Single-point mutated lanmodulin as a high-performance MRI contrast agent for vascular and kidney imaging.

ABSTRACT: Magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents can enhance diagnostic precision but often face limitations such as short imaging windows, low tissue specificity, suboptimal contrast enhancement, or potential toxicity, which affect resolution and long-term monitoring. Here, we present a protein contrast agent based on lanmodulin, engineered with a single-point mutation at position 108 from N to D to yield maximum gadolinium binding sites. After loading with Gd³⁺ ions, the resulting protein complex, LanND-Gd, exhibits efficient renal clearance, high relaxivity, and prolonged renal retention compared to commercial agents. LanND-Gd enables high-performance visualization of whole-body structures and brain vasculature in male mice at a resolution finer than one hundred micrometers. In mal

SUBMITTER: Liu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11561317 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature