# Targeted Hyperpolarized Molecular Beacons for Colorectal Cancer Detection

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 2021 · $243,000

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Early diagnosis is central to cancer
care. Often, only tumors greater than 5 mm can be imaged using existing technologies, limiting the ability of early
diagnosis. Our proposed constructs, "hyperpolarized molecular beacons,” will significantly increase the ability of
detecting cancer by utilizing several amplification steps and combining the versatile binding affinity and specificity
of antibodies with the sensitivity of hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance (HP MR). Antibodies have high affinity
to their protein targets, and several are approved for cancer treatment. Hyperpolarized molecular beacons will
utilize antibody based molecular targeting and leverage >10,000-fold sensitivity enhancement by hyperpolarized
MR technique to create a highly sensitive early detection method forcolorectal cancer. In a HP molecular beacon,
an antibody is attached to a protein that catalyzes the conversion of hyperpolarized small molecules; therefore,
metabolites of the hyperpolarized compounds are only observed in the presence of the reporter. We will attach
a plant based protein to the N-terminus of an antibody that recognizes human mucin protein (MUC1). MUC1
protein positively correlates with tumor proliferation, invasiveness, and metastasis in colorectal cancer. Our
proposed MUC1 antibody specifically recognizes a large section of MUC1. The HP molecular beacon will
enhance signal amplitude through multiple MUC1 antibodies binding to one MUC1 protein, catalytic amplification
of the signal and enhancement through the use of hyperpolarization. We will therefore, create a high affinity
MUC1 targeted hyperpolarized molecular beacon, evaluate its ability to detect colorectal cancer in animal models
and will expand the repertoire of HP molecular beacons to other cell surface markers to develop a multiplexed
molecular beacon to recognize the full repertoire of colorectal cancer phenotypes in diverse patient populations.
This methodology will significantly increase the capability of targeted molecular imaging in MRI and can be
readily replicated with other antibodies in different cancer systems.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10371429
- **Project number:** 1R21EB031217-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Pratip K. Bhattacharya
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $243,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10371429

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10371429, Targeted Hyperpolarized Molecular Beacons for Colorectal Cancer Detection (1R21EB031217-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10371429. Licensed CC0.

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