Measurements of intracellular volumes by59Co and2H/1H NMR and their physiological applications

Abstract

Determination of the intracellular water volumes using NMR spectroscopy was performed using the NMRvisible nuclei: 59 Co and 2 H or 1 H. Accurate measurement of intracellular water in cell suspensions and perfused organs is an important physiological parameter in the context of electrolyte homeostasis and energy metabolism, in particular when these parameters are monitored by non-invasive NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, repeated or continuous monitoring of intracellular water provided significant insights into the physiology of cardiac muscle and sarcolemmal membrane permeability and integrity.

Measuring Water Distribution in the Heart: Preventing Edema Reduces Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury

“…Myocardial edema appears in many heart diseases and pathologic situations involving the heart: ischemic syndromes, cardiac inflammation (myocarditis and graft rejection), and mechanical overload secondary to valve disease or arterial hypertension . Acute myocardial infarction and apical ballooning syndrome are characterized by significant myocardial edema in the ischemic or transiently dyskinetic segments . Literature suggests that intracellular myocardial edema may have a role in cardiomyocyte cell death, myocardial stunning, and in the nonreflow phenomenon .…”

“…Information regarding myocardial water distribution may shed light into the pathophysiology of various processes including reperfusion injury. However, current experimental methods to determine water distribution between intra‐ and extracellular tissue compartments are based on radionuclide labeling of macromolecules with suitable diffusion properties that are difficult to translate to clinical practice.…”

Hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR signature of living biological cells

“…The lack of significant variation in the 1 H water chemical shift in different magnetic environments between molecules inside and outside the cells means that the distinction is usually performed through 1 H translational diffusion experiments 2. In addition, the use of other nuclei already present or artificially introduced into the solution can provide complementary information 3. However, even for these nuclei, the frequency separation between the signals of the inner and outer compartments is never very large.…”