changes of high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, glutamate, glutamine, oxidized glutathione, choline, phosphocholine, glycerophosphocholine, trimethylamine, and trimethylamine-N-oxide induced by Gd-DTPA. It is noteworthy, however, that the ameliorating effects of NAC on the disturbance of glutamate, choline, and gut microbiota metabolism may be specific to Gd-DTPA. In all, these findings could be potentially useful to decipher the underlying mechanisms of NAC protective effects from the injury induced by gadolinium-based contrast agents.

Gd-DTPA-induced dynamic metabonomic changes in rat biofluids

OBJECTIVES

The purposes of this study were (1) to detect the dynamic metabonomic changes induced by gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) and (2) to investigate the potential metabolic disturbances associated with the pathogenesis of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) at the early stage.

METHODS

A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics approach was used to investigate the urinary and serum metabolic changes induced by a single tail vein injection of Gd-DTPA (dosed at 2 and 5mmol/kg body weight) in rats. Urine and serum samples were collected on days 1, 2 and 7 after dosing.

RESULTS

Metabolic responses of rats to Gd-DTPA administration were systematic involving changes in lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, TCA cycle, amino acid metabolism and gut microbiota functions. Urinary and serum metabonomic recovery could be observed in both the 2 and 5mmol/kg body weight group, but the metabolic effects of high-dosed (5mmol/kg body weight) Gd-DTPA lasted longer. It is worth noting that hyperlipidemia was observed after Gd-DTPA injection, and nicotinate might play a role in the subsequent self-recovery of lipid metabolism. The disturbance of tyrosine, glutamate and gut microbiota metabolism might associate with the progression of NSF.

CONCLUSION

These findings offered essential information about the metabolic changes induced by Gd-DTPA, and could be potentially important for investigating the pathogenesis of NSF at the early stage. Moreover, the recovery of rats administrated with Gd-DTPA may have implications in the treatment of early stage NSF.

Dual modal imaging agents based on chromophore-bearing DTPA analogues

Two new DTPA analogues, centrally (L1) and terminally (L2) functionalised with a 1,8-naphthalimide chromophore, have been successfully prepared and fully characterized.

Magnetic resonance imaging of osteosarcoma using a bis(alendronate)-based bone-targeted contrast agent

Magnetic resonance (MR) is currently used for diagnosis of osteosarcoma but not well even though contrast agents are administered. Here, we report a novel bone-targeted MR imaging contrast agent, Gd₂-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate-bis(alendronate) (Gd₂-DTPA-BA) for the diagnosis of osteosarcoma. It is the conjugate of a bone cell-seeking molecule (i.e., alendronate) and an MR imaging contrast agent (i.e., Gd-DTPA). Its physicochemical parameters were measured, including pK_a, complex constant, and T₁ relaxivity. Its bone cell-seeking ability was evaluated by measuring its adsorption on hydroxyapatite. Hemolysis was investigated. MR imaging and biodistribution of Gd₂-DTPA-BA and Gd-DTPA were studied on healthy and osteosarcoma-bearing nude mice. Gd₂-DTPA-BA showed high adsorption on hydroxyapatite, the high MR relaxivity (r₁) of 7.613mM^-1s^-1 (2.6 folds of Gd-DTPA), and no hemolysis. The MR contrast effect of Gd₂-DTPA-BA was much higher than that of Gd-DTPA after intravenous injection to the mice. More importantly, the MR imaging of osteosarcoma was significantly improved by Gd₂-DTPA-BA. The signal intensity of Gd₂-DTPA-BA reached 120.3% at 50min, equal to three folds of Gd-DTPA. The bone targeting index (bone/blood) of Gd₂-DTPA-BA in the osteosarcoma-bearing mice was very high to 130 at 180min. Furthermore, the contrast enhancement could also be found in the lung due to metastasis of osteosarcoma. Gd₂-DTPA-BA plays a promising role in the diagnoses of osteosacomas, including the primary bone tumors and metastases.

A novel gadolinium-based trimetasphere metallofullerene for application as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent

OBJECTIVE

Macromolecular contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are useful blood-pool agents because of their long systemic half-life and have found applications in monitoring tumor vasculature and angiogenesis. Macromolecular contrast agents have been able to overcome some of the disadvantages of the conventional small-molecule contrast agent Magnevist (gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), such as rapid extravasation and quick renal clearance, which limits the viable MRI time. There is an urgent need for new MRI contrast agents that increase the sensitivity of detection with a higher relaxivity, longer blood half-life, and reduced toxicity from free Gd3+ ions. Here, we report on the characterization of a novel water-soluble, derivatized, gadolinium-enclosed metallofullerene nanoparticle (Hydrochalarone-1) in development as an MRI contrast agent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The physicochemical properties of Hydrochalarone-1 were characterized by dynamic light scattering (hydrodynamic diameter), atomic force microscopy (particle height), ζ potential analysis (surface charge), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (gadolinium concentration). The blood compatibility of Hydrochalarone-1 was also assessed in vitro through analysis of hemolysis, platelet aggregation, and complement activation of human blood. In vitro relaxivities, in vivo pharmacokinetics, and a pilot in vivo acute toxicity study were also performed.

RESULTS

An extensive in vitro and in vivo characterization of Hydrochalarone-1 is described here. The hydrodynamic size of Hydrochalarone-1 was 5 to 7 nm depending on the dispersing media, and it was negatively charged at physiological pH. Hydrochalarone-1 showed compatibility with blood cells in vitro, and no significant hemolysis, platelet aggregation, or complement activation was observed in vitro. In addition, Hydrochalarone-1 had significantly higher r1 and r2 in vitro relaxivities in human plasma in comparison with Magnevist and was not toxic at the doses administered in an in vivo pilot acute-dose toxicity study in mice.In vivo MRI pharmacokinetic analysis after a single intravenous injection of Hydrochalarone-1 (0.2 mmol Gd/kg) showed that the volume of distribution at steady state was approximately 100 mL/kg, suggesting prolonged systemic circulation. Hydrochalarone-1 also had a long blood half-life (88 minutes) and increased relaxivity, suggesting application as a promising blood-pool MRI contrast agent.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence suggests that Hydrochalarone-1, with its long systemic half-life, may have significant utility as a blood-pool MRI contrast agent.

Properties evaluation of a new MRI contrast agent based on Gd-loaded nanoparticles

Nanosized materials of gadolinium oxide can provide high-contrast enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of this research was to characterize a novel emulsion composed of a silicon-based nanocomposite polymer (NCP) and gadolinium (III) oxide (Gd₂O₃) nanoparticles. The size and morphological structure of this nanoparticle are determined by particle size analysis device (zeta sizer) and transmission electronic microscope. We determined composition of Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) and magnetic resonance signal by T₁-weighted MRI. Cytotoxicity of Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles in SK-MEL-3 cancer cells was evaluated. Zeta sizer showed Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles to be 75 nm in size. EDXA indicated the two main chemical components of gadolinium-nanocomposite polymer emulsion: gadolinium and silicon and MRI also showed a significantly higher incremental relaxivity for Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles compared to Magnevist (conventional contrast agent). In such concentrations, the slope of R₁ relaxivity (1/T₁) vs. concentration curve of Magnevist and Gd₂O₃ were 4.33, 7.98 s⁻¹ mM⁻¹. The slope of R₂ relaxivity (1/T₂) vs. concentration curve of Magnevist and Gd₂O₃ were 5.06, 13.75 s⁻¹ mM⁻¹. No appreciable toxicity was observed with Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles. Gadolinium-nanocomposite polymer emulsion is well characterized and has potential as a useful contrast agent for magnetic resonance molecular imaging.

Review on supermolecules as chemical drugs

Supramolecular medicinal chemistry field has been a quite rapidly developing, increasingly active and newly rising interdiscipline which is the new expansion of supramolecular chemistry in pharmaceutical sciences, and is gradually becoming a relatively independent scientific area. Supramolecular drugs could be defined as medicinal supermolecules formed by two or more molecules through non-covalent bonds. So far a lot of supermolecules as chemical drugs have been widely used in clinics. Supermolecules as chemical drugs, i.e. supramolecular chemical drugs or supramolecular drugs, which might have the excellences of lower cost, shorter period, higher potential as clinical drugs for their successful research and development, may possess higher bioavailability, better biocompatibility and drug-targeting, fewer multidrug-resistances, lower toxicity, less adverse effect, and better curative effects as well as safety, and therefore exhibit wide potential application. These overwhelming advantages have drawn enormous special attention. This paper gives the definition of supramolecular drugs, proposes the concept of supramolecular chemical drugs, and systematically reviews the recent advances in the research and development of supermolecules, including organic and inorganic complex ones as chemical drugs in the area of antitumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimalarial, antibacterial, antifungal, antivirus, anti-epileptic, cardiovascular agents and magnetic resonance imaging agents and so on. The perspectives of the foreseeable future and potential application of supramolecules as chemical drugs are also presented.

Facile synthesis of polymer-enveloped ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide for magnetic resonance imaging

Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) with synthetic polymer, based on magnetite core, was synthesized via facile photochemical in situ polymerization. A possible mechanism of photochemical in situ polymerization was proposed. The obtained polymer-enveloped UPSIO was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photo-correlation spectroscopy (PCS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and vibrating sampling magnetometer (VSM) measurement. Properties such as ultrasmall particle size, hydrophilicity, strong magnetization and surface characteristics, which are desirable for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, were evaluated in detail. The resultant USPIO-based MRI contrast agent holds considerable promise in molecular MR tracking, MR immune imaging, cell tracking and targeted intracellular hyperthermia, etc.

Synthesis and properties of a neutral derivative of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)

A neutral bifunctional derivative of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid europium(III) (11) was synthesized and its suitability to dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluorescence immunoassay was investigated.

MAGfect: a novel liposome formulation for MRI labelling and visualization of cells

Cellular entry of imaging probes, such as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is a key requirement for many molecular imaging studies, particularly imaging intracellular events and cell tracking. Here, we describe the successful development and in vitro analysis of MAGfect, a novel liposome formulation containing a lipidic gadolinium contrast agent for MRI, Gd-DOTA-Chol , designed to enter and label cells. Liposome formulation and cell incubation time were optimised for maximum cellular uptake of the imaging probe in a variety of cell lines. MRI analysis of cells incubated with MAGfect showed them to be highly MRI active. This formulation was examined further for cytotoxicity, cell viability and mechanism of cell labelling. One of the key advantages of using MAGfect as a labelling vehicle arises from its potential for additional functions, such as concomitant drug or gene delivery and fluorescent labelling. The gadolinium liposome was found to be an effective vehicle for transport of plasmid DNA (pDNA) into cells and expression levels were comparable to the commercial transfection agent Trojene.

Lanthanides in magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is perhaps the most important and prominent technique in diagnostic clinical medicine and biomedical research. Its success and development as an imaging technique has been aided by the characteristics of contrast agents that enhance signal intensities and improve specificity. Gadolinium(iii) remains the dominant starting material for contrast agent design but other lanthanide ions (and other oxidation states i.e. +2) are also being increasingly investigated as alternatives to gadolinium(III) within laboratory conditions. This critical review provides a concise summary of the MRI-active gadolinium(III) complexes to date--their pros and cons, an outline of contrast agents based on other lanthanide ions (e.g. europium, dysprosium), and directs the reader to newer, more speculative areas of lanthanide-containing contrast agent design.