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Updated: May 15, 2026
Preparation and In Vitro Characterization of Dendrimer-based Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: December 4, 2016
Controlled intracellular self-assembly of gadolinium nanoparticles as smart molecular MR contrast agents
Chun-Yan Cao1, Ying-Ying Shen, Jian-Dong Wang
1CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Abstract:
Herein we developed a new "smart" Gd-based MR contrast agent (i.e., 1) which is susceptive to furin, a protease overexpressed in tumor. Under the action of furin, 1 condenses to form dimers (1-Ds) and the latter self-assemble into gadolinium nanparticles (Gd-NPs). Relaxivity of 1-D is more than 2 folds of those of 1 and magnevist at 1.5 T, and 1.4 folds of that of 1 at 3 T. Intracellular condensation of 1 in furin-overexpressed MDA-MB-468 cells was proven with direct two-photon laser microscopy (TPLM) fluorescence imaging of the cells incubated with the europium analog of 1 (i.e., 2). Intracellular Gd-NPs of 1 were uncovered and characterized for the first time. MRI of MDA-MB-468 tumors showed that 1 has enhanced MR contrast within the tumors than that of its scrambled control 1-Scr.
