Abstract: It is intended to provide a novel contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging that is highly capable of binding to a target molecule and generates high photoacoustic signals. The present invention provides a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging represented by Formula 1: MNP-((L)l-(P)m)n??(Formula 1) (wherein MNP represents a particle containing an iron oxide particle; L represents a linker molecule; P represents a ligand molecule; l represents 0 or 1; and m and n represent an integer of 1 or larger), the contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging including: a particle containing an iron oxide particle that absorbs light in a near-infrared region; and at least one or more ligand molecule(s) immobilized on the particle containing an iron oxide particle, wherein the immobilization density of the ligand molecule is equal to or higher than the cell surface density of a target molecule.

Abstract: Indocyanine green-containing particles each include a metal oxide particle or a metal particle and an aggregate of indocyanine green. The aggregate of indocyanine green has a relative maximum absorbance at 880 nm or more and 910 nm or less.

Abstract: Provided is the following indocyanine green (ICG)-containing particle to be used as, for example, a contrast agent for fluorescent imaging or photoacoustic imaging. The leakage of ICG from the particle in a serum is prevented and hence the particle can stably retain ICG. According to a particle characterized by having an aggregate of indocyanine green and a phospholipid, the leakage of ICG from the particle in a serum or the like is prevented and hence ICG can be stably retained in the particle.

Abstract: A compound including a polymer is represented by general formula (1): L-Y-A??(1) wherein, A is a single-chain antibody moiety, which is a polypeptide including an antigen-binding site, L is a linker moiety, which is a polypeptide including a protease cleavage site, Y is a peptide moiety, which includes 0 or more amino acids connecting the linker moiety L with the single-chain antibody moiety A, and the linker moiety L binds to an N terminus of the peptide moiety Y or an N terminus of the single-chain antibody moiety A.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate probe capable of detecting enzyme activity with high accuracy and a method for detecting the enzyme activity by a multi nuclear magnetic resonance method using the substrate probe. Multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance is performed by using a substrate probe, which is used for measuring enzyme activity by a multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance method and characterized by containing a enzyme recognition site that is selectively recognized by an active-state enzyme, as at least one constitutional unit, and a group to which at least three nuclear magnetic resonance active nuclei each having a nuclear spin and a different resonance frequency are connected, being present specifically to the enzyme recognition, thereby detecting presence of the substrate probe and the enzyme activity. Alternatively, imaging of the enzyme activity is performed by a multi-dimensional nuclear resonance imaging method.

Abstract: There is provided an ICG-loaded polymer nanoparticle that is dynamically stable, prevents the leakage of contained ICG and the resulting discoloration, and has a high molar absorbance coefficient. The particle contains a hydrophilic dye having a sulfonate group and a hydrophobic polymer, and the particle further contains at least one of a lipid having a positively charged region, a nicotinic acid derivative and a thiamine derivative.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite particle having a high molar absorption coefficient for detection with higher detection sensitivity in photoacoustic imaging. In the present invention, a composite particle having a particle, a single-chain antibody which includes an antigen recognition region and a region other than the antigen recognition region and which is conjugated with the particle, and an organic dye conjugated with the single-chain antibody, in which the region other than the antigen recognition region of the single-chain antibody has thiol group, and a functional group of the particle is bound to the thiol group, is provided.

Abstract: Substrate probe capable of detecting enzyme activity with high accuracy and a method for detecting the enzyme activity by a multi nuclear magnetic resonance method using the substrate probe. Multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance is performed by using a substrate probe, which is used for measuring enzyme activity by a multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance method and characterized by containing a enzyme recognition site that is selectively recognized by an active-state enzyme, as at least one constitutional unit, and a group to which at least three nuclear magnetic resonance active nuclei each having a nuclear spin and a different resonance frequency are connected, being present specifically to the enzyme recognition, thereby detecting presence of the substrate probe and the enzyme activity. Alternatively, imaging of the enzyme activity is performed by a multi-dimensional nuclear resonance imaging method.

Abstract: A compound including a polymer is represented by general formula (1): L-Y-A??(1) wherein, A is a single-chain antibody moiety, which is a polypeptide including an antigen-binding site, L is a linker moiety, which is a polypeptide including a protease cleavage site, Y is a peptide moiety, which includes 0 or more amino acids connecting the linker moiety L with the single-chain antibody moiety A, and the linker moiety L binds to an N terminus of the peptide moiety Y or an N terminus of the single-chain antibody moiety A.

Abstract: Regarding a composite particle in the related art, an antibody and a dye are bound to the surface of the particle. Therefore, it is not possible to bind both the antibody and the dye high in number. Accordingly, the present invention provides a composite particle, wherein a large acoustic wave can be emitted and both the antibody and the dye can be bound high in number. A composite particle including a core particle, a dye bound to the above described core particle, and an antibody, wherein the above described antibody is bound to the above described dye, is suitable for use.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a novel contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging that is highly capable of binding to a target molecule and generates high photoacoustic signals. The present invention provides a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging represented by Formula 1: MNP?((L)l?(P)m)n ??(Formula 1) (wherein MNP represents a particle containing an iron oxide particle; L represents a linker molecule; P represents a ligand molecule; l represents 0 or 1; and m and n represent an integer of 1 or larger), the contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging including: a particle containing an iron oxide particle that absorbs light in a near-infrared region; and at least one or more ligand molecule(s) immobilized on the particle containing an iron oxide particle, wherein the immobilization density of the ligand molecule is equal to or higher than the cell surface density of a target molecule.

Abstract: A compound which captures a multisite phosphorylated peptide or protein specifically to a phosphorylation site and a method for detecting the peptide or protein using the compound. Particularly, a compound which specifically detects an excessively phosphorylated tau protein observed in the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease and a method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in vitro or in vivo using the compound are provided. By bringing a metal complex compound having two dipicolylamine (Dpa) moieties and a spacer including a chromogenic or luminescent functional or atom group into contact with a multisite phosphorylated peptide or protein, the compound recognizes the distance between phosphate groups and specifically binds to the peptide or protein, and a multisite phosphorylated peptide or protein or kinase activity is optically detected by measuring the change, or a multisite phosphorylated peptide or protein or kinase activity is imaged by an optical imaging method applying the change in luminescence.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite particle having a high molar absorption coefficient for detection with higher detection sensitivity in photoacoustic imaging. In the present invention, a composite particle having a particle, a single-chain antibody which includes an antigen recognition region and a region other than the antigen recognition region and which is conjugated with the particle, and an organic dye conjugated with the single-chain antibody, in which the region other than the antigen recognition region of the single-chain antibody has thiol group, and a functional group of the particle is bound to the thiol group, is provided.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a novel contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging that is highly capable of binding to a target molecule and generates high photoacoustic signals. The present invention provides a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging represented by Formula 1: MNP-((L)l-(P)m)n??(Formula 1) (wherein MNP represents a particle containing an iron oxide particle; L represents a linker molecule; P represents a ligand molecule; l represents 0 or 1; and m and n represent an integer of 1 or larger), the contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging including: a particle containing an iron oxide particle that absorbs light in a near-infrared region; and at least one or more ligand molecule(s) immobilized on the particle containing an iron oxide particle, wherein the immobilization density of the ligand molecule is equal to or higher than the cell surface density of a target molecule.

Abstract: A method of detecting a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging provides a high signal intensity. In a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging, each particle containing an inorganic material supports at least an organic dye having an absorption coefficient in the near infrared region by means of chemical bonding.

Abstract: When an antigen present at lesion sites is detected using a compound containing a single-chain antibody moiety, the single-chain antibody moiety binds to the antigen present at sites other than lesion sites. As a result, the detection of the lesion sites with high sensitivity and high contrast is difficult, and a compound solving this problem is demanded. The present invention provides a compound including a polymer represented by general formula (1): L-Y-A??(1) wherein, A is a single-chain antibody moiety, which is a polypeptide including an antigen-binding site; L is a linker moiety, which is a polypeptide including a protease cleavage site; Y is a peptide moiety, which including 0 or more amino acids connecting the linker moiety L with the single-chain antibody moiety A; and the linker moiety L binds to an N terminus of the peptide moiety Y or an N terminus of the single-chain antibody moeity A.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to obtain a labeled protein, and specifically, to separate a labeled protein and the same unlabeled protein. There is provided a labeled protein including: a protein to be labeled having a target protein, at least one or more affinity interaction domains for binding to an affinity support, and at least one or more labeling sites; and a labeling reagent binding to at least one of the labeling sites; wherein the affinity of the labeled protein for the affinity support is difference from that of the protein to be labeled for the affinity support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of introducing nucleic acids into cells by electroporation, comprising the step (A) of loading nucleic acids to the surface of an electrode; the step (B) of adhering cells on the obtained nucleic acid-loaded electrode surface; and the step (C) of applying electric pulses to the adhering cells. According to this method, not only efficient introduction of a gene into cells but also gene introduction at desirable timing and at desirable sites can be performed without damaging the adhering cells.

Abstract: To produce a labeled compound for a selected biological substance not using a radioisotope atom which has a risk of exposure to radioactivity and limitation on handling time but using a stable isotope atom; and that the labeled compound can be measured with good sensitivity separably from naturally occurring compounds of the selected biological substance which are substituted with the stable isotope atom. Choline as a biological substance is labeled by substituting the nitrogen atom of the quaternary ammonium group and all the carbon atoms of the methyl group attached to the nitrogen atom with respective isotopes 15N and 13C and used as a diagnostic agent.

Abstract: Substrate probe capable of detecting enzyme activity with high accuracy and a method for detecting the enzyme activity by a multi nuclear magnetic resonance method using the substrate probe. Multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance is performed by using a substrate probe, which is used for measuring enzyme activity by a multi-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance method and characterized by containing a enzyme recognition site that is selectively recognized by an active-state enzyme, as at least one constitutional unit, and a group to which at least three nuclear magnetic resonance active nuclei each having a nuclear spin and a different resonance frequency are connected, being present specifically to the enzyme recognition, thereby detecting presence of the substrate probe and the enzyme activity. Alternatively, imaging of the enzyme activity is performed by a multi-dimensional nuclear resonance imaging method.