Tag Archives: Japan Agency for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology

pH dependent nanoparticle-based contrast agent for MRIs (magnetic resonance images)

This news about a safer and more effective contrast agent for MRIs (magnetic resonance images) developed by Japanese scientists come from a June 6, 2016 article by Heather Zeiger on phys.org. First some explanations,

Magnetic resonance imaging relies on the excitation and subsequent relaxation of protons. In clinical MRI studies, the signal is determined by the relaxation time of the hydrogen protons in water. To get a stronger signal, scientists can use contrast agents to shorten the relaxation time of the protons.

MRI is non-invasive and does not involve radiation, making it a safe diagnostic tool. However, its weak signal makes tumor detection difficult. The ideal contrast agent would select for malignant tumors, making its location and diagnosis much more obvious.

Nanoparticle contrast agents have been of interested because nanoparticles can be functionalized and, as in this study, can contain various metals. Researchers have attempted to functionalize nanoparticles with ligands that attach to chemical factors on the surface of cancer cells. However, cancer cells tend to be compositionally heterogeneous, leading some researchers to look for nanoparticles that respond to differences in pH or redox potential compared to normal cells.

Now for the research,

Researchers from the University of Tokyo, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kawasaki Institute of Industry Promotion, and the Japan Agency for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology have developed a contrast agent from calcium phosphate-based nanoparticles that release a manganese ion an acidic environment. …

Peng Mi, Daisuke Kokuryo, Horacio Cabral, Hailiang Wu, Yasuko Terada, Tsuneo Saga, Ichio Aoki, Nobuhiro Nishiyama, and Kazunori Kataoka developed a contrast agent that is comprised of Mn2+– doped CaP nanoparticles with a PEG shell. They reasoned that using CaP nanoparticles, which are known to be pH sensitive, would allow the targeted release of Mn2+ ions in the tumor microenvironment. The tumor microenvironment tends to have a lower pH than the normal regions to rapid cell metabolism in an oxygen-depleted environment. Manganese ions were tested because they are paramagnetic, which makes for a good contrast agent. They also bind to proteins creating a slowly rotating manganese-protein system that results in sharp contrast enhancement.

These results were promising, so Peng Mi, et al. then tested whether the CaPMnPEG contrast agent worked in solid tumors. Because Mn2+ remains confined within the nanoparticle matrix at physiological pH, CaPMnPEG demonstrate a much lower toxicity [emphasis mine] compared to MnCl2. MRI studies showed a tumor-to-normal contrast of 131% after 30 minute, which is much higher than Gd-DTPA [emphasis mine], a clinically approved contrast agent. After an hour, the tumor-to-normal ratio was 160% and remained around 170% for several hours.

Three-dimensional MRI studies of solid tumors showed that without the addition of CaPMnPEG, only blood vessels were visible. However, upon adding CaPMnPEG, the tumor was easily distinguishable. Additionally, there is evidence that excess Mn2+ leaves the plasma after an hour. The contrast signal remained strong for several hours indicating that protein binding rather than Mn2+ concentration is important for signal enhancement.

Finally, tests with metastatic tumors in the liver (C26 colon cancer cells) showed that CaPMnPEG works well in solid organ analysis and is highly sensitive to detecting millimeter-sized micrometastasis [emphasis mine]. Unlike other contrast agents used in the clinic, CaPMnPEG provided a contrast signal that lasted for several hours after injection. After an hour, the signal was enhanced by 25% and after two hours, the signal was enhanced by 39%.

This is exciting stuff. Bravo to the researchers!

Here’s a link to and citation for the paper,

A pH-activatable nanoparticle with signal-amplification capabilities for non-invasive imaging of tumour malignancy by Peng Mi, Daisuke Kokuryo, Horacio Cabral, Hailiang Wu, Yasuko Terada, Tsuneo Saga, Ichio Aoki, Nobuhiro Nishiyama, & Kazunori Kataoka. Nature Nanotechnology (2016) doi:10.1038/nnano.2016.72 Published online 16 May 2016

This paper is behind a paywall.