Non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging agent for in-vivo nitric oxide activity detection

We report a novel nitric oxide (NO)-sensitive MRI contrast agent that holds potential for detecting endogenous NO. Type I collagen and HEK cell lysate showed strong binding with NO agent, while HSA and various ROS/RNS species showed NO agent was only activated by NO. In vivo washout rate was also tested, and NO agent cleared from mice 7 days after intraperitoneal injection. Prolonged enhancement was observed in the heart after isoproterenol injection, which indicated excess NO production and inflammation. The NO agent shows promise as a molecular imaging agent in early detection of inflammatory diseases.