An elastase activity reporter for Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Overhauser-enhanced Magnetic Resonance...

Pulmonary inflammatory diseases are a major burden worldwide. They have in common an influx of neutrophils. Neutrophils secrete unchecked proteases at inflammation sites consequently leading to a protease/inhibitor imbalance. Among these proteases, neutrophil elastase is responsible for the degradation of the lung structure via elastin fragmentation. Therefore, monitoring the protease/inhibitor status in lungs non-invasively would be an important diagnostic tool. Herein we present the synthesis of a MeO-Suc-(Ala)₂-Pro-Val-nitroxide, a line-shifting elastase activity probe suitable for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy (EPR) and Overhauser-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (OMRI). It is a fast and sensitive neutrophil elastase substrate with K_m = 15 ± 2.9 µM, k_cat/K_m = 930,000 s^-1 M^-1 and K_m = 25 ± 5.4 µM, k_cat/K_m = 640,000 s^-1 M^-1 for the R and S isomers, respectively. These properties are suitable to detect accurately concentrations of neutrophil elastase as low as 1 nM. The substrate was assessed with broncho-alveolar lavages samples derived from a mouse model of Pseudomonas pneumonia. Using EPR spectroscopy we observed a clear-cut difference between wild type animals and animals deficient in neutrophil elastase or deprived of neutrophil Elastase, Cathepsin G and Proteinase 3 or non-infected animals. These results provide new preclinical ex vivo and in vivo diagnostic methods. They can lead to clinical methods to promote in time lung protection.