Easy and Efficient Cell Tagging with Block Copolymer-Based Contrast Agents for Sensitive MRI Detection in Vivo.
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) together with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the preferred tools for monitoring the fate and biodistribution of administered cells in stem cell therapy studies. Commercial MNPs need transfection agents and long incubation times for sufficient cell labeling and further in vivo cell detection. In this work, we have synthesized MNPs coated with pluronic F127 and tetronic 908, and validated their applicability as contrast agents for MRI cell detection on two different cell types: rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and multipotent neural progenitor cell line from mice (C17.2). No transfection agent was needed for a complete MNP internalization, and the uptake was only dependent on MNP concentration in medium and limited on the incubation time. By combining in vivo MRI and ex vivo histology microscopy, we have demonstrated the MRI signal detected corresponded exclusively to labeled cells and not to free particles. Pluronic F127- and tetronic 908-coated MNPs represent promising contrast agents for stem cell tracking due to their ease of use in preparation, their efficiency for cell labeling, and their high sensitivity for in vivo cell detection.
Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Bárbara
B
Argibay
IMEC, Department of Life Science Technology, Leuven, Belgium.|Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KULeuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Jesse
J
Trekker
Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KULeuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Uwe
U
Himmelreich
Department of Morphological Sciences, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Andrés
A
Beiras
Condensed Matter Physics Department, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Antonio
A
Topete
Condensed Matter Physics Department, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Pablo
P
Taboada
Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
María
M
Pérez-Mato
Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Ramón
R
Iglesias-Rey
Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Tomas
T
Sobrino
Applied Physics Department, Campus Vida, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
José
J
Rivas
Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Francisco
F
Campos
Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory, Clinical University Hospital, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
José
J
Castillo
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
D003287:Contrast Media; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D011108:Polymers
Cell tracking; Intraparenchymal administration; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs); Superparamagnetic nanoparticles