Gd(III)-induced Supramolecular Hydrogelation with Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Performance for Enzyme Detection

Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 11:7:40172. doi: 10.1038/srep40172.

Abstract

Here we report a supramolecular hydrogel based on Gd(III)-peptide complexes with dramatically enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) performance. The hydrogelations were formed by adding Gd(III) ion to the nanofiber dispersion of self-assembling peptides naphthalene-Gly-Phe-Phe-Tyr-Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp (Nap-GFFYGRGD) or naphthalene-Gly-Phe-Phe-Tyr-Gly-Arg-Gly-Glu (Nap-GFFYGRGE). We further showed that, by adjusting the molar ratio between Gd(III) and the corresponding peptide, the mechanical property of resulting gels could be fine-tuned. The longitudinal relaxivity (r1) of the Nap-GFFYGRGE-Gd(III) was 58.9 mM-1 S-1, which to our knowledge is the highest value for such peptide-Gd(III) complexes so far. Such an enhancement of r1 value could be applied for enzyme detection in aqueous solutions and cell lysates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Enzymes / analysis*
  • Gadolinium / metabolism*
  • Hydrogels / chemistry*
  • Hydrogels / metabolism*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Peptides / metabolism*

Substances

  • Enzymes
  • Hydrogels
  • Peptides
  • Gadolinium