A small MRI contrast agent library of gadolinium(III)-encapsulated supramolecular nanoparticles for improved relaxivity and sensitivity.

ABSTRACT: We introduce a new category of nanoparticle-based T(1) MRI contrast agents (CAs) by encapsulating paramagnetic chelated gadolinium(III), i.e., Gd(3+)·DOTA, through supramolecular assembly of molecular building blocks that carry complementary molecular recognition motifs, including adamantane (Ad) and β-cyclodextrin (CD). A small library of Gd(3+)·DOTA-encapsulated supramolecular nanoparticles (Gd(3+)·DOTA⊂SNPs) was produced by systematically altering the molecular building block mixing ratios. A broad spectrum of relaxation rates was correlated to the resulting Gd(3+)·DOTA⊂SNP library. Consequently, an optimal synthetic formulation of Gd(3+)·DOTA⊂SNPs with an r(1) of 17.3 s(-1) mM(-1) (ca. 4-fold higher than clinical Gd(3+) chelated complexes at high field strengths) was identified. T(1)-w

SUBMITTER: Chen KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3032383 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature