Highly hydrated paramagnetic amorphous calcium carbonate nanoclusters as an MRI contrast agent

Liang Dong, Yun-Jun Xu, Cong Sui, Yang Zhao, Li-Bo Mao, Denis Gebauer, Rose Rosenberg, Jonathan Avaro, Ya-Dong Wu, Huai-Ling Gao, Zhao Pan, Hui-Qin Wen, Xu Yan, Fei Li, Yang Lu (), Helmut Cölfen () and Shu-Hong Yu ()
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Liang Dong: University of Science and Technology of China
Yun-Jun Xu: The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China
Cong Sui: University of Science and Technology of China
Yang Zhao: University of Science and Technology of China
Li-Bo Mao: University of Science and Technology of China
Denis Gebauer: Leibniz Universität Hannover
Rose Rosenberg: University of Konstanz
Jonathan Avaro: Scientist - Center for X-ray Analytics, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Ya-Dong Wu: Hefei University of Technology
Huai-Ling Gao: University of Science and Technology of China
Zhao Pan: University of Science and Technology of China
Hui-Qin Wen: The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University
Xu Yan: Hefei University of Technology
Fei Li: Hefei University of Technology
Yang Lu: Hefei University of Technology
Helmut Cölfen: University of Konstanz
Shu-Hong Yu: University of Science and Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Amorphous calcium carbonate plays a key role as transient precursor in the early stages of biogenic calcium carbonate formation in nature. However, due to its instability in aqueous solution, there is still rare success to utilize amorphous calcium carbonate in biomedicine. Here, we report the mutual effect between paramagnetic gadolinium ions and amorphous calcium carbonate, resulting in ultrafine paramagnetic amorphous carbonate nanoclusters in the presence of both gadolinium occluded highly hydrated carbonate-like environment and poly(acrylic acid). Gadolinium is confirmed to enhance the water content in amorphous calcium carbonate, and the high water content of amorphous carbonate nanoclusters contributes to the much enhanced magnetic resonance imaging contrast efficiency compared with commercially available gadolinium-based contrast agents. Furthermore, the enhanced T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging performance and biocompatibility of amorphous carbonate nanoclusters are further evaluated in various animals including rat, rabbit and beagle dog, in combination with promising safety in vivo. Overall, exceptionally facile mass-productive amorphous carbonate nanoclusters exhibit superb imaging performance and impressive stability, which provides a promising strategy to design magnetic resonance contrast agent.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32615-3

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