Abstract #3586

Labelling of collagen type I templates with a novel naturally derived contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging in soft tissue engineering

Heinz Peter Janke¹, Nihan Güvener², Weiqiang Dou³, Jozef Cremers⁴, Paul Borm⁴, Wout Feitz⁵, Arend Heerschap³, Fabian Kiessling², and Egbert Oosterwijk¹

¹Urology, Radboud University Medical Center; Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, Netherlands, ²Experimental Molecular Imaging, Uniklinik RWTH and Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany, ³Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands, ⁴Nano4Imaging, Aachen, Germany, ⁵Urology, Radboud University Medical Center; Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences; Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, Nijmegen, Netherlands

Contrast agents (CA) need to be applied for monitoring tissue-engineered implants by MR imaging. However, currently used CAs have limitations (i.e. negative contrast, label instability). In this study, Hemin-Lysine complex (HL) -as a naturally derived alternative CA- is used for active labeling of hybrid collagen-based templates. HL-labeled templates are clearly identified because of their bright signal in T1-weighted MR images. The signal of labeled templates and thus their integrity could be followed over time when subcutaneously implanted in a mouse model. Thus, loading collagen-based templates with HL appears to be a promising strategy to localize and monitor its fate upon implantation.

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