Results
Title

Biochemical phosphates observed using hyperpolarized 31P in physiological aqueous solutions.

Authors

Nardi-Schreiber, Atara; Gamliel, Ayelet; Harris, Talia; Sapir, Gal; Sosna, Jacob; Gomori, J. Moshe; Katz-Brull, Rachel

Abstract

The dissolution-dynamic nuclear polarization technology had previously enabled nuclear magnetic resonance detection of various nuclei in a hyperpolarized state. Here, we show the hyperpolarization of 31P nuclei in important biological phosphates (inorganic phosphate and phosphocreatine) in aqueous solutions. The hyperpolarized inorganic phosphate showed an enhancement factor >11,000 (at 5.8 T, 9.3% polarization) in D2O (T1 29.4 s). Deuteration and the solution composition and pH all affected the lifetime of the hyperpolarized state. This capability opens up avenues for real-time monitoring of phosphate metabolism, distribution, and pH sensing in the live body without ionizing radiation. Immediate changes in the microenvironment pH have been detected here in a cell-free system via the chemical shift of hyperpolarized inorganic phosphate. Because the 31P nucleus is 100% naturally abundant, future studies on hyperpolarized phosphates will not require expensive isotope labeling as is usually required for hyperpolarization of other substrates.

Subjects

AQUEOUS solutions; NUCLEAR magnetic resonance spectroscopy; POLARIZATION (Nuclear physics); NUCLEAR magnetic resonance; IONIZING radiation; PHOSPHATES; PHOSPHATE coating

Publication

Nature Communications, 2017, Vol 8, Issue 1, p1

ISSN

2041-1723

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.1038/s41467-017-00364-3