Collagen-targeted MRI contrast agent for liver fibrosis detection

Abstract

A novel MRI gadolinium-based contrast agent designed to bind with collagen, a key component in liver fibrosis progression, provides direct quantification of collagen deposition in several preclinical liver disease models. This tool could have large implications in clinical diagnosis and in drug trials.

Figure 1 |. Staging fibrosis with magnetic resonance imaging.

a | Sirius red stained liver biopsy (at x100 magnification) demonstrates increased collagen deposition in 65 year old female with chronic HCV infection and biopsy proven cirrhosis b | Colour magnetic resonance elastogram map overlaid on anatomical T2-weighted image shows elevated liver stiffness. Increased deposition of collagen with fibrosis progression stiffens the liver and results in high accuracy for elastography methods in staging advanced stages of fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, diagnostic performance may be reduced in early stages or in concomitant inflammation. A collagen targeted contrast agent may provide the accuracy required to detect early stages of fibrosis, without necessarily being confounded by inflammation. c | Sirius red stained liver biopsy from a thioacetamide and alcohol-induced mouse model of chronic liver disease. ProCA32.collagen1 enhanced MRI demonstrates different collagen distribution in a thioacetamide and alcohol-induced mouse model of chronic liver disease at 0 hours (d) and 3 hours (e). Image (a) courtesy of M. I. Fiel, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA. Images c–e reproduced with permission from Salarian et al. (2019).