On November 27th, the flag journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Chemical Science, published the Perspective article entitled "The role of responsive MRI probes in the past and future of molecular imaging". This work was carried out by Ping Yue, Dr. Thavasilingam Nagendraraj and Dr. Goran Angelovski from the International Center for Primate Brain Research / CEBSIT (CAS), in collaboration with Dr. Gaoji Wang and Ziyi Jin from Jiangsu University.
This Perspective provides a comprehensive and the most up-to-date overview of the research performed in the field of bioresponsive MRI probes. It summarizes the main research directions in responsive T1- or T2-weighted, CEST, 19F and hyperpolarized MRI probes, and discusses the practical aspects that should be considered from the design of the MRI sensors to their intended application in vivo. To this end, the key strategies for generating detectable MRI signal changes through the interaction between probes and their targets were discussed, while the most successful research directions for developing responsive MRI probes that target enzymes, ions, neurotransmitters, and redox processes were listed. Subsequently, exciting examples of the responsive probes that have unambiguously correlated MR signal change with a desired biological event were described. Finally, the authors discussed the practical challenges that currently hinder the use of these sensors in visualization and assessment of various biological processes, while encouraging further efforts in their in vivo validation and utilization that can potentially advance the translation of the MRI sensors to ideally the clinical practice.
Bioresponsive MRI probes suitable for different MRI methods can provide valuable insights by visualising biomarkers related to physiological or pathological processes.
This Perspective article published in Chemical Science was funded by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Jiangsu University, and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province.
Article: Yue, P., Nagendraraj, T., Wang, G., Jin, Z., Angelovski, G. The role of responsive MRI probes in the past and the future of molecular imaging. Chem. Sci. (2024)
DOI: 10.1039/d4sc04849k
Link: https://doi.org/10.1039/d4sc04849k
Author contact:
ANGELOVSKI Goran
International Center for Primate Brain Research / CEBSIT (CAS), Shanghai, China
Email: goran.angelovski@icpbr.ac.cn