Functional L-lysine dendritic macromolecules as liver-imaging probes.

Luo K¹, Liu G, Zhang X, She W, He B, Nie Y, Li L, Wu Y, Zhang Z, Gong Q, Gao F, Song B, Ai H, Gu Z.

Author information

• ¹National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.

Abstract

Liver-imaging probes are prepared through the conjugation of Gd chelates and galactosyl moieties to peptide dendrimers. The dendritic probes possessing highly controlled structures and a single molecular weight have a two-fold increase in T（1） relaxivity to 9.1 x 10（3） （Gd M）（-1） s（-1） compared to Gd-DTPA. No obvious cytotoxicity of this multifunctional dendritic agent is discovered in vitro. The dendrimer bearing galactosyl moieties leads to a much-higher hepatocyte-cell uptake in vitro and provides good signal-intensity enhancement （35%） of mouse liver in vivo especially at 60 min after intravenous injection. In comparison, non-targeting Gd dendrimers provide only an 11% enhancement of imaging contrast at the same time point. Overall, the dendrimers bearing galactosyl moieties may be used as liver-imaging probes.

Macromol Biosci. 2009 Dec 8;9（12）:1227-36. doi: 10.1002/mabi.200900231.

PMID: 19904726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]