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Accessing the Cytotoxicity and Cell Response to Biomaterials
Published on: July 8, 2021
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Achieving Biocompatible SABRE: An in vitro Cytotoxicity Study.
Anand Manoharan1, Peter J Rayner1, Wissam Iali1
1Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Chemmedchem
|December 13, 2017
Summary
Biocompatible hyperpolarized agents for magnetic resonance imaging show toxicity due to the catalyst. Removing the catalyst via deactivation or biphasic catalysis yields a safe bolus for in vivo studies.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical imaging
- Chemical toxicology
- Magnetic resonance imaging
Background:
- Signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) enables hyperpolarized contrast agents for MRI.
- Clinical translation of SABRE requires assessment of the reaction mixture's safety profile.
- Previous studies have not fully elucidated the in vitro cytotoxicity of SABRE components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cytotoxicity of the SABRE reaction mixture using in vitro cell assays.
- To identify the primary source of observed toxicity within the SABRE process.
- To develop and demonstrate effective methods for removing the SABRE catalyst to ensure biocompatibility.
Main Methods:
- In vitro cell-based assays were employed to assess cytotoxicity.
- The SABRE catalyst was identified as the main contributor to toxicity.
- Two catalyst removal strategies were investigated: deactivation with ion-exchange chromatography and biphasic catalysis.
Main Results:
- The SABRE reaction mixture exhibited significant cytotoxicity in cell assays.
- The SABRE catalyst was confirmed as the principal agent responsible for the observed toxicity.
- Both catalyst removal methods successfully produced a purified hyperpolarized bolus.
Conclusions:
- The catalyst is the primary toxic component in SABRE mixtures.
- Catalyst removal is essential for developing biocompatible hyperpolarized agents for MRI.
- The presented methods enable the production of SABRE-derived hyperpolarized agents suitable for in vivo applications.

