New Protein-Based MRI Agent Detects Tiny Lung Cancer Metastases Earlier

The precision MRI method identifies tiny tumors and metastases as small as 1 millimeter. Lung cancer is frequently diagnosed only after the disease has spread and treatment options are limited. Yang, Georgia State University Regents’ Professor Emerita of Biochemistry and Biophysical Chemistry.

Targeting Tumor Microenvironments

Partly funded by the National Institutes of Health, the research describes a protein-based MRI contrast agent designated as hProCA32.collagen. This agent targets collagen type I, a structural protein found at elevated levels in aggressive lung tumors and metastatic lesions.

During preclinical studies, the technology allowed researchers to detect and quantify small lung tumors and metastases in the lungs, adrenal glands, and kidneys. It simultaneously mapped biological features linked to tumor invasion and progression. The approach targets abnormal collagen development within the tumor microenvironment, similar to a previously reported imaging agent developed by Yang’s team that targeted the cancer biomarker CXCR4.

Researchers found the approach was particularly effective in aggressive lung adenocarcinomas associated with certain mutations. These cancers are frequently resistant to current therapies and prone to spreading across multiple organs.

Collaboration and Advanced Imaging

The findings stem from a collaboration among researchers from Georgia State University, Emory University, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and other partner institutions. Yang’s team at Georgia State, including co-first authors Dongjun “Darren” Li and Oluwabukola “Sophia” Bamishaye, led the development of the collagen-targeted contrast agent and precision MRI methodology. Imaging studies were conducted at Georgia State’s Advanced Translational Imaging Facility.

Emory University researchers, including co-corresponding author Wei Zhou of the Winship Cancer Institute, contributed cancer models and expertise in cancer biology and translational research. Collaborators at The University of Alabama at Birmingham provided imaging physics expertise and additional imaging analysis. The study was jointly led by Yang and Zhou.

This breakthrough was made possible through a close collaboration between Georgia State University and Emory University, bringing together complementary expertise in advanced imaging and cancer biology.

Wei Zhou, Emory University

Implications for Personalized Treatment

Beyond initial diagnosis, the technology may have implications for personalized cancer treatment. Visualizing collagen remodeling throughout primary and metastatic tumors could help identify high-risk patients, guide treatment selection, and monitor therapeutic responses over time. The approach also helps reveal how aggressive a cancer may be and its likelihood to spread, potentially reducing the need for invasive biopsies.

This is a game changer for cancer diagnosis and precision medicine. For the first time, we’ve shown that precision MRI can detect tiny tumors and whole body metastases without using harmful radiation while also providing functional biological information.

Jenny J. Yang, Georgia State University