Relaxometric investigations and MRI evaluation of a liposome-loaded pH-responsive gadolinium(III) complex

Inorg Chem. 2012 Jul 2;51(13):7210-7. doi: 10.1021/ic300447n. Epub 2012 Jun 20.

Abstract

Accurate measurement of the tissue pH in vivo by MRI may be of clinical value for both diagnosis and selection/monitoring of therapy. To act as pH reporters, MRI contrast agents have to provide responsiveness to pH that does not require prior knowledge of the actual concentration of the contrast agent. This work deals with the use of a paramagnetic gadolinium(III) complex, loaded into liposomes, whose relaxometric properties are affected by the pH of the medium. In this system, the amphiphilic metal complex, which contains a moiety whose protonation changes the coordination properties of the metal chelate, experiences a different intraliposomial distribution depending on the pH conditions. The pH of the solution can be unambiguously identified by exploiting the peculiar characteristics of the resulting NMRD profiles, and a ratiometric pH-responsive method has been set up by comparing the relaxation enhancement at different magnetic field strengths.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Contrast Media / chemical synthesis
  • Contrast Media / chemistry*
  • Coordination Complexes / chemical synthesis
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry*
  • Gadolinium / chemistry*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Liposomes
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Molecular Structure

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Coordination Complexes
  • Liposomes
  • Gadolinium