title: In vivo imaging of T cells loaded with gold nanoparticles: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Malignant tumours develop strategies to avoid immune recognition and elimination by T cells, even in individuals with a fully functioning immune system. To explore the treatment approach of adoptive immunotherapy, we exploited T cells loaded with radiolabelled gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to track T cells in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surface-modified AuNPs were radiolabelled with (111)In or (64)Cu. They were then transferred into T cells via electroporation. To evaluate the effectiveness of this process, T cells loaded with (111)In-radiolabelled AuNPs were injected directly into the right lung of nude mice for in vivo imaging by micro-SPECT/CT. T cells loaded with (64)Cu-radiolabelled AuNPs were then injected into the tail vein of nude mice and imaged by micro-PET/CT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High uptake signals were observed in the right lung following the direct injection of T cells containing (111)In-labelled AuNPs. Imaging showed a marked difference in the dynamic biodistribution of T cells containing (64)Cu-labelled AuNPs when compared with (64)Cu-labelled AuNPs alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the feasibility of the in vivo imaging of T cells loaded with radiolabelled AuNPs.
authors: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, lihui1993@gmail.com.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Diaz
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Lee
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Cui
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Liang
authors: Yingsheng
authors: Y
authors: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003301:Copper Radioisotopes; D006046:Gold / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011897:Random Allocation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D003301:Copper Radioisotopes; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D006046:Gold