The fibrotic deposition and remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to form cross-linked collagen and elastin fibers is a characteristic feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Critical to fiber formation is the presence of allysine, which facilitates fibril cross-linking through condensation reactions with neighboring allysine and lysine residues on collagen and elastin. We have developed a novel Gd-based MR probe, GdOA, designed to target allysine for non-invasive molecular imaging of active fibrogenesis in kidney disease, allowing the onset of fibrogenesis to be detected and provide a quantitative measure of the efficacy of future anti-fibrotic targeted therapies.
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