Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 20 October 2006:
Vol. 314. no. 5798, pp. 446 - 449
DOI: 10.1126/science.1131847
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Molecular Imaging Using a Targeted Magnetic Resonance Hyperpolarized Biosensor

Leif Schröder,1,2 Thomas J. Lowery,1,3 Christian Hilty,1,2 David E. Wemmer,1,3* Alexander Pines1,2*

A magnetic resonance approach is presented that enables high-sensitivity, high-contrast molecular imaging by exploiting xenon biosensors. These sensors link xenon atoms to specific biomolecular targets, coupling the high sensitivity of hyperpolarized nuclei with the specificity of biochemical interactions. We demonstrated spatial resolution of a specific target protein in vitro at micromolar concentration, with a readout scheme that reduces the required acquisition time by >3300-fold relative to direct detection. This technique uses the signal of free hyperpolarized xenon to dramatically amplify the sensor signal via chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST). Because it is ~10,000 times more sensitive than previous CEST methods and other molecular magnetic resonance imaging techniques, it marks a critical step toward the application of xenon biosensors as selective contrast agents in biomedical applications.

1 Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
2 Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
3 Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dewemmer{at}lbl.gov (D.E.W.); pines{at}berkeley.edu (A.P.)

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Hyperpolarized xenon NMR and MRI signal amplification by gas extraction.
X. Zhou, D. Graziani, and A. Pines (2009)
PNAS 106, 16903-16906
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Reversible Interactions with para-Hydrogen Enhance NMR Sensitivity by Polarization Transfer.
R. W. Adams, J. A. Aguilar, K. D. Atkinson, M. J. Cowley, P. I. P. Elliott, S. B. Duckett, G. G. R. Green, I. G. Khazal, J. Lopez-Serrano, and D. C. Williamson (2009)
Science 323, 1708-1711
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Latest Advances in Molecular Imaging Instrumentation.
B. J. Pichler, H. F. Wehrl, and M. S. Judenhofer (2008)
J. Nucl. Med. 49, 5S-23S
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Imaging Techniques for Small Animal Models of Pulmonary Disease: MR Microscopy.
B. Driehuys and L. W. Hedlund (2007)
Toxicol Pathol 35, 49-58
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)