Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Artificial reporter gene providing MRI contrast based on proton exchange

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:

From Nature Biotechnology

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

Existing magnetic resonance reporter genes all rely on the presence of (super)paramagnetic substances and employ water relaxation to gain contrast. We designed a nonmetallic, biodegradable, lysine rich–protein (LRP) reporter, the prototype of a potential family of genetically engineered reporters expressing artificial proteins with frequency-selective contrast. This endogenous contrast, based on transfer of radiofrequency labeling from the reporter's amide protons to water protons, can be switched on and off.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1: LRP as an MR-CEST reporter.
Figure 2: CEST imaging of poly-L-lysine (30 kDa) samples and LRP and control cell extracts.
Figure 3: In vivo imaging of LRP.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Louie, A.Y. et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 18, 321–325 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Weissleder, R. et al. Nat. Med. 6, 351–355 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bulte, J.W.M. et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 19, 1141–1147 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Modo, M. et al. Neuroimage 21, 311–317 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cohen, B., Dafni, H., Meir, G., Harmelin, A. & Neeman, M. Neoplasia 7, 109–117 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Genove, G., DeMarco, U., Xu, H., Goins, W.F. & Ahrens, E.T. Nat. Med. 11, 450–454 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ward, K.M., Aletras, A.H. & Balaban, R.S. J. Magn. Reson. 143, 79–87 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Goffeney, N., Bulte, J.W.M., Duyn, J., Bryant, L.H., Jr. & van Zijl, P.C.M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123, 8628–8629 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Zhang, S., Merritt, M., Woessner, D.E., Lenkinski, R.E. & Sherry, A.D. Acc. Chem. Res. 36, 783–790 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Terreno, E., Castelli, D.D., Cravotto, G., Milone, L. & Aime, S. Invest. Radiol. 39, 235–243 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Zhou, J. & van Zijl, P.C.M. Progr. NMR Spectr. 48, 109–136 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhou, J., Payen, J.F., Wilson, D.A., Traystman, R.J. & van Zijl, P.C.M. Nat. Med. 9, 1085–1090 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhou, J., Lal, B., Wilson, D.A., Laterra, J. & van Zijl, P.C.M. Magn. Reson. Med. 50, 1120–1126 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Jones, C.K. et al. Magn. Reson. Med. 56, 585–592 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. McMahon, M.T. et al. Magn. Reson. Med. 55, 836–847 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank D.A. Kedziorek, V.P. Chacko and J. Zhang for experimental assistance. Supported by National Institutes of Health grants CA103175, NS045062, EB005252 and K01 EB006394.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of MR Research, Neurosection, Traylor Building Rm. 217, 720 Rutland Ave., Baltimore, 21205, Maryland, USA

    Assaf A Gilad, Michael T McMahon, Piotr Walczak, Paul T Winnard Jr, Venu Raman, Hanneke W M van Laarhoven, Cynthia M Skoglund, Jeff W M Bulte & Peter C M van Zijl

  2. Institute for Cell Engineering, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, 21205, Maryland, USA

    Assaf A Gilad, Piotr Walczak, Hanneke W M van Laarhoven, Cynthia M Skoglund & Jeff W M Bulte

  3. Institute for Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, 21205, Maryland, USA

    Michael T McMahon & Peter C M van Zijl

  4. F.M. Kirby Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, 21205, Maryland, USA

    Venu Raman

  5. Department of Medical Oncology 452, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500, HB, The Netherlands

    Hanneke W M van Laarhoven

Authors
  1. Assaf A Gilad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael T McMahon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Piotr Walczak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Paul T Winnard Jr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Venu Raman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hanneke W M van Laarhoven
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Cynthia M Skoglund
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jeff W M Bulte
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Peter C M van Zijl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jeff W M Bulte or Peter C M van Zijl.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

We have applied for a patent for the technology described in the paper.

Supplementary information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gilad, A., McMahon, M., Walczak, P. et al. Artificial reporter gene providing MRI contrast based on proton exchange. Nat Biotechnol 25, 217–219 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1277

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1277

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation