Theranostics probes,
which have both therapeutic and diagnostic imaging capabilities in one dose,
show great promise for use in MRI examinations. In the present study, we synthesized
nitroxide-based theranostics probes by connecting anti-inflammatory drugs,
ibuprofen and ketoprofen, to nitroxides that act as T1 contrast agents in MRI. MRI
of mouse heads after injection of these synthesized probes showed that they worked
as T1 contrast agents in mouse brains. Production of nitric oxide in septic
mouse brains was remarkably inhibited by the addition of these probes,
indicating that they also acted as anti-inflammatory drugs.
