title: In vivo "hot spot" MR imaging of neural stem cells using fluorinated nanoparticles.
abstract: To optimize (19)F MR tracking of stem cells, we compared cellular internalization of cationic and anionic perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether (PFCE) nanoparticles using cell culture plates with different surface coatings. The viability and proliferation of anionic and cationic PFCE-labeled neural stem cells (NSCs) did not differ from unlabeled cells. Cationic PFCE nanoparticles ((19)F T1/T2 = 580/536 ms at 9.4 Tesla) were superior to anionic particles for intracellular fluorination. Best results were obtained with modified polystyrene culture dishes coated with both carboxylic and amino groups rather than conventional carboxyl-coated dishes. After injecting PFCE-labeled NSCs into the striatum of mouse brain, cells were readily identified in vivo by (19)F MRI without changes in signal or viability over a 2-week period after grafting. These results demonstrate that neural stem cells can be efficiently fluorinated with cationic PFCE nanoparticles without using transfection agents and visualized in vivo over prolonged periods with an MR sensitivity of approximately 140 pmol of PFCE/cell.
authors.affiliation: Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of MR Research, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. ruizcabe@farm.ucm.es
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Cabello
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walczak
authors.forename: Dorota A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kedziorek
authors.forename: Vadappuram P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Chacko
authors.forename: Anna H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Schmieder
authors.forename: Samuel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wickline
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.forename: Jeff W M
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bulte
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes