Pulmonary Inflammation Diseases Imaging via their Enzyme Activities with Overhauser-enhanced MRI and Line-shifting Nitroxide Substrates – PULMOZYMAGE

Lungs inflammatory diseases such as COPD are the cause of 2.5 M death worldwide. These diseases have in common a high influx of
neutrophils that secrete proteases responsible for the progressive loss of lungs function. To date there is no method able to assess
lungs enzyme activity in vivo. Such a method would allow an early diagnostic of any protease/inhibitor imbalance long before the
detection of pulmonary lesions by anatomical imaging methods. Lungs function could thus be preserved with protease inhibitors. We
propose a new proteolytic activity imaging method for the lungs using Overhauser-enhanced MRI (OMRI). We will take advantage of
a world unique prototype device and of recently synthesized contrast agents. Method validation will be conducted with mouse models
of emphysema and cystic fibrosis.