Amino Acid-Derived Sensors for Specific Zn 2+ Detection Using Hyperpolarized 13 C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Alterations in Zn2+ concentration are seen in normal tissues and in disease states, and for this reason imaging of Zn2+ is an area of active investigation. Herein, enriched [1-C-13]cysteine and [1-C-13(2)]iminodiacetic acid were developed as Zn2+-specific imaging probes using hyperpolarized C-13 magnetic resonance spectroscopy. [1-C-13]cysteine was used to accurately quantify Zn2+ in complex biological mixtures. These sensors can be employed to detect Zn2+ via imaging mechanisms including changes in C-13 chemical shift, resonance linewidth, or T-1.