title: A smart magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent responsive to adenosine based on a DNA aptamer-conjugated gadolinium complex.
abstract: We report a general strategy for developing a smart MRI contrast agent for the sensing of small molecules such as adenosine based on a DNA aptamer that is conjugated to a Gd compound and a protein streptavidin. The binding of adenosine to its aptamer results in the dissociation of the Gd compound from the large protein, leading to decreases in the rotational correlation time and thus change of MRI contrast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Weichen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000097:blood*; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006573:Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011485:Protein Binding; D019809:Streptavidin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D003287:Contrast Media; D006573:Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; C071349:1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane- 1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid; D019809:Streptavidin; D005682:Gadolinium; D000241:Adenosine