N-Aryl Amides as Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI has recently emerged as a versatile molecular imaging approach in which diamagnetic compounds can be utilized to generate an MRI signal. To expand the scope of CEST MRI applications, herein, we systematically investigated the CEST properties of N-aryl amides with different N-aromatic substitution, revealing their chemical shifts (4.6–5.8 ppm) and exchange rates (up to thousands s⁻¹) are favorable to be used as CEST agents as compared to alkyl amides. As the first proof-of-concept study, we used CEST MRI to detect the enzymatic metabolism of the drug acebutolol directly by its intrinsic CEST signal without any chemical labeling. Our study implies that N-aryl amides may enable the label-free CEST MRI detection of the metabolism of many N-aryl amide-containing drugs and a variety of enzymes that act on N-aryl amides, greatly expanding the scope of CEST MR molecular imaging.     

Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) Agents: Quantum Chemistry and MRI

Diamagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) contrast agents offer an alternative to Gd³⁺‐based contrast agents for MRI. They are characterized by containing protons that can rapidly exchange with water and it is advantageous to have these protons resonate in a spectral window that is far removed from water. Herein, we report the first results of DFT calculations of the ¹H nuclear magnetic shieldings in 41 CEST agents, finding that the experimental shifts can be well predicted (R²=0.882). We tested a subset of compounds with the best MRI properties for toxicity and for activity as uncouplers, then obtained mice kidney CEST MRI images for three of the most promising leads finding 16 (2,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid) to be one of the most promising CEST MRI contrast agents to date. Overall, the results are of interest since they show that ¹H NMR shifts for CEST agents—charged species—can be well predicted, and that several leads have low toxicity and yield good in vivo MR images.     

Osmotically Shrunken LIPOCEST Agents: An Innovative Class of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Media Based on Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer

The peculiar properties of osmotically shrunken liposomes acting as magnetic resonance imaging–chemical exchange saturation transfer (MRI–CEST) contrast agents have been investigated. Attention has been primarily devoted to assessing the contribution arising from encapsulated and incorporated paramagnetic lanthanide(III)‐based shift reagents in determining the chemical shift of the intraliposomal water protons, which is a relevant factor for generating the CEST contrast. It is demonstrated that a highly shifted resonance for the encapsulated water can be attained by increasing the percentage of the amphiphilic shift reagent incorporated in the liposome bilayer. It is also demonstrated that the shift contribution arising from the bulk magnetic susceptibility can be optimized through the modulation of the osmotic shrinkage. In terms of sensitivity, it is shown that the saturation transfer efficiency can be significantly improved by increasing the size of the vesicle, thus allowing a high number of exchangeable protons to be saturated. In addition, the role played by the intensity of the saturating radiofrequency field has also been highlighted.     

Tuning Phenols with Intra‐Molecular Bond Shifted HYdrogens (IM‐SHY) as diaCEST MRI Contrast Agents

The optimal exchange properties for chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) contrast agents on 3 T clinical scanners were characterized using continuous wave saturation transfer, and it was demonstrated that the exchangeable protons in phenols can be tuned to reach these criteria through proper ring substitution. Systematic modification allows the chemical shift of the exchangeable protons to be positioned between 4.8 to 12 ppm from water and enables adjustment of the proton exchange rate to maximize CEST contrast at these shifts. In particular, 44 hydrogen‐bonded phenols are investigated for their potential as CEST MRI contrast agents and the stereoelectronic effects on their CEST properties are summarized. Furthermore, a pair of compounds, 2,5‐dihydroxyterephthalic acid and 4,6‐dihydroxyisophthalic acid, were identified which produce the highest sensitivity through incorporating two exchangeable protons per ring.     

钆类造影剂的研究进展

从钆螯合物造影剂的原理、条件、研究进展、以及提高其弛豫效率的方法4个方面进行介绍与总结;在研究进展方面,着重介绍了荧光、生物敏感造影剂;并且从酶活性、金属离子活性、pH活性3个方面对生物敏感造影剂进行了论述。     

Rapid and Large-Scale Production of Multi-Fluorescence Carbon Dots by a Magnetic Hyperthermia Method

The intrinsic low yield of carbon dots (CDs) is a barrier that limits practical application. Now, a magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) method is used to synthesize fluorescent CDs on a large scale (up to 85 g) in one hour (yield ca. 60 %). The reaction process is intensified by MHT since the efficient heating system enhances the energy transfer. CDs with blue, green, and yellow luminescence are synthesized by using carbamide and citrate with three different cations (Zn²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), respectively. The CDs exhibit bright fluorescence under UV light and show excellent monodispersity and solubility in water. The alternation of photoluminescence (PL) emissions of these CDs is probably due to the difference in particle sizes and surface state. A bar coating technique is used to construct large-area emissive polymer/CDs films. CDs can insert themselves into the polymer chains by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. Wound healing efficiency can be enhanced by the Zn-CDs/PCL nanofibrous scaffold.     

两种新型的MRI造影剂两种新型的MRI造影剂

用动物活体核磁共振T2分布像和T1加权像分别观测了超顺磁性氧化铁造影剂和电中性大分子锰配合物造影剂的实验结果。大白鼠肝部的活体测量结果显示,上述两种造影剂能分别显著地改变生物活体组织的T2和T1值。该实验结果对于磁共振造影剂的研制和人体的临床试验具有参考价值。     

A Class of FeIII Macrocyclic Complexes with Alcohol Donor Groups as Effective T1 MRI Contrast Agents

Early studies suggested that Fe^III complexes cannot compete with Gd^III complexes as T₁ MRI contrast agents. Now it is shown that one member of a class of high‐spin macrocyclic Fe^III complexes produces more intense contrast in mice kidneys and liver at 30 minutes post‐injection than does a commercially used Gd^III agent and also produces similar T₁ relaxivity in serum phantoms at 4.7 T and 37 °C. Comparison of four different Fe^III macrocyclic complexes elucidates the factors that contribute to relaxivity in vivo including solution speciation. Variable‐temperature ¹⁷O NMR studies suggest that none of the complexes has a single, integral inner‐sphere water that exchanges rapidly on the NMR timescale. MRI studies in mice show large in vivo differences of three of the Fe^III complexes that correspond, in part, to their r₁ relaxivity in phantoms. Changes in overall charge of the complex modulate contrast enhancement, especially of the kidneys.     

Rapid Determination of Fast Protein Dynamics from NMR Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Data

Functional motions of ¹⁵N‐labeled proteins can be monitored by solution NMR spin relaxation experiments over a broad range of timescales. These experiments however typically take of the order of several days to a week per protein. Recently, NMR chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) experiments have emerged to probe slow millisecond motions complementing R_1ρ and CPMG‐type experiments. CEST also simultaneously reports on site‐specific R₁ and R₂ parameters. It is shown here how CEST‐derived R₁ and R₂ relaxation parameters can be measured within a few hours at an accuracy comparable to traditional relaxation experiments. Using a “lean” version of the model‐free approach S² order parameters can be determined that match those from the standard model‐free approach applied to ¹⁵N R₁, R₂, and {¹H}‐¹⁵N NOE data. The new methodology, which is demonstrated for ubiquitin and arginine kinase (42 kDa), should serve as an effective screening tool of protein dynamics from picosecond‐to‐millisecond timescales.     

夹心型锰杂多配合物作为磁共振成像造影剂的研究

以两种夹心型锰杂多配合物K10[Mn4(PW9O34)2]·22H2O和Na16[Mn4(H2O)2(P2W15O56)2]·53H2O作为研究对象, 采用元素分析和红外光谱对其结构进行了表征, 测试其在水中、牛血清白蛋白及运铁蛋白溶液中的弛豫效率, 并进行了大鼠活体成像实验. 结果表明, 这两种锰杂多配合物的弛豫效率高于或接近于目前临床常用的造影剂Gd-DTPA, 对肝脏和肾脏MRI信号具有良好的增强效果, 是比较好的潜在磁共振成像造影剂候选化合物.     

Calix[4]arenes as Molecular Platforms for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Contrast Agents

The novel amphipilic conjugate of a calix[4]arene with four Gd–1,4,7,10‐ tetra(carboxymethyl)‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane (DOTA) chelates has potential as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, both in its monomeric and in its micellar form. The system, illustrated here with its nuclear magnetic relaxation profile, shows good relaxivities, thanks to its high rigidity.

     

Relaxivity of Gd-Based MRI Contrast Agents in Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid as a Model for Tissues

The efficiency of MRI contrast agents depends on the relaxation rate enhancement that they can induce at imaging fields. It is well known that, at these fields, large relaxation rates are obtained by binding of gadolinium(III) ions to large molecules. By the same token, the interaction of the gadolinium(III) complexes with macromolecules that are found in biological tissues can be responsible for an increase of the relaxation rate with respect to the value observed in liquids. We investigate here the relaxation enhancement of gadoteridol (Gd-HP-DO3A) in crosslinked hyaluronic acid, taken as model tissue, using fast field-cycling relaxometry. The analysis of the relaxation profiles as a function of the magnetic fields indicates that a sizable increase in the relaxation rates is due to a modest interaction of the contrast agent with the hydrogel and to the slower mobility of the water molecules outside the first-coordination sphere of the gadolinium(III) ion.     

A Universal Strategy for Activating the Multicolor Room‐Temperature Afterglow of Carbon Dots in a Boric Acid Matrix

Carbon dots (CDs) have attracted attention in metal‐free afterglow materials, but most CDs were heteroatom‐containing and the afterglow emissions are still limited to the short‐wavelength region. A universal approach to activate the room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of both heteroatom‐free and heteroatom‐containing CDs was developed by one‐step heat treatment of CDs and boric acid (BA). The introduction of an electron‐withdrawing boron atom in composites can greatly reduce the energy gap between the singlet and triplet state; the formed glassy state can effectively protect the excited triplet states of CDs from nonradiative deactivation. A universal host for embedding CDs to achieve long‐lifetime and multi‐color (blue, green, green‐yellow and orange) RTP via a low cost, quick and facile process was developed. Based on their distinctive RTP performances, the applications of these CD‐based RTP materials in information encryption and decryption are also proposed and demonstrated.     

Synthesis and in vitro Evaluation of Manganese（Ⅱ）-porphyrin Modified with Chitosan Oligosaccharides as Potential MRI Contrast Agents

Mn-TCPP-CSn（n=6,1 1,20） as a type of potential magnetic resonance imaging（MRI） contrast agents were synthesized via manganese（Ⅱ） meso-tetra（4-carboxyphenyl） porphyrin（Mn-TCPP） modified with chitosan oligosaccharides（CSn）.Experimental data of infared（IR）,UV-Vis,MS,inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer（ICP-AES） and size exclusion chromatography evidenced the formation of Mn-TCPP-CSn-The stability results show that Mn-TCPP-CSn in aqueous solution was stable enough to prevent Mn（Ⅱ） ions from leaking.The magnetic properties in vitro indicate that Mn-TCPP-CS20 possesses higher longitudinal relaxivity（r1=10.38 L·mmol^-1·s^-1） in aqueous solution than unmodified porphyrin Mn-TCPPNa4[manganese（Ⅱ） meso-tetra（4-carboxyphenyl） porphyrin,tetrasodium salt]（r1=5.10 L·mmol^-1·s^-1） and the commercial contrast agent Gd-DTPA（r1=4.05 L·mmol^-1·s^-1）.The preliminary T1-weighted flash image studies in vitro show that the contrast and the imaging signal of Mn-TCPP-CSn were superior to those of Mn-TCPPNa4 and Gd-DTPA under the same conditions.The 3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide（MTT） assay shows that Mn-TCPP-CSn has a good biocompatibility.In addition,the thermodynamical parameters（ΔH〈0,ΔS〈0,ΔG〈0） of Mn-TCPP-CSn bound to bovine serum albumin（BSA） show that Mn-TCPP-CSn could bind to BSA spontaneously,where the binding complex was stabilized mainly by van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds.These results suggest that Mn-TCPP-CSn have the advantage of becoming a potential MRI contrast agent.     

Semisynthetic Derivatives of Selected Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids as a New Class of Antimycobacterial Agents

The search for novel antimycobacterial drugs is a matter of urgency, since tuberculosis is still one of the top ten causes of death from a single infectious agent, killing more than 1.4 million people worldwide each year. Nine Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (AAs) of various structural types have been screened for their antimycobacterial activity. Unfortunately, all were considered inactive, and thus a pilot series of aromatic esters of galanthamine, 3-O-methylpancracine, vittatine and maritidine were synthesized to increase biological activity. The semisynthetic derivatives of AAs were screened for their in vitro antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra and two other mycobacterial strains (M. aurum, M. smegmatis) using a modified Microplate Alamar Blue Assay. The most active compounds were also studied for their in vitro hepatotoxicity on the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. In general, the derivatization of the original AAs was associated with a significant increase in antimycobacterial activity. Several pilot derivatives were identified as compounds with micromolar MICs against M. tuberculosis H37Ra. Two derivatives of galanthamine, 1i and 1r, were selected for further structure optimalization to increase the selectivity index.     

9-(2-Aryloxyethyl) Derivatives of Adenine - a New Class of Non-nucleosidic Antiviral Agents

New 9-(aryloxyalkyl) derivatives of adenine have been prepared by alkylation of adenine with tosylates, bromides, and -chloro ethers containing terminal aromatic fragments in anhydrous DMF in the presence of potassium carbonate. The compounds of the 9-(2-phenoxyethyl)adenine series appear to be highly reactive against cytomegaloviruses of mankind in vitro, while derivatives of 9-(2-benzyloxyethyl)adenine demonstrate anti-HIV-1 activity. Compounds with shorter or longer chains, and also compounds which do not have aromatic fragments at the ends of the chains, do not possess antiviral activity.