Recombinant HDL-Like Nanoparticles:  A Specific Contrast Agent for MRI of Atherosclerotic Plaques

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 126; no. 50; pp. 16316 - 16317
• Main Authors: Frias, Juan C, Williams, Kevin Jon, Fisher, Edward A, Fayad, Zahi A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 22.12.2004
• Subjects: Arteriosclerosis - diagnosis; Arteriosclerosis - metabolism; Arteriosclerosis - pathology; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Contrast Media - chemistry; Contrast Media - pharmacology; Contrast media. Radiopharmaceuticals; Fluorescent Dyes; Gadolinium DTPA - chemistry; Gadolinium DTPA - pharmacokinetics; Humans; Indoles; Lipoproteins, HDL - chemistry; Lipoproteins, HDL - pharmacokinetics; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Confocal; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Nanostructures - chemistry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phosphatidylethanolamines - chemistry; Phosphatidylethanolamines - pharmacokinetics; Recombinant Proteins - chemistry; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacokinetics; Vascular disease; Atherosclerotic plaque; Paramagnetic contrast agent; Cardiovascular disease; Confocal microscopy; Gadolinium Complexes; Recombinant protein; Particle suspension; Lipoprotein HDL; Fluorescence microscopy
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja044911a

A new contrast agent for MRI based on recombinant HDL-like nanoparticles has been prepared. It shows a great potential as a contrast agent for atherosclerotic plaques in a relative short time (24 h post-injection) as it is selective for the plaques and is an endogenous molecule. It also can distinguish between different types of plaques as the enhancement obtained is different, depending on plaque composition.