Tracking T-cells in vivo with a new nano-sized MRI contrast agent

• Published in: Nanomedicine 2012-11, Vol.8 (8), p.1345-1354
• Main Authors: Liu, Li, PhD, Ye, Qing, MD, Wu, Yijen, PhD, Hsieh, Wen-Yuan, PhD, Chen, Chih-Lung, PhD, Shen, Hsin-Hsin, PhD, Wang, Shian-Jy, PhD, Zhang, Haosen, PhD, Hitchens, T. Kevin, PhD, Ho, Chien, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Animals; Cell Tracking; Cellular MRI; Contrast Media; Ferric Compounds - chemistry; Heart-Lung Transplantation; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Immune response; Internal Medicine; Jurkat Cells; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetite Nanoparticles - chemistry; Male; Nanoparticle; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Radiography; Rat heart-lung transplant model; Rats; Regenerative Medicine; T-Lymphocytes - cytology; T-Lymphocytes - diagnostic imaging
• ISSN: 1549-9634; 1549-9642
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2012.02.017

Abstract Non-invasive in vivo tracking of T-cells by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can lead to a better understanding of many pathophysiological situations, including AIDS, cancer, diabetes, graft rejection. However, an efficient MRI contrast agent and a reliable technique to track non-phagocytic T-cells are needed. We report a novel superparamagnetic nano-sized iron-oxide particle, IOPC-NH2 series particles, coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), with high transverse relaxivity (250 s−1 mM−1 ), thus useful for MRI studies. IOPC-NH2 particles are the first reported magnetic particles that can label rat and human T-cells with over 90% efficiency, without using transfection agents, HIV-1 transactivator peptide, or electroporation. IOPC-NH2 particles do not cause any measurable effects on T-cell properties. Infiltration of IOPC-NH2 −labeled T-cells can be detected in a rat model of heart-lung transplantation by in vivo MRI. IOPC-NH2 is potentially valuable contrast agents for labeling a variety of cells for basic and clinical cellular MRI studies, e.g., cellular therapy. From the Clinical Editor In this study, a novel PEG coated superparamagnetic nano-sized iron-oxide particle was investigated as a T-cell labeling agent for MRI studies. The reported particles can label T-cells with over 90% efficiency, without using transfection agents, HIV-1 transactivator peptide, or electroporation, therefore may enable more convenient preclinical call labeling studies.