Contrast agents and methods for preparing contrast agents

• US 8,367,040 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2012
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Georgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Zhi-Ren, Yang, Jenny Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartley, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMALA, JAGADISHWAR RAO
• Application Number:
  US13/451,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20120269735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• Field of Search: 424/9.32, 424/9.34, 424/9.341, 435/69.1, 435/183, 435/325, 435/350
• US Class Current: 424/9.34
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0002 General or multifunctional contrast agents, e.g. chelated agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0019 characterised by the fluorescent group, e.g. oligomeric, polymeric or dendritic molecules
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0056 Peptides, proteins, polyamino acids
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/14 Peptides, e.g. proteins

Abstract

Contrast agents comprising a scaffold protein having at least one operative integrated metal ion binding site.

Claims

1. A method of magnetic resonance imaging using a modified functional probe comprising:

administering a modified fluorescent protein having a fluorescent protein and at least one metal chelating binding site, wherein the metal chelating site is incorporated into the internal structure of the fluorescent protein, wherein the modified fluorescent protein is a single amino acid sequence and wherein the probe acts as a contrast agent in generating one or more images of the subject.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the relaxivity of the contrast agent is greater than that of the unmodified fluorescent protein.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal binding site preferentially binds an paramagnetic metal ion selected from the group consisting of Gd(III), Mn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Co(III), Ni(III), Mo(V), and V(IV).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal binding site preferentially binds an ion of a metal selected from the group consisting of Lanthanide Series metals.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modified fluorescent protein is a protein that naturally binds metal ion.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modified fluorescent protein is fluorescent protein having a chromophore.