A Nitric Oxide-Sensing Contrast Agent for In Vivo Molecular MR Imaging of Inflammatory Disease.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule that not only appears in the very early stage of inflammatory disease but also persists in chronic conditions. Its detection in vivo can, therefore, potentially enable early disease detection and treatment monitoring. Due to its transient nature and low abundance, however, noninvasive and deep-tissue imaging of NO dynamics is challenging.

Efficient one-step amide formation using amino porphyrins.

Amide bonds are one of the most prevalent phenomena in nature and are utilized frequently in drug and material design. However, forming amide bonds is not always efficient or high yielding, particularly when the amine used to conjugate to a carboxylic acid is a weak nucleophile. This limitation precludes many useful amino compounds from participating in conjugation reactions to form amides.

Longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Tracking of Transplanted Neural Progenitor Cells in the Spinal Cord Utilizing the Bright-Ferritin Mechanism.

Human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) hold promise for treating spinal cord injury. Studies to date have focused on improving their regenerative potential and therapeutic effect. Equally important is ensuring successful delivery and engraftment of hNPCs at the injury site.

Bright ferritin for long-term MR imaging of human embryonic stem cells.

Background: A non-invasive imaging technology that can monitor cell viability, retention, distribution, and interaction with host tissue after transplantation is needed for optimizing and translating stem cell-based therapies. Current cell imaging approaches are limited in sensitivity or specificity, or both, for in vivo cell tracking. The objective of this study was to apply a novel ferritin-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) platform to longitudinal tracking of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in vivo.

A Manganese Porphyrin Platform for the Design and Synthesis of Molecular and Targeted MRI Contrast Agents.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, in contrast to the plethora of fluorescent agents available to target disease biomarkers or exogenous implants, have remained predominantly non-specific. That is, they do not preferentially accumulate in specific locations in vivo because doing so necessitates longer contrast retention, which is contraindicated for current gadolinium (Gd) agents. This double-edge sword implies that Gd agents can offer either rapid elimination (but lack specificity) or targeted accumulation (but with toxicity risks).

In Vivo MRI Tracking of Degradable Polyurethane Hydrogel Degradation In Situ Using a Manganese Porphyrin Contrast Agent.

Background: A noninvasive method to track implanted biomaterials is desirable for real-time monitoring of material interactions with host tissues and assessment of efficacy and safety.

Purpose: To explore quantitative in vivo tracking of polyurethane implants using a manganese porphyrin (MnP) contrast agent containing a covalent binding site for pairing to polymers.

Study Type: Prospective, longitudinal.

Skeletal Muscle Microvascular Dysfunction Manifests Early in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.

To perform a deep cardiac phenotyping of type II diabetes in a rat model, with the goal of gaining new insight into the temporality of microvascular dysfunction, cardiac dysfunction, and exercise intolerance at different stages of diabetes. Diabetes was reproduced using a non-obese, diet-based, low-dose streptozotocin model in male rats (29 diabetic, 11 control). Time-course monitoring over 10 months was performed using echocardiography, treadmill exercise, photoacoustic perfusion imaging in myocardial and leg skeletal muscle, flow-mediated dilation, blood panel, and histology.