Cationic Carrier Mediated Delivery of Anionic Contrast Agents in Low Doses Enable Enhanced Computed Tomography Imaging of Cartilage for Early Osteoarthritis Diagnosis.

ABSTRACT: Cartilage tissue exhibits early degenerative changes with onset of osteoarthritis (OA). Early diagnosis is critical as there is only a narrow time window during which therapeutic intervention can reverse disease progression. Computed tomography (CT) has been considered for cartilage imaging as a tool for early OA diagnosis by introducing radio-opaque contrast agents like ioxaglate (IOX) into the joint. IOX, however, is anionic and thus repelled by negatively charged cartilage glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) that hinders its intra-tissue penetration and partitioning, resulting in poor CT attenuation. This is further complicated by its short intra-tissue residence time owing to rapid clearance from joints, which necessitates high doses causing toxicity concerns. Here we engineer optimally charged

SUBMITTER: Zhang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10629240 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature