Relaxometric investigations addressing the determination of intracellular water lifetime : a novel tumour biomarker of general applicability

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 (H2020 Health) research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 668119 (project ‘IDentIFY’). This article is based upon work from COST Action EURELAX, CA15209, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

NDVI Analysis for Monitoring Land-Cover Evolution on Selected Deglaciated Areas in the Gran Paradiso Group (Italian Western Alps)

The ongoing climate warming is affecting high-elevation areas, reducing the extent and the duration of glacier and snow covers, driving a widespread greening effect on the Alpine region. The impact assessment requires therefore the integration of the geomorphological context with altitudinal and ecological features of the study areas. The proposed approach introduces chronologically-constrained zones as geomorphological evidence for selecting deglaciated areas in the alpine and non-alpine belts. In the present study, the protected and low-anthropic-impacted areas of the Gran Paradiso Group (Italian Western Alps) were analysed using Landsat NDVI time series (1984–2022 CE). The obtained results highlighted a progressive greening even at a higher altitude, albeit not ubiquitous. The detected NDVI trends showed, moreover, how the local factors trigger the greening in low-elevation areas. Spectral reflectance showed a general decrease over time, evidencing the progressive colonisation of recently deglaciated surfaces. The results improved the discrimination between different greening rates in the deglaciated areas of the Alpine regions. The geomorphological-driven approach showed significant potential to support the comprehension of these processes, especially for fast-changing areas such as the high mountain regions

Evidence for the Role of Intracellular Water Lifetime as a Tumour Biomarker Obtained by In Vivo Field-Cycling Relaxometry

This project has received funding from the European UnionQs Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 668119 (project “IDentIFY”), and it was performed in the framework of the Consorzio CIRCMSB and of COST Action AC15209 (EURELAX)Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Intracellular Water Lifetime as a Tumor Biomarker to Monitor Doxorubicin Treatment via FFC-Relaxometry in a Breast Cancer Model

This study aims to explore whether the water exchange rate constants in tumor cells can act as a hallmark of pathology status and a reporter of therapeutic outcomes. It has been shown, using 4T1 cell cultures and murine allografts, that an early assessment of the therapeutic effect of doxorubicin can be detected through changes in the cellular water efflux rate constant k(io.) The latter has been estimated by analyzing the magnetization recovery curve in standard NMR T(1) measurements when there is a marked difference in the proton relaxation rate constants (R(1)) between the intra- and the extra-cellular compartments. In cellular studies, T(1) measurements were carried out on a relaxometer working at 0.5 T, and the required difference in R(1) between the two compartments was achieved via the addition of a paramagnetic agent into the extracellular compartment. For in-vivo experiments, the large difference in the R(1) values of the two-compartments was achieved when the T(1) measurements were carried out at low magnetic field strengths. This task was accomplished using a Fast Field Cycling (FFC) relaxometer that was properly modified to host a mouse in its probe head. The decrease in k(io) upon the administration of doxorubicin is the result of the decreased activity of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, as shown in an independent test on the cellular uptake of Rb ions. The results reported herein suggest that k(io) can be considered a non-invasive, early and predictive biomarker for the identification of responsive patients immediately from the first doxorubicin treatment

A novel class of 1H-MRI Contrast Agents based on the relaxation enhancement induced on water protons by 14N imidazole moieties

Acknowledgements: This project has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 668119 (project “IDentIFY”) and from the ATTRACT project funded by the EC under Grant Agreement No.777222. This work was performed in the frame of the COST Action AC15209 (EURELAX). The Italian Ministry for Educationand Research (MIUR) is gratefully acknowledged for yearly FOE funding to the Euro-BioImaging Multi-Modal Molecular Imaging Italian Node (MMMI).Peer reviewedPostprin

In vivo assessment of tumour associated macrophages in murine melanoma obtained by low-field relaxometry in the presence of iron oxide particles

Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge Dr Dana Dawson, University of Aberdeen, UK, for the supply of ferumoxytol. This project has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 668119 (project “IDentIFY”) and it was performed in the frame of the COST Action AC15209 (EURELAX). Maria Rosaria Ruggiero was supported by a “FIRC-AIRC fellowship for Italy”. The Italian Ministry for Education and Research (MIUR) is gratefully acknowledged for yearly FOE funding to the Euro-BioImaging Multi-Modal Molecular Imaging Italian Node (MMMI). Data availability All data analysed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information file). Other raw data required to reproduce these findings are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.Peer reviewedPublisher PD