Methods and Kits for Detecting Non-Luminescent or Weakly Luminescent Metals

Abstract

The invention provides methods and kits for detecting the presence of, the amount of or the concentration of a substantially non-emitting metal in a sample by a) providing a sensitizer to a chelator of the substantially non-emitting metal thereby creating a sensitized-metal complex; b) adding an unsensitized chelate, and c) detecting a signal from the unsensitized chelate. The substantially non-emitting metal may be gadolinium and may exist in complex with a chelator. The unsensitized chelate may be terbium (Tb) or europium (Eu), and the detecting a signal may be performed by fluorescence.

1 . A method for detecting the presence of or the amount of a substantially non-emitting metal present in a sample comprising:
 a) creating a compound that may arrive at a detectable excited state when bound to the substantially non-emitting metal; and   b) detecting the excited state of the substantially non-emitting metal by energy transfer to a second compound.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the substantially non-emitting metal is gadolinium. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the compound that may arrive at a detectable excited state when bound to the substantially non-emitting metal is cs124-DTPA. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the substantially non-emitting metal exists in a complex with a chelator. 
     
     
         5 . A method for detecting the presence of a substantially non-emitting metal comprising:
 a) providing a sensitizer to a chelator of the substantially non-emitting metal thereby creating a sensitized-metal complex;   b) adding an unsensitized chelate, and   c) detecting a signal from the unsensitized chelate.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the substantially non-emitting metal is gadolinium. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the substantially non-emitting metal exists in complex with a chelator. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the sensitizer is carbostyril124 (cs124). 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the unsensitized chelate is selected from the group consisting of terbium (Tb) and europium (Eu). 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the detecting a signal is performed by fluorescence. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the detecting a signal is performed by electron plasma resonance (EPR). 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the detecting a signal is performed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the sensitizer and the chelate are conjugated to a phospholipid. 
     
     
         14 . A method for detecting the amount of or concentration of a substantially non-emitting metal comprising:
 a) providing a sensitizer to a chelator of the substantially non-emitting metal thereby creating a sensitized-metal complex;   b) adding an unsensitized chelate, and   c) detecting a signal from the unsensitized chelate.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the substantially non-emitting metal is gadolinium. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the substantially non-emitting metal exists in complex with a chelator. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the sensitizer is carbostyril124 (cs124). 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the unsensitized chelate is selected from the group consisting of terbium (Tb) and europium (Eu). 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the detecting a signal is performed by fluorescence. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the detecting a signal is performed by electron plasma resonance (EPR). 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the detecting a signal is performed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the sensitizer and the chelate are conjugated to a phospholipid. 
     
     
         23 . A kit for detecting the presence of or the amount of a substantially non-emitting metal present in a sample comprising a sensitizer to a chelator of the substantially non-emitting metal and a second chelate.