Can gadolinium III [Gd(III)] complexes be considered good candidates for magnetic resonance (MR)-molecular imaging studies? In this review article, we examine the principal issues that are the basis of successful use of Gd-based protocols in molecular imaging applications. High relaxivity is the primary requisite. Therefore, the design of such paramagnetic probes has to be pursued keeping in mind the relationships between structure, dynamics, and the relevant parameters involved in paramagnetic relaxation processes. Moreover, the limited number of target molecules on cellular membranes makes it necessary to define strategies aimed at delivering many Gd-containing moieties to the sites of interest. Examples are reported for the attainment of very high relaxivities for the design of new routes for pursuing the accumulation of small sized Gd(III) complexes at the targeting sites. An efficient cellular uptake of Gd-containing probes is the key step for attaining the visualization of targeted cells by MR imaging, and selected examples are reported. In this context, the problem of the assessment of the minimum amount of Gd(III) complexes necessary for the MR imaging-visualization of cells has been addressed by reporting the authors' observations on the cell-internalization of Gd(III) complexes. A particularly efficient delivery system is represented by Gd-loaded apoferritin, which allows the MR visualization of hepatocytes when the number of Gd-complexes per cell is 4 Ϯ 1 ϫ 10 7 . Finally, the potential of responsive systems is considered by outlining the exploitation of the amplification effect brought about by the action of a specific enzymatic activity on the relaxivity of a suitably functionalized Gd(III) complex. IT IS NOW WELL ESTABLISHED that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the pre-eminent methodology among the various diagnostic modalities currently available, as it offers a powerful way to map structure and function in soft tissues by sampling the amount, flow, and environment of water protons in vivo. The intrinsic contrast can be augmented by the use of contrast agents (CA) in both clinical and experimental settings. Thus, the use of CA adds highly relevant physiological information to the superb anatomical resolution obtained in MR images. Most of the work with CAs has dealt with the use of gadolinium (III) [Gd(III)] complexes, because this metal ion couples a large magnetic moment with a long electron spin relaxation time.The new scenery of molecular imaging applications requires the development of a novel class of CAs characterized by a higher contrasting ability and improved targeting capabilities (1). In this survey, we intend to tackle some basic issues that are of fundamental importance for the use of Gd(III)-based systems in molecular imaging applications, namely: 1) actual understanding of the determinants of T 1 -relaxivity of Gd(III) complexes, and how to proceed to attain very high relaxivities; 2) how one may envisage efficient routes for the delivery of a high number of Gd(III) complexes a...

Transplanted hMSCs have the potential to migrate into normal and injured liver parenchyma, particularly under conditions of chronic injury, but differentiation into hepatocyte-like cells is a rare event and pro-fibrogenic potential of hMSC transplant should be not under-evaluated.

Human activated HSC/MFs are resistant to most proapoptotic stimuli due to Bcl-2 overexpression and this feature may play a key role in the progression of fibrosis in chronic liver diseases.

Background and aim: Activated myofibroblast-like cells, originating from hepatic stellate cells (HSC/MFs) or other cellular sources, play a key profibrogenic role in chronic liver diseases (CLDs) that, as suggested by studies in animal models or rat HSC/MFs, may be modulated by reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI). In this study, human HSC/MFs, exposed to different levels of superoxide anion (O 2 N2 ) and, for comparison, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), were analysed in terms of cytotoxicity, proliferative response, and migration. Methods: Cultured human HSC/MFs were exposed to controlled O 2 N2 generation by hypoxanthine/ xanthine oxidase systems or to a range of H 2 O 2 concentrations. Induction of cell death, proliferation, and migration were investigated using morphology, molecular biology, and biochemical techniques. Results: Human HSC/MFs were shown to be extremely resistant to induction of cell death by O 2 N2 and only high rates of O 2 N2 generation induced either necrotic or apoptotic cell death. Non-cytotoxic low levels of O 2 N2 , able to upregulate procollagen type I expression (but not tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 and 2), stimulated migration of human HSC/MFs in a Ras/extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) dependent, antioxidant sensitive way, without affecting basal or platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulated cell proliferation. Non-cytotoxic levels of H 2 O 2 did not affect Ras/ERK or proliferative response. A high rate of O 2 N2 generation or elevated levels of H 2 O 2 induced cytoskeletal alterations, block in motility, and inhibition of PDGF dependent DNA synthesis. Conclusions: Low non-cytotoxic levels of extracellularly generated O 2 N2 may stimulate selected profibrogenic responses in human HSC/MFs without affecting proliferation.

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