Aberrations in glutaminase enzyme expression are associated with a variety of pathologies, and an in vivo probe to quantify flux through this pathway may provide a new layer of information. We developed a custom-synthesized compound, [5-13C,4,4-2H2,5-15N]-L-Glutamine, as a hyperpolarized MRI probe for glutaminase activity. Triple labeling of glutamine and D2O solvation reduces quadrupolar relaxation and extends both T1 and T2, facilitating in vivo imaging. We were able to acquire 13C spectroscopic data on a subcutaneous PDAC xenograft murine model and detect in vivo conversion of hyperpolarized glutamine to glutamate, which permits further exploration of this imaging probe in the future.
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