gadolinium chloride

Gadolinium chloride is a chemical compound consisting of gadolinium and chloride ions, typically encountered as GdCl3. It is not used as a contrast agent for human imaging, but primarily as a research tool in preclinical studies. Gadolinium chloride acts as a selective toxicant for Kupffer cells (resident liver macrophages), allowing researchers to transiently inhibit macrophage function in animal models. It is also described as an agonist of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), inducing NLRP3 inflammasome activation in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Its mechanism of action involves both Kupffer cell inhibition and pro-inflammatory effects depending on the context. It is not used clinically due to toxicity of free gadolinium ions; instead, safer chelated gadolinium compounds are used for human imaging. Gadolinum chloride has been investigated for its potential to attenuate drug-induced hepatotoxicity in research settings by modulating inflammatory responses and liver regeneration[1][9].

Other names

gadolinium trichlorideGdCl3GdCl-3GdCl 3