title: The Effectiveness of Ferritin as a Contrast Agent for Cell Tracking MRI in Mouse Cancer Models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of ferritin as a contrast agent and a potential reporter gene for tracking tumor cells or macrophages in mouse cancer models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adenoviral human ferritin heavy chain (Ad-hFTH) was administrated to orthotopic glioma models and subcutaneous colon cancer mouse models using U87MG and HCT116 cells, respectively. Brain MR images were acquired before and daily for up to 6 days after the intracranial injection of Ad-hFTH. In the HCT116 tumor model, MR examinations were performed before and at 6, 24, and 48 h after intratumoral injection of Ad-hFTH, as well as before and every two days after intravenous injection of ferritin-labeled macrophages. The contrast effect of ferritin in vitro was measured by MR imaging of cell pellets. MRI examinations using a 7T MR scanner comprised a T1-weighted (T1w) spin-echo sequence, T2-weighted (T2w) relaxation enhancement sequence, and T2*-weighted (T2*w) fast low angle shot sequence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cell pellet imaging of Ad-hFTH in vitro showed a strong negatively enhanced contrast in T2w and T2*w images, presenting with darker signal intensity in high concentrations of Fe. T2w images of glioma and subcutaneous HCT116 tumor models showed a dark signal intensity around or within the Ad-hFTH tumor, which was distinct with time and apparent in T2*w images. After injection of ferritin-labeled macrophages, negative contrast enhancement was identified within the tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ferritin could be a good candidate as an endogenous MR contrast agent and a potential reporter gene that is capable of maintaining cell labeling stability and cellular safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.|Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Wha
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Department of Life Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Department of System Cancer Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science & Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Taek
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Gunwoo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of System Cancer Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science & Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Na Yeon
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Ah
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Sunshin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea. dkim@ncc.re.kr.
authors.forename: Daehong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Research Institute & Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.|Department of System Cancer Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science & Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea. sensia37@ncc.re.kr.
authors.forename: Yun Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Graduate School of Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Suck
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000379:methods*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005910:Glioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008264:Macrophages; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: Ferritin; MR imaging; cell tracking; reporter gene