Assessment of new Gadolinium compounds as contrast agents for detection of MCF-7 breast cancer cell line in MRI

I n this study Gd-hematoporphyrin and Gd-DTPA-C595 monoclonal antibody are used as specific contrast agents in detection of MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. The spin-lattice relaxation time, Gd concentration and signal intensity of the washing solutions of contrast agents are presented and the results are compared. MCF-7 breast cancer cells were incubated with Gd-H, Gd-DTPA-C595, Gd-DTPA, and Gd-Cl3. After centrifuging, the washing solutions was studied for concentration of Gd by UV‑spectrophotometry, and also by measuring spin-lattice (T1) relaxation time and produced signal intensity using NMR. The highest relaxation time was 1026± 63.7 ms, and 1123± 26.9 ms and so the lowest signal intensity (170%, and 180%) was for washing solutions of Gd-H, and Gd-DTPA-C595 incubated with the cancer cells. It is found that these agents have attached to cell membrane of cancer cells, and so their amount is trivial in the washing solution. The shortest relaxation time and so highest signal intensity was for Gd-Cl3 which indicates that there is no binding of this agent with cancer cells membrane. It can be concluded that Gd-H, and Gd‑DTPA‑C595 are promising contrast agents for the detection of MCF-7 breast cancer cells in MRI.