title: In vivo tracking of human adipose-derived stem cells labeled with ferumoxytol in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion by magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Ferumoxytol, an iron replacement product, is a new type of superparamagnetic iron oxide approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Herein, we assessed the feasibility of tracking transplanted human adipose-derived stem cells labeled with ferumoxytol in middle cerebral artery occlusion-injured rats by 3.0 T MRI in vivo. 1 × 10(4) human adipose-derived stem cells labeled with ferumoxytol-heparin-protamine were transplanted into the brains of rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurologic impairment was scored at 1, 7, 14, and 28 days after transplantation. T2-weighted imaging and enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography were used to observe transplanted cells. Results of imaging tests were compared with results of Prussian blue staining. The modified neurologic impairment scores were significantly lower in rats transplanted with cells at all time points except 1 day post-transplantation compared with rats without transplantation. Regions with hypointense signals on T2-weighted and enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography images corresponded with areas stained by Prussian blue, suggesting the presence of superparamagnetic iron oxide particles within the engrafted cells. Enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography image exhibited better sensitivity and contrast in tracing ferumoxytol-heparin-protamine-labeled human adipose-derived stem cells compared with T2-weighted imaging in routine MRI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Bin
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Regenerative Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Prussian blue staining; brain injury; enhanced susceptibility-weighted angiography image; ferumoxytol; human adipose-derived stem cells; intracerebral injection; magnetic resonance imaging; middle cerebral artery occlusion; modified neurological severity scores; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neuroimaging; rats; superparamagnetic iron oxide particles