MRI contrast agents
The present invention relates to MRI based imaging. In particular, the present invention provides MRI contrast agents targeted to a HaloTag protein with tunable relaxation properties thereby providing optimal relaxivity for low field strength imaging and the other optimal relaxivity for high field strength imaging. Moreover, the MRI contrast agents are used to detect gene expression (of a gene of interest) in real time in vivo, to detect changes in gene expression (of a gene of interest) over time in, for example, an individual organism, to detect gene expression changes (of a gene of interest) in response to therapeutics, in cell labeling for MR imaging, in clinical diagnostics, and in theranostics.
1. A composition comprising an MRI contrast agent, wherein the MRI contrast agent is
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said MRI contrast agent is configured to attach with a HaloTag protein.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said MRI contrast agent has tunable relaxation properties thereby providing optimal relaxivity for low field strength imaging and the other optimal relaxivity for high field strength MR imaging.
4. A method of imaging, comprising expressing a HaloTag/gene of interest construct in a cell, administering a MRI contrast agent configured to attach with said Halo Tag/gene of interest, and imaging said attached MRI contrast agent with said Halo Tag/gene of interest, wherein said MRI contrast agent is
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said imaging relates to detecting gene expression (of a gene of interest) in real time in vivo, detecting changes in gene expression (of a gene of interest) over time in an individual organism, detecting gene expression changes (of a gene of interest) in response to therapeutics, and detecting cell labeling for MR imaging.