Genetically engineered multicolor fluorescent proteins have changed biomedical research by enabling multiplexed mapping of transgenes expression. However, although MRI reporter genes have been developed, the ability to monitor multiple reporters that are expressed simultaneously and present them in a multicolor fashion is still needed. Here, we present an MRI-based system, comprising computationally designed reporters (enzymes) combined with MRI-detectable synthetic probes (substrates) for non-invasive color-encoded MRI mapping of transgene expression. Systemically administered reporter probes exclusively accumulate in cells expressing the designed reporter genes allowing their spatial display as pseudo-colored CEST MRI maps as demonstrated in both tumor model and viral-delivery system.
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