Magnetic resonance imaging of osteosarcoma using a bis(alendronate)-based bone-targeted contrast agent

Publication date: December 2016
Source:Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Volume 84
Author(s): Pingju Ge, Fugeng Sheng, Yiguang Jin, Li Tong, Lina Du, Lei Zhang, Ning Tian, Gongjie Li
Magnetic resonance (MR) is currently used for diagnosis of osteosarcoma but not well even though contrast agents are administered. Here, we report a novel bone-targeted MR imaging contrast agent, Gd2-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate-bis(alendronate) (Gd2-DTPA-BA) for the diagnosis of osteosarcoma. It is the conjugate of a bone cell-seeking molecule (i.e., alendronate) and an MR imaging contrast agent (i.e., Gd-DTPA). Its physicochemical parameters were measured, including pKa, complex constant, and T1 relaxivity. Its bone cell-seeking ability was evaluated by measuring its adsorption on hydroxyapatite. Hemolysis was investigated. MR imaging and biodistribution of Gd2-DTPA-BA and Gd-DTPA were studied on healthy and osteosarcoma-bearing nude mice. Gd2-DTPA-BA showed high adsorption on hydroxyapatite, the high MR relaxivity (r1) of 7.613mM⁻¹s⁻¹ (2.6 folds of Gd-DTPA), and no hemolysis. The MR contrast effect of Gd2-DTPA-BA was much higher than that of Gd-DTPA after intravenous injection to the mice. More importantly, the MR imaging of osteosarcoma was significantly improved by Gd2-DTPA-BA. The signal intensity of Gd2-DTPA-BA reached 120.3% at 50min, equal to three folds of Gd-DTPA. The bone targeting index (bone/blood) of Gd2-DTPA-BA in the osteosarcoma-bearing mice was very high to 130 at 180min. Furthermore, the contrast enhancement could also be found in the lung due to metastasis of osteosarcoma. Gd2-DTPA-BA plays a promising role in the diagnoses of osteosacomas, including the primary bone tumors and metastases.

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