The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc

Shenghui Xue

Jenny Jie Yang

Mani Salarian

Jingjuan Qiao

Jie Jiang

Shanshan Tan

Fan Pu

Zhiren Liu

Jinjuan Qiao

Zhi-Ren Liu

Yubin Zhou

Shunyi Li

Lixia Wei

Jie Yang

Bing Xu

Wangda Zhou

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for contrast agents, methods of making contrast agents, and methods of using contrast agents, and the like.

Contrast agents, methods for preparing contrast agents, and methods of imaging

Provided herein are protein contrast agents and targeted protein contrast agents, formulations thereof, and methods of use, including but not limited to, as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent.

Targeted protein contrast agents, methods of making, and uses thereof

Provided is a protein contrast agent for enhancing an MRI image and comprising a polypeptide having a conformation presenting at least five oxygen atoms positioned to chelate at least one paramagnetic metal ion such as Gd, each oxygen atom being between about 2 angstrom units and about 5 angstrom units from the metal ion; the metal ion has at least one water molecule electrostatically interacting a distance of less than about 10 angstrom units a target-specific moiety conjugated thereto, at least one polyethylene glycol molecule, and a paramagnetic metal ion. Also provided is a method of obtaining an enhanced MRI image using the protein contrast agent to a T2/T1 or T1/T2 intensity ratio of the MRI image; and (d) obtaining an image of the T2/T1 or T1/T2 intensity ratio.

The 30 amino acid peptide GLP-1 has been integrated into the stable host protein human calbindin D9k. The fusion protein binds to GLP-1R. The fusion protein agents can be useful for both diabetes treatment and GLP-1R receptor targeting MR imaging. The fusion protein comprises a first peptide that selectively binds to a site of a target cell and linked to a second peptide, where the fusion protein is more stable than the first peptide alone and may further comprise a detectable label. The first peptide of the fusion protein may be glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)(7-36), or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) (9-36), or a conservative variant thereof.

Protein agent for diabetes treatment and &#x3b2; cell imaging

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Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Shenghui Xue