title: Evaluation of cell tracking effects for transplanted mesenchymal stem cells with jetPEI/Gd-DTPA complexes in animal models of hemorrhagic spinal cord injury.
abstract: Cell tracking using iron oxide nanoparticles has been well established in MRI. However, in experimental rat models, the intrinsic iron signal derived from erythrocytes masks the labeled cells. The research evaluated a clinically applied Gd-DTPA for T1-weighted positive enhancement for cell tracking in spinal cord injury (SCI) rat models. MSCs were labeled with jetPEI/Gd-DTPA particles to evaluate the transfection efficiency by MRI in vitro. Differentiation assays were carried out to evaluate the differentiation ability of Gd-DTPA-labeled MSCs. The Gd-DTPA-labeled MSCs were transplanted to rat SCI model and monitored by MRI in vivo. Fluorescence images were taken to confirm the MRI results. Behavior test was assessed with Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scoring in 6weeks after cell transplantation. The Gd-labeled MSCs showed a significant increase in signal intensity in T1-weighted images. After local transplantation, Gd-DTPA-labeled MSCs could be detected in SCI rat models by the persistent T1-weighted positive enhancement from 3 to 14days. Under electronic microscope, Gd-DTPA/jetPEI complexes were mostly observed in cytoplasm. Fluorescence microscopy examination showed that the Gd-labeled MSCs survived and distributed within the injured spinal cord until 2weeks. The Gd-labeled MSCs were identified and tracked with MRI by cross and sagittal sections. The BBB scores of the rats with labeled MSCs transplantation were significantly higher than those of control rats. Our results demonstrated that Gd-DTPA is appropriate for cell tracking in rat model of SCI, indicating that an efficient and nontoxic label method with Gd-DTPA could properly track MSCs in hemorrhage animal models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510089, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhi-Jie
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qi-Zhu
authors.initials: QZ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: David Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Guangqian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qi-Yong
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA