A steroid-conjugated contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging of cell signaling.

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A steroid-conjugated contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging of cell signaling.

J Am Chem Soc. 2005 Sep 28;127(38):13164-6

Authors: Lee J, Zylka MJ, Anderson DJ, Burdette JE, Woodruff TK, Meade TJ

We have synthesized the first steroid hormone-MR contrast agent conjugate designed to track the cell signaling process upon binding to a gene switch system. The derivative has a high relaxivity and when tested in vitro is active as a progesterone antagonist (RU-486). By combining a transcriptional system and a noninvasive imaging technology, such as MRI, it would be a powerful tool to research the cell signaling pathway in vivo.

PMID: 16173742 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]