近日，中国科学院精密测量科学技术创新研究院的刘买利&周欣及其研究团队取得一项新进展。经过不懈努力，他们利用动态核极化增强磁共振检测生物标志物。相关研究成果已于2024年6月29日在国际知名学术期刊《国家科学评论》上发表。

据悉，超极化技术是一种能够显著提高核磁共振(NMR)和磁共振成像(MRI)灵敏度的技术。在各种超极化方法中，动态核极化(DNP)因其对代谢和生理的实时监测而备受关注。通过溶解DNP给予超极化底物(dDNP)，可以可视化DNP剂在生物体内的分布及其代谢变化的时空动态。这种方法被证明是一种独特而宝贵的工具，用于无创性研究体内细胞代谢，特别是在动物模型中。

生物标志物与肿瘤细胞密切相互作用，在影响肿瘤细胞的生长和转移中起着关键作用，因此检测这些生物标志物的病理改变对疾病的诊断和治疗至关重要。近年来，人们开发了一系列利用不同核的超极化DNP分子生物反应剂，如¹³C、 ¹⁵N、 ³¹P、 ⁸⁹Y等。

在此背景下，该研究团队探讨了DNP增强核自旋的磁共振信号如何响应生物标志物，包括pH值、金属离子、酶或氧化还原过程。本综述旨在对反应性DNP药物的设计原则、靶点选择和成像作用机制提供见解。这些讨论旨在推动基于DNP的生物医学显像剂的未来发展和应用。

附：英文原文

Title: Detecting biomarkers by dynamic nuclear polarization enhanced magnetic resonance

Author: Chen, Shizhen, Zhang, Lei, Li, Sha, Yuan, Yaping, Jiang, Bin, Jiang, Zhongxing, Zhang, Xu, Zhou, Xin, Liu, Maili

Issue&Volume: 2024-06-29

Abstract: Hyperpolarization stands out as a technique capable of significantly enhancing the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), among various hyperpolarization methods, has gained prominence for its efficacy in real-time monitoring of metabolism and physiology. By administering a hyperpolarized substrate through dissolution DNP (dDNP), the biodistribution and metabolic changes of the DNP agent can be visualized spatiotemporally. This approach proves to be a distinctive and invaluable tool for non-invasively studying cellular metabolism in vivo, particularly in animal models. Biomarker plays a pivotal role in influencing the growth and metastasis of tumor cells by closely interacting with them, and accordingly detecting pathological alterations of these biomarkers is crucial for disease diagnosis and therapy. In recent years, a range of hyperpolarized DNP molecular bioresponsive agents utilizing various nuclei, such as ¹³C, ¹⁵N, ³¹P, ⁸⁹Y, etc., have been developed. In this context, we explore how these magnetic resonance signals of nuclear spins enhanced by DNP respond to biomarkers, including pH, metal ions, enzymes, or redox processes. This review aims to offer insights into the design principles of responsive DNP agents, target selection, and the mechanisms of action for imaging. Such discussions aim to propel the future development and application of DNP-based biomedical imaging agents.

DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae228

Source: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae228