# Imaging zinc secretion from the exocrine pancreas for the early diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma with MRI

> **NIH NIH K22** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2024 · $70,000

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 This proposal aims to use noninvasive molecular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of pancreatic zinc
content and secretion to detect pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), as early pre-malignant pancreatic
ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) lesions. It is estimated that 55,440 people in the US will be diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer and 45,750 people will succumb to the disease in 2019. Current diagnostic techniques include
the use of imaging to localize a lesion and invasive biopsy sampling to stage the cancer and obtain molecular
and cellular information from the tumor. Once diagnosed, there are limited treatment options since symptomatic
patients will likely already have advanced stage PDAC. Therefore, there is a need to detect PDAC lesions early
and in a non-invasive manner. It is known that zinc is stored in zymogen granules in acinar cells at high levels
and that zinc homeostasis is uniquely dysregulated in PDAC. We have successfully demonstrated that MR
imaging with gadolinium (Gd)-based zinc sensors can report on zinc release from exocrine pancreatic tissue as
a response to caerulein stimulation. In this proposal we will evaluate a panel of secretagogues, which are
chemical compounds known to stimulate the secretion of zinc from ductal and/or acinar cells in the exocrine
pancreas, to optimize their ability to generate zinc flux detectable with our molecular MR probe. I will then use
this cell-specific metabolic zinc imaging technique to noninvasively quantify the zinc homeostatic dysregulation
in pancreatic cancer mouse models by MRI. Elucidating the role of zinc homeostasis in the development of
pancreatic adenocarcinoma by non-invasively measuring zinc release from acinar and ductal cells as a response
to their natural secretagogues will allow us to identify biomarkers that report on molecular transformations early
in the disease. This in turn could then enable patients to obtain a diagnosis at an early stage and thus have
access to more effective therapies and curative surgical options.
 The short-term goal of this project is to optimize and characterize the stimulated zinc secretion in the
exocrine pancreas and its detection in vivo with molecular MRI to identify early malignant transformations in
PDAC, in doing so I will obtain the training from my advisory committee, who are experts in the field of pancreatic
cancer molecular pathogenesis, histopathology, surgery, and radiology. Attaining my short-term goal will enable
me to obtain expertise in the following areas: 1) Clinical pathology techniques for diagnosis of pancreatic
adenocarcinoma. 2) Biomarker identification and validation. 3) Metabolic implications of zinc homeostasis in
PDAC pathogenesis. This project will also allow me to generate data that will enhance my probability of success
in obtaining independent NIH grant support. With the skills and knowledge obtained because of the research
and training activities from this proposal, I will be able to reach my long-t...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11063651
- **Project number:** 3K22CA241387-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Maria Veronica Clavijo Jordan
- **Activity code:** K22 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $70,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2024-05-01 → 2024-08-20

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11063651

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11063651, Imaging zinc secretion from the exocrine pancreas for the early diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma with MRI (3K22CA241387-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11063651. Licensed CC0.

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