title: Tyrosinase as a dual reporter gene for both photoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Reporter genes are useful scientific tools for analyzing promoter activity, transfection efficiency, and cell migration. The current study has validated the use of tyrosinase (involved in melanin production) as a dual reporter gene for magnetic resonance and photoacoustic imaging. MCF-7 cells expressing tyrosinase appear brown due to melanin. Magnetic resonance imaging of tyrosinase-expressing MCF-7 cells in 300 μL plastic tubes displayed a 34 to 40% reduction in T1 compared to normal MCF-7 cells when cells were incubated with 250 μM ferric citrate. Photoacoustic imaging of tyrosinase-expressing MCF-7 cells in 700 μm plastic tubes displayed a 20 to 57-fold increase in photoacoustic signal compared to normal MCF-7 cells. The photoacoustic signal from tyrosinase-expressing MCF-7 cells was significantly greater than blood at 650 nm, suggesting that tyrosinase-expressing cells can be differentiated from the vasculature with in vivo photoacoustic imaging. The imaging results suggest that tyrosinase is a useful reporter gene for both magnetic resonance and photoacoustic imaging.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Paproski
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Forbrich
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wachowicz
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hitt
authors.forename: Roger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zemp