title: Crimson carrier, a long-acting contrast agent for in vivo near-infrared imaging of injured and diseased muscle.
abstract: The near-infrared wavelengths (700-900 nm) are the most suitable optical window for light penetration and deep tissue imaging in small animals. Herein we report a near-infrared fluorescent contrast agent, crimson carrier, which acts as a blood pool contrast agent to detect and quantify injury and disease in live animals. After determining the excitation-emission spectra and pharmacokinetics, crimson carrier was injected into myoinjured mice to monitor their recovery. Crimson carrier was also used to image transgenic mice with spontaneous tumors. Crimson carrier has maximal excitation and emission wavelengths of 745 nm and 820 nm, respectively. Elimination occurs predominantly via urinary excretion. We demonstrate the utility of this contrast agent for serial imaging of traumatized muscle as well as muscle tumors. The unique long-acting pharmacokinetics and urinary excretion route characteristics make crimson carrier a contrast agent of choice for the visualization of tumors and injured muscle or other tissues in live animal studies.
authors.affiliation: Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA.
authors.forename: Suresh I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Prajapati
authors.forename: Carlo O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Jinu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Amanda T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: McCleish
authors.forename: Joel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Michalek
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Paula K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Shireman
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology*; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes