title: In vitro labeling of endothelial progenitor cells isolated from peripheral             blood with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.
abstract: The transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) provides a novel method for the treatment of human tumors or vascular diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven to be effective in tracking transplanted stem cells by labeling the cells with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles. The SPIO has been used to label and track the EPCs; however, the effect of SPIO upon EPCs remains unclear on a cellular level. In the present study, EPCs were labeled with home-synthesized SPIO nanoparticles in vitro and the biological characteristics of the labeled EPCs were evaluated. The EPCs were isolated from the peripheral blood of New Zealand rabbits and cultured in fibronectin-coated culture flasks. The EPCs were labeled with home-synthesized SPIO nanoparticles at a final iron concentration of 20 µg/ml. Labeled EPCs were confirmed with transmission electron microscopy and Prussian blue staining. The quantity of iron/cell was detected by atomic absorption spectrometry. The membranous antigens of EPCs were detected by cytofluorimetric analysis. Cell viability and proliferative capability between the labeled and unlabeled EPCs were compared. The rabbit EPCs were effectively labeled and the labeling efficiency was approximately 95%. The SPIO nanoparticles were localized in the endosomal vesicles of the EPCs, which were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. No significant differences were found in cell viability and proliferative capability between labeled and unlabeled EPCs (P>0.05). In conclusion, rabbit peripheral blood EPCs were effectively labeled by home-synthesized SPIO nanoparticles, without influencing their main biological characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang, PR China.
authors.forename: Jun-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yue-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Su-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Xiao-Bo
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hai-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shu-Sen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D011992:Endosomes / Q000737:chemistry; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015415:Biomarkers; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006023:Glycoproteins; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010455:Peptides; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C000499:ferric oxide