Hyaluronic acid (HA)-Gd(III) and HA-Fe(III) microgels as MRI contrast enhancing agents

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers 2022-02, Vol.277, p.118873-118873, Article 118873
• Main Authors: Sahiner, Nurettin, Umut, Evrim, Suner, Selin S., Sahiner, Mehtap, Culha, Mustafa, Ayyala, Ramesh S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blood compatible; Fe(II) chelating; HA-Fe(III) microgel; HA-Gd(III) microgel; Hyaluronic acid (HA); Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118873

Hyaluronic acid (HA) was crosslinked with Gd(III) and Fe(III) ions rendering physically crosslinked HA-metal(III) microgels as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhancing contrast agents. These HA-Gd(III) and HA-Fe(III) microgels are injectable with size range, 50–5000 nm in water. The same isoelectric point, pH 1.2 ± 0.1, was measured for both microgels. HA-Gd(III) and HA-Fe(III) microgels are hemo-compatible biomaterials and can be safely used in intravascular applications up to 1000 μg/mL concentration. Furthermore, no significant toxicity was attained as 95 ± 8 and 81 ± 2% cell viability on L929 fibroblast cells at 100 μg/mL of HA-Gd(III) and HA-Fe(III) microgels were measured. Moreover, HA-Gd(III) microgels were found to afford significant contrast improvement capability in MRI with proton relaxivity, r1 = 2.11 mM−1 s−1, comparable with the values reported for Gd(III) labeled functionalized HA gel systems and commercial Gd based contrast agents. [Display omitted] •Physically crosslinked HA-M(III) microgels are intravascularly injectable safe materials.•Hemocompatible HA-Gd(III) and HA-Fe(III) microgels as MRI signal enhancer are prepared.•HA-M(III) microgels provide promising potential in Alzheimer treatment as Fe(II) chelator.•HA-Gd(III) and HA-Fe(III) microgels as natural biocompatible and blood compatible carriers