title: Multimodal Imaging Reveals Improvement of Blood Supply to an Artificial Cell Transplant Site Induced by Bioluminescent Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
abstract: An artificial site for cell or pancreatic islet transplantation can be created using a polymeric scaffold, even though it suffers subcutaneously from improper vascularisation. A sufficient blood supply is crucial for graft survival and function and can be enhanced by transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of syngeneic MSCs on neoangiogenesis and cell engraftment in an artificial site by multimodal imaging.
  
  
  
  MSCs expressing a gene for luciferase were injected into the artificial subcutaneous site 7 days after scaffold implantation. MRI experiments (anatomical and dynamic contrast-enhanced images) were performed on a 4.7-T scanner using gradient echo sequences. Bioluminescent images were acquired on an IVIS Lumina optical imager. Longitudinal examination was performed for 2 months, and one animal was monitored for 16 months.
  
  
  
  We confirmed the long-term presence (lasting more than 16 months) of viable donor cells inside the scaffolds using bioluminescence imaging with an optical signal peak appearing on day 3 after MSC implantation. When compared to controls, the tissue perfusion and vessel permeability in the scaffolds were significantly improved at the site with MSCs with a maximal peak on day 9 after MSC transplantation.
  
  
  
  Our data suggest that the maximal signal obtained by bioluminescence and magnetic resonance imaging from an artificially created site between 3 and 9 days after MSC transplantation can predict the optimal time range for subsequent cellular or tissue transplantation, including pancreatic islets.
authors.affiliation: Department of RadioDiagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.|Institute of Biophysics and Informatics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gálisová
authors.affiliation: Center of Experimental Medicine, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fábryová
authors.affiliation: Department of RadioDiagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic. daniel.jirak@ikem.cz.|Institute of Biophysics and Informatics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic. daniel.jirak@ikem.cz.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jirák
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Transplant Pathology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.|Department of Pathology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sticová
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Transplant Pathology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Alena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lodererová
authors.affiliation: Department of RadioDiagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vít
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Herynek
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kříž
authors.affiliation: Department of RadioDiagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hájek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058045:Artificial Cells; D003287:Contrast Media; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Bioluminescence; DCE; Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI; Magnetic resonance imaging; Mesenchymal stem cells; Vascularisation