title: Tracking of dendritic cell migration into lymph nodes using molecular imaging with sodium iodide symporter and enhanced firefly luciferase genes.
abstract: We sought to evaluate the feasibility of molecular imaging using the human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) gene as a reporter, in addition to the enhanced firefly luciferase (effluc) gene, for tracking dendritic cell (DCs) migration in living mice. A murine dendritic cell line (DC2.4) co-expressing hNIS and effluc genes (DC/NF) was established. For the DC-tracking study, mice received either parental DCs or DC/NF cells in the left or right footpad, respectively, and combined I-124 PET/CT and bioluminescence imaging (BLI) were performed. In vivo PET/CT imaging with I-124 revealed higher activity of the radiotracer in the draining popliteal lymph nodes (DPLN) of the DC/NF injection site at day 1 than DC injection site (p < 0.05). The uptake value further increased at day 4 (p < 0.005). BLI also demonstrated migration of DC/NF cells to the DPLNs at day 1 post-injection, and signals at the DPLNs were much higher at day 4. These data support the feasibility of hNIS reporter gene imaging in the tracking of DC migration to lymphoid organs in living mice. DCs expressing the NIS reporter gene could be a useful tool to optimize various strategies of cell-based immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine.
authors.forename: Ho Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine.
authors.forename: Seung Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine.
authors.forename: Thoudam Debraj
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine.
authors.forename: Yoon Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Dongnam Institution of Radiological &Medical SciencesBusan.
authors.forename: Hong Je
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National UniversityDaegu.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine.
authors.forename: Shin Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Nuclear Medicine [2] Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 807 Hogukro, Bukgu, Daegu.
authors.forename: Sang-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology.
authors.forename: Jeoung-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine.
authors.forename: Byeong-Cheol
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Nuclear Medicine [2] Leading-edge Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development for Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 807 Hogukro, Bukgu, Daegu.
authors.forename: Yong Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Nuclear Medicine [2] Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), 80 Cheombok-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 701-310, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jaetae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000379:methods*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly / Q000235:genetics; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D027981:Symporters; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly; D027981:Symporters; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters