Myelin-targeted, texaphyrin-based multimodal imaging agent for magnetic resonance and optical imaging

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2016

Publication Title

Contrast Media Mol Imaging

Abstract

Reliable methods of imaging myelin are essential to investigate the causes of demyelination and to study drugs that promote remyelination. Myelin-specific compounds can be developed into imaging probes to detect myelin with various imaging techniques. The development of multimodal myelin-specific imaging probes enables the use of orthogonal imaging techniques to accurately visualize myelin content and validate experimental results. Here, we describe the synthesis and application of multimodal myelin-specific imaging agents for light microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging. The imaging agents were synthesized by incorporating the structural features of luxol fast blue MBS, a myelin-specific histological stain, into texaphyrins coordinated to GdIII . These new complexes demonstrated absorption of visible light, emission of near-IR light, and relaxivity values greater than clinically approved contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. These properties enable the use of optical imaging and magnetic resonance imaging for visualization of myelin. We performed section- and en block-staining of ex vivo mouse brains to investigate the specificity for myelin of the new compounds. Images obtained from light microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrate that our complexes are retained in white matter structures and enable detection of myelin.

Medical Subject Headings

Animals; Brain; Contrast Media; Gadolinium; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mice; Microscopy; Multimodal Imaging; Myelin Sheath; Optical Imaging; Porphyrins; White Matter

PubMed ID

27596704

Volume

11

Issue

6

First Page

492

Last Page

505

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