title: A multimodality imaging model to track viable breast cancer cells from single arrest to metastasis in the mouse brain.
abstract: Cellular MRI involves sensitive visualization of iron-labeled cells in vivo but cannot differentiate between dead and viable cells. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) measures cellular viability, and thus we explored combining these tools to provide a more holistic view of metastatic cancer cell fate in mice. Human breast carcinoma cells stably expressing Firefly luciferase were loaded with iron particles, injected into the left ventricle, and BLI and MRI were performed on days 0, 8, 21 and 28. The number of brain MR signal voids (i.e., iron-loaded cells) on day 0 significantly correlated with BLI signal. Both BLI and MRI signals decreased from day 0 to day 8, indicating a loss of viable cells rather than a loss of iron label. Total brain MR tumour volume on day 28 also correlated with BLI signal. Overall, BLI complemented our sensitive cellular MRI technologies well, allowing us for the first time to screen animals for successful injections, and, in addition to MR measures of cell arrest and tumor burden, provided longitudinal measures of cancer cell viability in individual animals. We predict this novel multimodality molecular imaging framework will be useful for evaluating the efficacy of emerging anti-cancer drugs at different stages of the metastatic cascade.
authors: Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.|The Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Katie M
authors: KM
authors: Parkins
authors: Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Amanda M
authors: AM
authors: Hamilton
authors: Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.|The Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Ashley V
authors: AV
authors: Makela
authors: Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Yuanxin
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.|The Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Paula J
authors: PJ
authors: Foster
authors: Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.|The Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.|Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Ronald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly