Biocompatible Polyhydroxyethylaspartamide-based Micelles with Gadolinium for MRI Contrast Agents

• Main Authors: Kim Hyo Jeong, Lee Ha-Young, Seong Hasoo, Shin Byung Cheol, Yuk Soon Hong, Cho Sun Hang, Kwak Byung-Kook, Jeong Sang Young, Hwang Sung-Joo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2010-01-01
• Series: Nanoscale Research Letters
• Subjects: MRI contrast agent; PHEA derivatives; Micelles; Nanoparticles; Gd contrast agent
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11671-010-9734-7
• ISSN: 1931-7573; 1556-276X

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Biocompatible poly-[<it>N</it>-(2-hydroxyethyl)-<smcaps>d</smcaps>,<smcaps>l</smcaps>-aspartamide]-methoxypoly(ethyleneglycol)-hexadecylamine (PHEA-mPEG-C₁₆) conjugated with 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecan-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid-gadolinium (DOTA-Gd) via ethylenediamine (ED) was synthesized as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. Amphiphilic PHEA-mPEG-C₁₆-ED-DOTA-Gd forms micelle in aqueous solution. All the synthesized materials were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR). Micelle size and shape were examined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Micelles with PHEA-mPEG-C₁₆-ED-DOTA-Gd showed higher relaxivities than the commercially available gadolinium contrast agent. Moreover, the signal intensity of a rabbit liver was effectively increased after intravenous injection of PHEA-mPEG-C₁₆-ED-DOTA-Gd.</p>