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Hilty C, Kurzbach D, Frydman L. Hyperpolarized water as universal sensitivity booster in biomolecular NMR. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:1621-1657. [PMID: 35546640 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00693-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
NMR spectroscopy is the only method to access the structural dynamics of biomolecules at high (atomistic) resolution in their native solution state. However, this method's low sensitivity has two important consequences: (i) typically experiments have to be performed at high concentrations that increase sensitivity but are not physiological, and (ii) signals have to be accumulated over long periods, complicating the determination of interaction kinetics on the order of seconds and impeding studies of unstable systems. Both limitations are of equal, fundamental relevance: non-native conditions are of limited pharmacological relevance, and the function of proteins, enzymes and nucleic acids often relies on their interaction kinetics. To overcome these limitations, we have developed applications that involve 'hyperpolarized water' to boost signal intensities in NMR of proteins and nucleic acids. The technique includes four stages: (i) preparation of the biomolecule in partially deuterated buffers, (ii) preparation of 'hyperpolarized' water featuring enhanced 1H NMR signals via cryogenic dynamic nuclear polarization, (iii) sudden melting of the cryogenic pellet and dissolution of the protein or nucleic acid in the hyperpolarized water (enabling spontaneous exchanges of protons between water and target) and (iv) recording signal-amplified NMR spectra targeting either labile 1H or neighboring 15N/13C nuclei in the biomolecule. Water in the ensuing experiments is used as a universal 'hyperpolarization' agent, rendering the approach versatile and applicable to any biomolecule possessing labile hydrogens. Thus, questions can be addressed, ranging from protein and RNA folding problems to resolving structure-function relationships of intrinsically disordered proteins to investigating membrane interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Hilty
- Chemistry Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Dennis Kurzbach
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute for Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Lucio Frydman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
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Abstract
During the past few decades, the direct analysis of metabolic intermediates in biological samples has greatly improved the understanding of metabolic processes. The most used technologies for these advances have been mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NMR is traditionally used to elucidate molecular structures and has now been extended to the analysis of complex mixtures, as biological samples: NMR-based metabolomics. There are however other areas of small molecule biochemistry for which NMR is equally powerful. These include the quantification of metabolites (qNMR); the use of stable isotope tracers to determine the metabolic fate of drugs or nutrients, unravelling of new metabolic pathways, and flux through pathways; and metabolite-protein interactions for understanding metabolic regulation and pharmacological effects. Computational tools and resources for automating analysis of spectra and extracting meaningful biochemical information has developed in tandem and contributes to a more detailed understanding of systems biochemistry. In this review, we highlight the contribution of NMR in small molecule biochemistry, specifically in metabolic studies by reviewing the state-of-the-art methodologies of NMR spectroscopy and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Moco
- Division of Molecular and Computational Toxicology, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Bengtsen MB, Hansen ESS, Tougaard RS, Lyhne MD, Rittig NF, Støy J, Jessen N, Mariager CØ, Stødkilde-Jørgensen H, Møller N, Laustsen C. Hyperpolarized [1- 13 C]pyruvate combined with the hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic and hypoglycaemic clamp technique in skeletal muscle in a large animal model. Exp Physiol 2021; 106:2412-2422. [PMID: 34705304 PMCID: PMC9298727 DOI: 10.1113/ep089782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
New Findings What is the central question of this study? Is it possible to combine the hyperpolarized magnetic resonance technique and the hyperinsulinaemic clamp method in order to evaluate skeletal muscle metabolism in a large animal model? What is the main finding and its importance? The logistical set‐up is possible, and we found substantial increments in glucose infusion rates representing skeletal muscle glucose uptake but no differences in ratios of [1‐13C]lactate to [1‐13C]pyruvate, [1‐13C]alanine to [1‐13C]pyruvate, and 13C‐bicarbonate to [1‐13C]pyruvate, implying that the hyperpolarization technique might not be optimal for detecting effects of insulin in skeletal muscle of anaesthetized animals, which is of significance for future studies.
Abstract In skeletal muscle, glucose metabolism is tightly regulated by the reciprocal relationship between insulin and adrenaline, with pyruvate being at the intersection of both pathways. Hyperpolarized magnetic resonance (hMR) is a new approach to gain insights into these pathways, and human trials involving hMR and skeletal muscle metabolism are imminent. We aimed to combine the hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique and hMR in a large animal model resembling human physiology. Fifteen anaesthetized pigs were randomized to saline (control group), hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp technique (HE group) or hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemic clamp technique (HH group). Skeletal muscle metabolism was evaluated by hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate injection and hMR at baseline and after intervention. The glucose infusion rate per kilogram increased by a statistically significant amount in the HE and HH groups (P < 0.001). Hyperpolarized magnetic resonance showed no statistically significant changes in metabolite ratios: [1‐13C]lactate to [1‐13C]pyruvate in the HH group versus control group (P = 0.19); and 13C‐bicarbonate to [1‐13C]pyruvate ratio in the HE group versus the control group (P = 0.12). We found evidence of profound increments in glucose infusion rates representing skeletal muscle glucose uptake, but interestingly, no signs of significant changes in aerobic and anaerobic metabolism using hMR. These results imply that hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate might not be optimally suited to detect effects of insulin in anaesthetized resting skeletal muscle, which is of significance for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mads Bisgaard Bengtsen
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | | | | | - Mads Dam Lyhne
- Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Nikolaj Fibiger Rittig
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark.,Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Julie Støy
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Niels Jessen
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
| | | | | | - Niels Møller
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus N, Denmark
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Vaeggemose M, F. Schulte R, Laustsen C. Comprehensive Literature Review of Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 MRI: The Road to Clinical Application. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11040219. [PMID: 33916803 PMCID: PMC8067176 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11040219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the development of hyperpolarized (HP) carbon-13 metabolic MRI from the early days to the present with a focus on clinical applications. The status and upcoming challenges of translating HP carbon-13 into clinical application are reviewed, along with the complexity, technical advancements, and future directions. The road to clinical application is discussed regarding clinical needs and technological advancements, highlighting the most recent successes of metabolic imaging with hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI. Given the current state of hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI, the conclusion of this review is that the workflow for hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI is the limiting factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Vaeggemose
- GE Healthcare, 2605 Brondby, Denmark;
- MR Research Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Christoffer Laustsen
- MR Research Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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5
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Placental physiology monitored by hyperpolarized dynamic 13C magnetic resonance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E2429-E2436. [PMID: 29444856 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1715175115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Placental functions, including transport and metabolism, play essential roles in pregnancy. This study assesses such processes in vivo, from a hyperpolarized MRI perspective. Hyperpolarized urea, bicarbonate, and pyruvate were administered to near-term pregnant rats, and all metabolites displayed distinctive behaviors. Little evidence of placental barrier crossing was observed for bicarbonate, at least within the timescales allowed by 13C relaxation. By contrast, urea was observed to cross the placental barrier, with signatures visible from certain fetal organs including the liver. This was further evidenced by the slower decay times observed for urea in placentas vis-à-vis other maternal compartments and validated by mass spectrometric analyses. A clear placental localization, as well as concurrent generation of hyperpolarized lactate, could also be detected for [1-13C]pyruvate. These metabolites also exhibited longer lifetimes in the placentas than in maternal arteries, consistent with a metabolic activity occurring past the trophoblastic interface. When extended to a model involving the administration of a preeclampsia-causing chemical, hyperpolarized MR revealed changes in urea's transport, as well as decreases in placental glycolysis vs. the naïve animals. These distinct behaviors highlight the potential of hyperpolarized MR for the early, minimally invasive detection of aberrant placental metabolism.
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Transcriptomic and metabolic analyses reveal salvage pathways in creatine-deficient AGAT−/− mice. Amino Acids 2016; 48:2025-39. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-016-2202-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Chaumeil MM, Najac C, Ronen SM. Studies of Metabolism Using (13)C MRS of Hyperpolarized Probes. Methods Enzymol 2015; 561:1-71. [PMID: 26358901 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2015.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
First described in 2003, the dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) technique, combined with (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), has since been used in numerous metabolic studies and has become a valuable metabolic imaging method. DNP dramatically increases the level of polarization of (13)C-labeled compounds resulting in an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of over 50,000 fold for the MRS spectrum of hyperpolarized compounds. The high SNR enables rapid real-time detection of metabolism in cells, tissues, and in vivo. This chapter will present a comprehensive review of the DNP approaches that have been used to monitor metabolism in living systems. First, the list of (13)C DNP probes developed to date will be presented, with a particular focus on the most commonly used probe, namely [1-(13)C] pyruvate. In the next four sections, we will then describe the different factors that need to be considered when designing (13)C DNP probes for metabolic studies, conducting in vitro or in vivo hyperpolarized experiments, as well as acquiring, analyzing, and modeling hyperpolarized (13)C data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam M Chaumeil
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Chloé Najac
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sabrina M Ronen
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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Leftin A, Roussel T, Frydman L. Hyperpolarized functional magnetic resonance of murine skeletal muscle enabled by multiple tracer-paradigm synchronizations. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96399. [PMID: 24769864 PMCID: PMC4000219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring metabolism's time- and space-dependent responses upon stimulation lies at the core of functional magnetic resonance imaging. While focusing on water's sole resonance, further insight could arise from monitoring the temporal responses arising from the metabolites themselves, in what is known as functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Performing these measurements in real time, however, is severely challenged by the short functional timescales and low concentrations of natural metabolites. Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization is an emerging technique that can potentially alleviate this, as it provides a massive sensitivity enhancement allowing one to probe low-concentration tracers and products in a single-scan. Still, conventional implementations of this hyperpolarization approach are not immediately amenable to the repeated acquisitions needed in real-time functional settings. This work proposes a strategy for functional magnetic resonance of hyperpolarized metabolites that bypasses this limitation, and enables the observation of real-time metabolic changes through the synchronization of stimuli-triggered, multiple-bolus injections of the metabolic tracer 13C1-pyruvate. This new approach is demonstrated with paradigms tailored to reveal in vivo thresholds of murine hind-limb skeletal muscle activation, involving the conversion of 13C1-pyruvate to 13C1-lactate and 13C1-alanine. These functional hind-limb studies revealed that graded skeletal muscle stimulation causes commensurate increases in glycolytic metabolism in a frequency- and amplitude-dependent fashion, that can be monitored on the seconds/minutes timescale using dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization. Spectroscopic imaging further allowed the in vivo visualization of uptake, transformation and distribution of the tracer and products, in fast-twitch glycolytic and in slow-twitch oxidative muscle fiber groups. While these studies open vistas in time and sensitivity for metabolic functional magnetic resonance studies in muscle, the simplicity of our approach makes this technique amenable to a wide range of functional metabolic tracer studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avigdor Leftin
- Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tangi Roussel
- Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lucio Frydman
- Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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