STTR Phase I: Novel Water-Soluble TNT Metallofullerene Derivatives for Imaging Applications

这个小型企业技术转移（STTR）一期项目建议用高水溶性、立体稳定配体功能化tnt -金属富勒烯，并评估这些材料作为一般MRI（磁共振成像）造影剂的性能。经典的内源性金属富勒烯产量极低，在空气中不稳定。相比之下，研究人员开发的三金属氮化模板（TNT）工艺使一类新的极其稳定的内质金属富勒烯的生产成为可能。在诊断和治疗领域的生物医学应用为利用这些材料提供了一个短期的机会，因为这些应用所需的数量相对较少，而且这些纳米材料比现有系统具有独特的优势。TNT工艺允许封装1-3个顺磁性镧系元素，将金属与身体隔离开来。初步数据表明，羟基化的、含钆的tnt -金属富勒烯比目前使用的钆螯合物显著增加了周围水分子的质子弛豫速率。然而，典型的羟基化富勒烯的聚集阻碍了它们的最大效率和效用。添加大的、高可溶性的配体有望促进增强的水溶性，阻止聚集，并提供比当前钆MRI造影剂更大的增强。这个项目的商业应用是在生物医学成像领域。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I Project proposes to functionalize TNT-metallofullerenes with highly water-soluble, steric-stabilizing ligands and to evaluate these materials as general MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) contrast agents. Classical endohedral metallofullerenes are produced in exceedingly low yields and are unstable in air. In contrast, the development of trimetallic-nitride-template (TNT) process by the investigators has allowed the production of a new class of extremely stable endohedral metallofullerenes in sufficient research quantities. Biomedical applications in diagnostic and therapeutic areas offer a near-term opportunity to utilize these materials because the quantities required for such applications are relatively small, and these nanomaterials offer unique advantages over current systems. The TNT process allows the encapsulation of 1-3 paramagnetic lanthanides, isolating the metals from the body. Preliminary data indicates that hydroxylated, gadolinium-containing TNT-metallofullerenes increase the proton relaxation rate of surrounding water molecules significantly over currently used gadolinium chelates. However, aggregation of typical hydroxylated fullerenes prevents their maximum efficiency and utility. Addition of large, highly soluble ligands is expected to promote enhanced water solubility, deter aggregation, and deliver an even larger enhancement over current gadolinium MRI contrast agents.The commercial applications of this project are in the area of Biomedical Imaging.