Labeling human mesenchymal stem cells with gold nanocages for in vitro and in vivo tracking by two-photon microscopy and photoacoustic microscopy.
Stem cell tracking is a highly important subject. Current techniques based on nanoparticle-labeling, such as magnetic resonance imaging, fluorescence microscopy, and micro-computed tomography, are plagued by limitations including relatively low sensitivity or penetration depth, involvement of ionizing irradiation, and potential cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles. Here we introduce a new class of contrast agents based on gold nanocages (AuNCs) with hollow interiors and porous walls to label human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) for both in vitro and in vivo tracking using two-photon microscopy and photoacoustic microscopy. As demonstrated by the viability assay, the AuNCs showed negligible cytotoxicity under a reasonable dose, and did not alter the differentiation potential of the hMSCs into desired lineages. We were able to image the cells labeled with AuNCs in vitro for at least 28 days in culture, as well as to track the cells that homed to the tumor region in nude mice in vivo.
The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
Yu Shrike
YS
Zhang
Yu
Y
Wang
Lidai
L
Wang
Yucai
Y
Wang
Xin
X
Cai
Chi
C
Zhang
Lihong V
LV
Wang
Younan
Y
Xia
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002470:Cell Survival; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic / Q000379:methods*; D017785:Photons
D003287:Contrast Media; D006046:Gold
U87 glioblastoma; blood vessels; gold nanocages; human mesenchymal stem cells; nanoparticles; stem cell therapy.