title: A steroid-conjugated contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging of cell signaling.
abstract: We have synthesized the first steroid hormone-MR contrast agent conjugate designed to track the cell signaling process upon binding to a gene switch system. The derivative has a high relaxivity and when tested in vitro is active as a progesterone antagonist (RU-486). By combining a transcriptional system and a noninvasive imaging technology, such as MRI, it would be a powerful tool to research the cell signaling pathway in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60201, USA.
authors.forename: Jiyoun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zylka
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Joanna E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Burdette
authors.forename: Teresa K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Meade
mesh_terms: D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008024:Ligands; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D015735:Mifepristone; D005682:Gadolinium