Applications of T-lymphoma labeled with fluorescent quantum dots to cell tracing markers in mouse body.
Photoluminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are novel nanometer-size probes that have found bioimaging. Here we imaged a cell line of mouse lymphocytes. QDs were actively taken into the target cells by endocytotic pathways. The fluorescence of QDs held in the endosomes could be studied for more than a week and remained stable luminescence against cell activation induced by concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, phorbol myristate acetate, and calcium ionophore A23187. These results suggested that QD-labeling was stable and did not affect either cell activation or cell function. When QD-labeled cells were intravenously injected into mouse, they remained in the peripheral blood in a concentration of approximately 10% up to 5 days after injection using both fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. In addition, approximately 20% of QDs were detected in the kidneys, liver, lung, and spleen and could still be observed 7 days after injection. These results suggested that fluorescent probes of QDs might be useful as bioimaging tools for tracing target cells over the period of a week in vivo.
Hoshino
Akiyoshi
A
Department of Medical Ecology and Informatics, Research Institute, International Medical Center of Japan, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
Hanaki
Ken-ichi
K
Suzuki
Kazuo
K
Yamamoto
Kenji
K
D000818:Animals; D041702:BALB 3T3 Cells; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D045663:Quantum Dots; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor