title: Molecular imaging of T4 phage in mammalian tissues and cells.
abstract: Advances in phage therapy encourage scientific interest in interactions of phages with human and animal organisms. This has created a need for developing tools that facilitate studies of phage circulation and deposition in tissues and cells. Here we propose a new green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based method for T4 phage molecular imaging in living systems. The method employs decoration of a phage capsid with GFP fused to the N-terminus of Hoc protein by in vivo phage display. Fluorescent phages were positively assessed as regards their applicability for detection inside living mammalian cells (by phagocytosis) and tissues (filtering and retention by lymph nodes and spleen). Molecular imaging provides innovative techniques that have brought substantial progress in life sciences. We propose it as a useful tool for studies of phage biology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zuzanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kaźmierczak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piotrowicz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Owczarek
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hodyra
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miernikiewicz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lecion
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harhala
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Górski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy; Polish Academy of Sciences; Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dąbrowska
keywords: T4 phage; green fluorescence protein; molecular imaging; phage circulation; phagocytosis