Work

A Bioinspired Cu2+-Responsive Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent with Unprecedented Turn-On Response and Selectivity

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Imaging extracellular Cu 2+ in vivo is of paramount interest due to its biological importance in both physiological and pathological states. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful technique to do so. However, the development of efficient MRI contrast agents selective for Cu 2+, particularly versus the more abundant Zn 2+ ions, is highly challenging. We present here an innovative Cu 2+ -responsive MRI contrast agent that contains a bioinspired Cu 2+ binding site. This sensor shows a remarkable increase in relaxivity of nearly 400% in the presence of Cu 2+, which could be rationalized in terms of an increase in the hydration number of the Ln 3+ ion, as demonstrated by spectroscopic and relaxometric studies and supported by density functional theory calculations. Importantly, the system also shows an unprecedented selectivity for Cu 2+, in particular over Zn 2+ . Phantom MRI images were recorded at 9.4 T to highlight the potential of such probes, which lies directly in their bioinspired design.

Source: Inorganic Chemistry

DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c03631