iScience (Dec 2021)

Ultrasensitive molecular building block for biothiol NMR detection at picomolar concentrations

  • Qingbin Zeng,
  • Qianni Guo,
  • Yaping Yuan,
  • Baolong Wang,
  • Meiju Sui,
  • Xin Lou,
  • Louis-S. Bouchard,
  • Xin Zhou

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 12
p. 103515

Abstract

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Summary: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides structural and functional information, but it did not probe chemistry. Chemical information could help improve specificity of detection. Herein, we introduce a general method based on a modular design to construct a molecular building block Xe probe to help image intracellular biothiols (glutathione (GSH), cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy)), the abnormal content of which is related to various diseases. This molecular building block possesses a high signal-to-noise ratio and no background signal effects. Its detection threshold was 100 pM, which enabled detection of intracellular biothiols in live cells. The construction strategy can be easily extended to the detection of any other biomolecule or biomarker. This modular design strategy promotes efficiency of development of low-cost multifunctional probes that can be combined with other readout parameters, such as optical readouts, to complement 129Xe MRI to usher in new capabilities for molecular imaging.

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