title: Cellular GFP Toxicity and Immunogenicity: Potential Confounders in in Vivo Cell Tracking Experiments.
abstract: Green Fluorescent protein (GFP), used as a cellular tag, provides researchers with a valuable method of measuring gene expression and cell tracking. However, there is evidence to suggest that the immunogenicity and cytotoxicity of GFP potentially confounds the interpretation of in vivo experimental data. Studies have shown that GFP expression can deteriorate over time as GFP tagged cells are prone to death. Therefore, the cells that were originally marked with GFP do not survive and cannot be accurately traced over time. This review will present current evidence for the immunogenicity and cytotoxicity of GFP in in vivo studies by characterizing these responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Hendrix Burn/Wound Laboratory, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Amir Mehdi
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Hendrix Burn/Wound Laboratory, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: A Karim
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Hendrix Burn/Wound Laboratory, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Aerielle E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Matsangos
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Hendrix Burn/Wound Laboratory, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lay
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Hendrix Burn/Wound Laboratory, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Louis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Born
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Hendrix Burn/Wound Laboratory, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Hendrix Burn/Wound Laboratory, Baltimore, MD, USA. jharmon2@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Harmon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Zhaoli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins
keywords: Cell death; Cytotoxicity; Green fluorescent protein (GFP); Immunogenicity; In vivo cell tracking; Reporter gene