title: Polycatechol Nanoparticle MRI Contrast Agents.
abstract: Amphiphilic triblock copolymers containing Fe(III) -catecholate complexes formulated as spherical- or cylindrical-shaped micellar nanoparticles (SMN and CMN, respectively) are described as new T1-weighted agents with high relaxivity, low cytotoxicity, and long-term stability in biological fluids. Relaxivities of both SMN and CMN exceed those of established gadolinium chelates across a wide range of magnetic field strengths. Interestingly, shape-dependent behavior is observed in terms of the particles' interactions with HeLa cells, with CMN exhibiting enhanced uptake and contrast via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared with SMN. These results suggest that control over soft nanoparticle shape will provide an avenue for optimization of particle-based contrast agents as biodiagnostics. The polycatechol nanoparticles are proposed as suitable for preclinical investigations into their viability as gadolinium-free, safe, and effective imaging agents for MRI contrast enhancement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Yiwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Yuran
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, Università del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Alessandria, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carniato
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Yijun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 4200 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Andolina
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Treffly B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ditri
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 4200 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Jill E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Millstone
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rinehart
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scadeng
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, Università del Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Alessandria, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botta
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Gianneschi
mesh_terms: D002396:Catechols / Q000737:chemistry*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D060328:Magnetic Phenomena; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008823:Micelles; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
chemical_list: D002396:Catechols; D003287:Contrast Media; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers
keywords: contrast agents, relaxivity; melanin; micelles; polycatechols