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Kadayakkara DK, Damodaran K, Hitchens TK, Bulte JWM, Ahrens ET. (19)F spin-lattice relaxation of perfluoropolyethers: Dependence on temperature and magnetic field strength (7.0-14.1T). JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2014; 242:18-22. [PMID: 24594752 PMCID: PMC4008704 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2014.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2013] [Revised: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Fluorine ((19)F) MRI of perfluorocarbon-labeled cells has become a powerful technique to track the migration and accumulation of cells in living organisms. It is common to label cells for (19)F MRI with nanoemulsions of perfluoropolyethers that contain a large number of chemically equivalent fluorine atoms. Understanding the mechanisms of (19)F nuclear relaxation, and in particular the spin-lattice relaxation of these molecules, is critical to improving experimental sensitivity. To date, the temperature and magnetic field strength dependence of spin-lattice relaxation rate constant (R1) for perfluoropolyethers has not been described in detail. In this study, we evaluated the R1 of linear perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and cyclic perfluoro-15-crown-5 ether (PCE) at three magnetic field strengths (7.0, 9.4, and 14.1T) and at temperatures ranging from 256-323K. Our results show that R1 of perfluoropolyethers is dominated by dipole-dipole interactions and chemical shift anisotropy. R1 increased with magnetic field strength for both PCE and PFPE. In the temperature range studied, PCE was in the fast motion regime (ωτc<1) at all field strengths, but for PFPE, R1 passed through a maximum, from which the rotational correlation time was estimated. The importance of these measurements for the rational design of new (19)F MRI agents and methods is discussed.
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Hitchens TK, Liu L, Foley LM, Simplaceanu V, Ahrens ET, Ho C. Combining perfluorocarbon and superparamagnetic iron-oxide cell labeling for improved and expanded applications of cellular MRI. Magn Reson Med 2014; 73:367-75. [PMID: 24478194 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.25120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The ability to detect the migration of cells in living organisms is fundamental in understanding biological processes and important for the development of novel cell-based therapies to treat disease. MRI can be used to detect the migration of cells labeled with superparamagnetic iron-oxide (SPIO) or perfluorocarbon (PFC) agents. In this study, we explored combining these two cell-labeling approaches to overcome current limitations and enable new applications for cellular MRI. METHODS We characterized (19)F-NMR relaxation properties of PFC-labeled cells in the presence of SPIO and imaged cells both ex vivo and in vivo in a rodent inflammation model to demonstrate selective visualization of cell populations. RESULTS We show that with UTE3D, RARE, and FLASH (19) F images one can uniquely identify PFC-labeled cells, colocalized PFC- and SPIO-labeled cells, and PFC/SPIO-colabeled cells. CONCLUSION This new methodology has the ability to improve and expand applications of MRI cell tracking. Combining PFC and SPIO strategies can potentially provide a method to quench PFC signal transferred from dead cells to macrophages, thereby eliminating false positives. In addition, combining these techniques could also be used to track two cell types simultaneously and probe cell-cell proximity in vivo with MRI.
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Patrick MJ, Janjic JM, Teng H, O’Hear MR, Brown CW, Stokum JA, Schmidt BF, Ahrens ET, Waggoner AS. Intracellular pH measurements using perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135:18445-57. [PMID: 24266634 PMCID: PMC4208472 DOI: 10.1021/ja407573m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
We report the synthesis and formulation of unique perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanoemulsions enabling intracellular pH measurements in living cells via fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. These nanoemulsions are formulated to readily enter cells upon coincubation and contain two cyanine-based fluorescent reporters covalently bound to the PFC molecules, specifically Cy3-PFC and CypHer5-PFC conjugates. The spectral and pH-sensing properties of the nanoemulsions were characterized in vitro and showed the unaltered spectral behavior of dyes after formulation. In rat 9L glioma cells loaded with nanoemulsion, the local pH of nanoemulsions was longitudinally quantified using optical microscopy and flow cytometry and displayed a steady decrease in pH to a level of 5.5 over 3 h, indicating rapid uptake of nanoemulsion to acidic compartments. Overall, these reagents enable real-time optical detection of intracellular pH in living cells in response to pharmacological manipulations. Moreover, recent approaches for in vivo cell tracking using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) employ intracellular PFC nanoemulsion probes to track cells using (19)F MRI. However, the intracellular fate of these imaging probes is poorly understood. The pH-sensing nanoemulsions allow the study of the fate of the PFC tracer inside the labeled cell, which is important for understanding the PFC cell loading dynamics, nanoemulsion stability and cell viability over time.
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Zwieniecki MA, Melcher PJ, Ahrens ET. Analysis of spatial and temporal dynamics of xylem refilling in Acer rubrum L. using magnetic resonance imaging. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2013; 4:265. [PMID: 23885258 PMCID: PMC3717611 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2013.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
We report results of an analysis of embolism formation and subsequent refilling observed in stems of Acer rubrum L. using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is one of the very few techniques that can provide direct non-destructive observations of the water content within opaque biological materials at a micrometer resolution. Thus, it has been used to determine temporal dynamics and water distributions within xylem tissue. In this study, we found good agreement between MRI measures of pixel brightness to assess xylem liquid water content and the percent loss in hydraulic conductivity (PLC) in response to water stress (P50 values of 2.51 and 2.70 for MRI and PLC, respectively). These data provide strong support that pixel brightness is well correlated to PLC and can be used as a proxy of PLC even when single vessels cannot be resolved on the image. Pressure induced embolism in moderately stressed plants resulted in initial drop of pixel brightness. This drop was followed by brightness gain over 100 min following pressure application suggesting that plants can restore water content in stem after induced embolism. This recovery was limited only to current-year wood ring; older wood did not show signs of recovery within the length of experiment (16 h). In vivo MRI observations of the xylem of moderately stressed (~-0.5 MPa) A. rubrum stems revealed evidence of a spontaneous embolism formation followed by rapid refilling (~30 min). Spontaneous (not induced) embolism formation was observed only once, despite over 60 h of continuous MRI observations made on several plants. Thus this observation provide evidence for the presence of naturally occurring embolism-refilling cycle in A. rubrum, but it is impossible to infer any conclusions in relation to its frequency in nature.
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Ahrens ET, Zhong J. In vivo MRI cell tracking using perfluorocarbon probes and fluorine-19 detection. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2013; 26:860-71. [PMID: 23606473 PMCID: PMC3893103 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.2948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2012] [Revised: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
This article presents a brief review of preclinical in vivo cell-tracking methods and applications using perfluorocarbon (PFC) probes and fluorine-19 ((19) F) MRI detection. Detection of the (19) F signal offers high cell specificity and quantification ability in spin density-weighted MR images. We discuss the compositions of matter, methods and applications of PFC-based cell tracking using ex vivo and in situ PFC labeling in preclinical studies of inflammation and cellular therapeutics. We also address the potential applicability of (19) F cell tracking to clinical trials.
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Zhong J, Sakaki M, Okada H, Ahrens ET. In vivo intracellular oxygen dynamics in murine brain glioma and immunotherapeutic response of cytotoxic T cells observed by fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59479. [PMID: 23667419 PMCID: PMC3648573 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Noninvasive biomarkers of anti-tumoral efficacy are of great importance to the development of therapeutic agents. Tumor oxygenation has been shown to be an important indicator of therapeutic response. We report the use of intracellular labeling of tumor cells with perfluorocarbon (PFC) molecules, combined with quantitative ¹⁹F spin-lattice relaxation rate (R₁) measurements, to assay tumor cell oxygen dynamics in situ. In a murine central nervous system (CNS) GL261 glioma model, we visualized the impact of Pmel-1 cytotoxic T cell immunotherapy, delivered intravenously, on intracellular tumor oxygen levels. GL261 glioma cells were labeled ex vivo with PFC and inoculated into the mouse striatum. The R₁ of ¹⁹F labeled cells was measured using localized single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the absolute intracellular partial pressure of oxygen (pO₂) was ascertained. Three days after tumor implantation, mice were treated with 2×10⁷ cytotoxic T cells intravenously. At day five, a transient spike in pO₂ was observed indicating an influx of T cells into the CNS and putative tumor cell apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative flow cytometry analysis confirmed that the pO₂ was causally related to the T cells infiltration. Surprisingly, the pO₂ spike was detected even though few (∼4×10⁴) T cells actually ingress into the CNS and with minimal tumor shrinkage. These results indicate the high sensitivity of this approach and its utility as a non-invasive surrogate biomarker of anti-cancer immunotherapeutic response in preclinical models.
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Zhong J, Mills PH, Hitchens TK, Ahrens ET. Accelerated fluorine-19 MRI cell tracking using compressed sensing. Magn Reson Med 2012; 69:1683-90. [PMID: 22837054 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.24414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2012] [Revised: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cell tracking using perfluorocarbon labels and fluorine-19 (19F) MRI is a noninvasive approach to visualize and quantify cell populations in vivo. In this study, we investigated three-dimensional compressed sensing methods to accelerate 19F MRI data acquisition for cell tracking and evaluate the impact of acceleration on 19F signal quantification. We show that a greater than 8-fold reduction in imaging time was feasible without pronounced image degradation and with minimal impact on the image signal-to-noise ratio and 19F quantification accuracy. In 19F phantom studies, we show that apparent feature topology is maintained with compressed sensing reconstruction, and false positive signals do not appear in areas devoid of fluorine. We apply the three-dimensional compressed sensing 19F MRI methods to quantify the macrophage burden in a localized wounding-inflammation mouse model in vivo; at 8-fold image acceleration, the 19F signal distribution was accurately reproduced, with no loss in signal-to-noise ratio. Our results demonstrate that three-dimensional compressed sensing methods have potential for advancing in vivo 19F cell tracking for a wide range of preclinical and translational applications.
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Balducci A, Helfer BM, Ahrens ET, O'Hanlon CF, Wesa AK. Visualizing arthritic inflammation and therapeutic response by fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging (19F MRI). JOURNAL OF INFLAMMATION-LONDON 2012; 9:24. [PMID: 22721447 PMCID: PMC3506445 DOI: 10.1186/1476-9255-9-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 06/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Background Non-invasive imaging of inflammation to measure the progression of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to monitor responses to therapy is critically needed. V-Sense, a perfluorocarbon (PFC) contrast agent that preferentially labels inflammatory cells, which are then recruited out of systemic circulation to sites of inflammation, enables detection by 19F MRI. With no 19F background in the host, detection is highly-specific and can act as a proxy biomarker of the degree of inflammation present. Methods Collagen-induced arthritis in rats, a model with many similarities to human RA, was used to study the ability of the PFC contrast agent to reveal the accumulation of inflammation over time using 19F MRI. Disease progression in the rat hind limbs was monitored by caliper measurements and 19F MRI on days 15, 22 and 29, including the height of clinically symptomatic disease. Naïve rats served as controls. The capacity of the PFC contrast agent and 19F MRI to assess the effectiveness of therapy was studied in a cohort of rats administered oral prednisolone on days 14 to 28. Results Quantification of 19F signal measured by MRI in affected limbs was linearly correlated with disease severity. In animals with progressive disease, increases in 19F signal reflected the ongoing recruitment of inflammatory cells to the site, while no increase in 19F signal was observed in animals receiving treatment which resulted in clinical resolution of disease. Conclusion These results indicate that 19F MRI may be used to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate longitudinal responses to a therapeutic regimen, while additionally revealing the recruitment of monocytic cells involved in the inflammatory process to the anatomical site. This study may support the use of 19F MRI to clinically quantify and monitor the severity of inflammation, and to assess the effectiveness of treatments in RA and other diseases with an inflammatory component.
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Kadayakkara DK, Ranganathan S, Young WB, Ahrens ET. Assaying macrophage activity in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease using fluorine-19 MRI. J Transl Med 2012; 92:636-45. [PMID: 22330343 PMCID: PMC3397682 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2012.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophages have an important role in the pathogenesis of most chronic inflammatory diseases. A means of non-invasively quantifying macrophage migration would contribute significantly towards our understanding of chronic inflammatory processes and aid the evaluation of novel therapeutic strategies. We describe the use of a perfluorocarbon tracer reagent and in vivo (19)F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify macrophage burden longitudinally. We apply these methods to evaluate the severity and three-dimensional distribution of macrophages in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MRI results were validated by histological analysis, immunofluorescence and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Selective depletion of macrophages in vivo was also performed, further validating that macrophage accumulation of perfluorocarbon tracers was the basis of (19)F MRI signals observed in the bowel. We tested the effects of two common clinical drugs, dexamethasone and cyclosporine A, on IBD progression. Whereas cyclosporine A provided mild therapeutic effect, unexpectedly dexamethasone enhanced colon inflammation, especially in the descending colon. Overall, (19)F MRI can be used to evaluate early-stage inflammation in IBD and is suitable for evaluating putative therapeutics. Due to its high macrophage specificity and quantitative ability, we envisage (19)F MRI having an important role in evaluating a wide range of chronic inflammatory conditions mediated by macrophages.
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Bible E, Dell'Acqua F, Solanky B, Balducci A, Crapo PM, Badylak SF, Ahrens ET, Modo M. Non-invasive imaging of transplanted human neural stem cells and ECM scaffold remodeling in the stroke-damaged rat brain by (19)F- and diffusion-MRI. Biomaterials 2012; 33:2858-71. [PMID: 22244696 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2011.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2011] [Accepted: 12/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Transplantation of human neural stem cells (hNSCs) is emerging as a viable treatment for stroke related brain injury. However, intraparenchymal grafts do not regenerate lost tissue, but rather integrate into the host parenchyma without significantly affecting the lesion cavity. Providing a structural support for the delivered cells appears important for cell based therapeutic approaches. The non-invasive monitoring of therapeutic methods would provide valuable information regarding therapeutic strategies but remains a challenge. Labeling transplanted cells with metal-based (1)H-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents affects the visualization of the lesion cavity. Herein, we demonstrate that a (19)F-MRI contrast agent can adequately monitor the distribution of transplanted cells, whilst allowing an evaluation of the lesion cavity and the formation of new tissue on (1)H-MRI scans. Twenty percent of cells labeled with the (19)F agent were of host origin, potentially reflecting the re-uptake of label from dead transplanted cells. Both T(2)- and diffusion-weighted MRI scans indicated that transplantation of hNSCs suspended in a gel form of a xenogeneic extracellular matrix (ECM) bioscaffold resulted in uniformly distributed cells throughout the lesion cavity. However, diffusion MRI indicated that the injected materials did not yet establish diffusion barriers (i.e. cellular network, fiber tracts) normally found within striatal tissue. The ECM bioscaffold therefore provides an important support to hNSCs for the creation of de novo tissue and multi-nuclei MRI represents an adept method for the visualization of some aspects of this process. However, significant developments of both the transplantation paradigm, as well as regenerative imaging, are required to successfully create new tissue in the lesion cavity and to monitor this process non-invasively.
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Mills PH, Hitchens TK, Foley LM, Link T, Ye Q, Weiss CR, Thompson JD, Gilson WD, Arepally A, Melick JA, Kochanek PM, Ho C, Bulte JWM, Ahrens ET. Automated detection and characterization of SPIO-labeled cells and capsules using magnetic field perturbations. Magn Reson Med 2011; 67:278-89. [PMID: 21656554 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2010] [Revised: 04/15/2011] [Accepted: 04/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how individual cells behave inside living systems will help enable new diagnostic tools and cellular therapies. Superparamagnetic iron oxide particles can be used to label cells and theranostic capsules for noninvasive tracking using MRI. Contrast changes from superparamagnetic iron oxide are often subtle relative to intrinsic sources of contrast, presenting a detection challenge. Here, we describe a versatile postprocessing method, called Phase map cross-correlation Detection and Quantification (PDQ), that automatically identifies localized deposits of superparamagnetic iron oxide, estimating their volume magnetic susceptibility and magnetic moment. To demonstrate applicability, PDQ was used to detect and characterize superparamagnetic iron oxide-labeled magnetocapsules implanted in porcine liver and suspended in agarose gel. PDQ was also applied to mouse brains infiltrated by MPIO-labeled macrophages following traumatic brain injury; longitudinal, in vivo studies tracked individual MPIO clusters over 3 days, and tracked clusters were corroborated in ex vivo brain scans. Additionally, we applied PDQ to rat hearts infiltrated by MPIO-labeled macrophages in a transplant model of organ rejection. PDQ magnetic measurements were signal-to-noise ratio invariant for images with signal-to-noise ratio > 11. PDQ can be used with conventional gradient-echo pulse sequences, requiring no extra scan time. The method is useful for visualizing biodistribution of cells and theranostic magnetocapsules and for measuring their relative iron content.
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Morel PA, Srinivas M, Turner MS, Fuschiotti P, Munshi R, Bahar I, Feili-Hariri M, Ahrens ET. Gene expression analysis of dendritic cells that prevent diabetes in NOD mice: analysis of chemokines and costimulatory molecules. J Leukoc Biol 2011; 90:539-50. [PMID: 21628331 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.0311126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We have demonstrated previously that BM-derived DCs can prevent diabetes development and halt progression of insulitis in NOD mice, the mouse model of type 1 diabetes. The DC population that was most effective in this therapy had a mature phenotype, expressed high levels of costimulatory molecules, and secreted low levels of IL-12p70. The protective DC therapy induced Treg and Th2 cells in vitro and in vivo. Microarray analysis of therapeutic and nontherapeutic DC populations revealed differences in the expression of OX40L, CD200, Ym-1, CCL2, and CCL5, which could play important roles in the observed DC-mediated therapy. The unique pattern of costimulatory molecules and chemokines expressed by the therapeutic DCs was confirmed by flow cytometry and ELISA. Using a novel cell-labeling and (19)F NMR, we observed that the chemokines secreted by the therapeutic DCs altered the migration of diabetogenic Th1 cells in vivo and attracted Th2 cells. These results suggest that the therapeutic function of DCs is mediated by a combination of costimulatory and chemokine properties that results in the attraction of diabetogenic Th1 and the induction of Th2 and/or Treg differentiation.
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Ahrens ET, Young WB, Xu H, Pusateri LK. Rapid quantification of inflammation in tissue samples using perfluorocarbon emulsion and fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance. Biotechniques 2011; 50:229-34. [PMID: 21548906 PMCID: PMC5012185 DOI: 10.2144/000113652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2010] [Accepted: 03/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantification of inflammation in tissue samples can be a time-intensive bottleneck in therapeutic discovery and preclinical endeavors. We describe a versatile and rapid approach to quantitatively assay macrophage burden in intact tissue samples. Perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsion is injected intravenously, and the emulsion droplets are effectively taken up by monocytes and macrophages. These 'in situ' labeled cells participate in inflammatory events in vivo resulting in PFC accumulation at inflammatory loci. Necropsied tissues or intact organs are subjected to conventional fluorine-19 ((19)F) NMR spectroscopy to quantify the total fluorine content per sample, proportional to the macrophage burden. We applied these methods to a rat model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) exhibiting extensive inflammation and demyelination in the central nervous system (CNS), particularly in the spinal cord. In a cohort of EAE rats, we used (19)F NMR to derive an inflammation index (IFI) in intact CNS tissues. Immunohistochemistry was used to confirm intracellular colocalization of the PFC droplets within CNS CD68+ cells having macrophage morphology. The IFI linearly correlated to mRNA levels of CD68 via real-time PCR analysis. This (19)F NMR approach can accelerate tissue analysis by at least an order of magnitude compared with histological approaches.
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Hitchens TK, Ye Q, Eytan DF, Janjic JM, Ahrens ET, Ho C. 19F MRI detection of acute allograft rejection with in vivo perfluorocarbon labeling of immune cells. Magn Reson Med 2011; 65:1144-53. [PMID: 21305593 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2010] [Revised: 09/13/2010] [Accepted: 10/03/2010] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Current diagnosis of organ rejection following transplantation relies on tissue biopsy, which is not ideal due to sampling limitations and risks associated with the invasive procedure.We have previously shown that cellular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of iron-oxide labeled immune-cell infiltration can provide a noninvasive measure of rejection status by detecting areas of hypointensity on T 2*-weighted images. In this study, we tested the feasibility of using a fluorine-based cellular tracer agent to detect macrophage accumulation in rodent models of acute allograft rejection by fluorine-19 ((19) F) MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This study used two rat models of acute rejection, including abdominal heterotopic cardiac transplant and orthotopic kidney transplant models. Following in vivo labeling of monocytes and macrophages with a commercially available agent containing perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether, we observed (19) F-signal intensity in the organs experiencing rejection by (19) F MRI, and conventional (1) H MRI was used for anatomical context. Immunofluorescence and histology confirmed macrophage labeling. These results are consistent with our previous studies and show the complementary nature of the two cellular imaging techniques. With no background signal, (19) F MRI/magnetic resonance spectroscopy can provide unambiguous detection of fluorine labeled cells, and may be a useful technique for detecting and quantifying rejection grade in patients.
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Bonetto F, Srinivas M, Heerschap A, Mailliard R, Ahrens ET, Figdor CG, de Vries IJM. A novel (19)F agent for detection and quantification of human dendritic cells using magnetic resonance imaging. Int J Cancer 2010; 129:365-73. [PMID: 20839261 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.25672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2010] [Accepted: 08/17/2010] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of cell therapeutics in vivo is of major importance to estimate its efficacy. Here, we present a novel intracellular label for (19)F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based cell tracking, which allows for noninvasive, longitudinal cell tracking without the use of radioisotopes. A key advantage of (19)F MRI is that it allows for absolute quantification of cell numbers directly from the MRI data. The (19)F label was tested in primary human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. These cells took up label effectively, resulting in a labeling of 1.7 ± 0.1 × 10(13) (19)F atoms per cell, with a viability of 80 ± 6%, without the need for electroporation or transfection agents. This results in a minimum detection sensitivity of about 2,000 cells/voxel at 7 T, comparable with gadolinium-labeled cells. Comparison of the detection sensitivity of cells labeled with (19)F, iron oxide and gadolinium over typical tissue background showed that unambiguous detection of the (19)F-labeled cells was simpler than with the contrast agents. The effect of the (19)F agent on cell function was minimal in the context of cell-based vaccines. From these data, we calculate that detection of 30,000 cells in vivo at 3 T with a reasonable signal to noise ratio for (19)F images would require less than 30 min with a conventional fast spin echo sequence, given a coil similar to the one used in this study. This is well within acceptable limits for clinical studies, and thus, we conclude that (19)F MRI for quantitative cell tracking in a clinical setting has great potential.
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Kadayakkara DKK, Janjic JM, Pusateri LK, Young WB, Ahrens ET. In vivo observation of intracellular oximetry in perfluorocarbon-labeled glioma cells and chemotherapeutic response in the CNS using fluorine-19 MRI. Magn Reson Med 2010; 64:1252-9. [PMID: 20860007 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2009] [Revised: 03/19/2010] [Accepted: 04/20/2010] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical development of therapeutic agents against cancer could greatly benefit from noninvasive markers of tumor killing. Potentially, the intracellular partial pressure of oxygen (pO(2) ) can be used as an early marker of antitumor efficacy. Here, the feasibility of measuring intracellular pO(2) of central nervous system glioma cells in vivo using (19) F magnetic resonance techniques is examined. Rat 9L glioma cells were labeled with perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether ex vivo and then implanted into the rat striatum. (19) F MRI was used to visualize tumor location in vivo. The mean (19) F T(1) of the implanted cells was measured using localized, single-voxel spectroscopy. The intracellular pO(2) in tumor cells was determined from an in vitro calibration curve. The basal pO(2) of 9L cells (day 3) was determined to be 45.3 ± 5 mmHg (n = 6). Rats were then treated with a 1 × LD10 dose of bischloroethylnitrosourea intravenously and changes in intracellular pO(2) were monitored. The pO(2) increased significantly (P = 0.042, paired T-test) to 141.8 ± 3 mmHg within 18 h after bischloroethylnitrosourea treatment (day 4) and remained elevated (165 ± 24 mmHg) for at least 72 h (day 6). Intracellular localization of the perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether emulsion in 9L cells before and after bischloroethylnitrosourea treatment was confirmed by histological examination and fluorescence microscopy. Overall, noninvasive (19) F magnetic resonance techniques may provide a valuable preclinical tool for monitoring therapeutic response against central nervous system or other deep-seated tumors.
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Castro CA, Ben-Yehudah A, Ozolek JA, Mills PH, Redinger CJ, Mich-Basso JD, McFarland DA, Oliver SL, Ahrens ET, Schatten G. Semiquantitative histopathology and 3D magnetic resonance microscopy as collaborative platforms for tissue identification and comparison within teratomas derived from pedigreed primate embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Res 2010; 5:201-11. [PMID: 20864427 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2010.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2010] [Revised: 07/28/2010] [Accepted: 07/29/2010] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Teratoma formation in xenografts is a sufficiently stringent pluripotency assay for stem cells. However, little is known about the composition and spatial relationships of tissues within teratomas that may provide clues about development and platforms for studying organ development. Additionally, teratoma formation and analysis lack standards for reporting as assays of pluripotency. Three of 27 total teratomas derived from pedigreed primate embryonic stem cells underwent quantitative three-dimensional high-resolution magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM). Teratomas were subsequently serially sectioned and tissue types identified, semiquantitated, and correlated with MRM images. All teratomas demonstrated tissue derivatives from the three germ layers and approximately 23 different tissue types were identified. Certain tissue groups attempted to form organs more frequently (e.g., trachea/bronchi, small intestine). MRM discriminated some tissues readily (e.g., bone, adipose, cartilage) while other tissue types with like MR intensities could not be distinguished. Semiquantitative histopathological analysis of teratomas demonstrates the ability to delineate multiple tissues as derived from ectoderm, mesoderm, or endoderm and to use this information for comparison to other teratomas. MRM provides rapid quantitative imaging of intact teratomas that complements histology and identifies sites of interest for additional biological studies.
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Iordanova B, Robison CS, Ahrens ET. Design and characterization of a chimeric ferritin with enhanced iron loading and transverse NMR relaxation rate. J Biol Inorg Chem 2010; 15:957-65. [PMID: 20401622 PMCID: PMC2936821 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-010-0657-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2009] [Accepted: 03/28/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes the design and characterization of a novel ferritin chimera. The iron storage protein ferritin forms a paramagnetic ferrihydrite core. This biomineral, when placed in a magnetic field, can decrease the transverse NMR relaxation times (T (2) and T (2)*) of nearby mobile water protons. Ferritin nucleic acid constructs have recently been studied as "probeless" magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reporters. Following reporter expression, ferritin sequesters endogenous iron and imparts hypointensity to T (2)- and T (2)*-weighted images in an amount proportional to the ferritin iron load. Wild-type ferritin consists of various ratios of heavy H and light L subunits, and their ratio affects ferritin's stability and iron storage capacity. We report a novel chimeric ferritin with a fixed subunit stoichiometry obtained by fusion of the L and the H subunits (L*H and H*L) using a flexible linker. We characterize these supramolecular ferritins expressed in human cells, including their iron loading characteristics, hydrodynamic size, subcellular localization, and effect on solvent water T (2) relaxation rate. Interestingly, we found that the L*H chimera exhibits a significantly enhanced iron loading ability and T (2) relaxation compared to wild-type ferritin. We suggest that the L*H chimera may be useful as a sensitive MRI reporter molecule.
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Helfer BM, Balducci A, Nelson AD, Janjic JM, Gil RR, Kalinski P, de Vries IJM, Ahrens ET, Mailliard RB. Functional assessment of human dendritic cells labeled for in vivo (19)F magnetic resonance imaging cell tracking. Cytotherapy 2010; 12:238-50. [PMID: 20053146 DOI: 10.3109/14653240903446902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Dendritic cells (DC) are increasingly being used as cellular vaccines to treat cancer and infectious diseases. While there have been some promising results in early clinical trials using DC-based vaccines, the inability to visualize non-invasively the location, migration and fate of cells once adoptively transferred into patients is often cited as a limiting factor in the advancement of these therapies. A novel perflouropolyether (PFPE) tracer agent was used to label human DC ex vivo for the purpose of tracking the cells in vivo by (19)F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We provide an assessment of this technology and examine its impact on the health and function of the DC. METHODS Monocyte-derived DC were labeled with PFPE and then assessed. Cell viability was determined by examining cell membrane integrity and mitochondrial lipid content. Immunostaining and flow cytometry were used to measure surface antigen expression of DC maturation markers. Functional tests included bioassays for interleukin (IL)-12p70 production, T-cell stimulatory function and chemotaxis. MRI efficacy was demonstrated by inoculation of PFPE-labeled human DC into NOD-SCID mice. RESULTS DC were effectively labeled with PFPE without significant impact on cell viability, phenotype or function. The PFPE-labeled DC were clearly detected in vivo by (19)F MRI, with mature DC being shown to migrate selectively towards draining lymph node regions within 18 h. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first application of PFPE cell labeling and MRI cell tracking using human immunotherapeutic cells. These techniques may have significant potential for tracking therapeutic cells in future clinical trials.
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Srinivas M, Heerschap A, Ahrens ET, Figdor CG, de Vries IJM. (19)F MRI for quantitative in vivo cell tracking. Trends Biotechnol 2010; 28:363-70. [PMID: 20427096 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2010.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2010] [Revised: 03/25/2010] [Accepted: 04/02/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cellular therapy, including stem cell transplants and dendritic cell vaccines, is typically monitored for dosage optimization, accurate delivery, and localization using noninvasive imaging, of which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a key modality. (19)F MRI retains the advantages of MRI as an imaging modality, and also allows direct detection of labeled cells for unambiguous identification and quantification, unlike typical metal-based contrast agents. Recent developments in (19)F MRI-based in vivo cell quantification, the existing clinical use of (19)F compounds and current explosive interest in cellular therapeutics have brought (19)F imaging technology closer to clinical application. We review the application of (19)F MRI to cell tracking, discussing intracellular (19)F labels, cell labeling and in vivo quantification, as well as the potential clinical uses of (19)F MRI.
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Mills PH, Ahrens ET. Enhanced positive-contrast visualization of paramagnetic contrast agents using phase images. Magn Reson Med 2010; 62:1349-55. [PMID: 19780169 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Iron oxide-based MRI contrast agents are increasingly being used to noninvasively track cells, target molecular epitopes, and monitor gene expression in vivo. Detecting regions of contrast agent accumulation can be challenging if resulting contrast is subtle relative to endogenous tissue hypointensities. A postprocessing method is presented that yields enhanced positive-contrast images from the phase map associated with T(2)*-weighted MRI data. As examples, the method was applied to an agarose gel phantom doped with superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles and in vivo and ex vivo mouse brains inoculated with recombinant viruses delivering transgenes that induce overexpression of paramagnetic ferritin. Overall, this approach generates images that exhibit a 1- to 8-fold improvement in contrast-to-noise ratio in regions where paramagnetic agents are present compared to conventional magnitude images. This approach can be used in conjunction with conventional T(2)* pulse sequences, requires no prescans or increased scan time, and can be applied retrospectively to previously acquired data.
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Iordanova B, Robison CS, Goins WF, Ahrens ET. Single chain ferritin chimera as an improved MRI gene reporter. Pril (Makedon Akad Nauk Umet Odd Med Nauki) 2010; 31:151-155. [PMID: 21258284 PMCID: PMC5796773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Imaging gene expression non-invasively and deep into opaque tissues has been a long-standing goal of molecular science. Optical gene reporters such as green fluorescent protein and luciferase have revolutionized cellular and molecular biology, however their in vivo application is limited, due to poor tissue penetration of visible light. The iron storage protein ferritin forms a paramagnetic ferrihydrite core that affects the relaxation rate of surrounding nuclear spins. Ferritin has recently emerged as an MRI gene reporter for molecular applications, however its detection with MRI still has relatively low sensitivity. In this work we present an improved ferritin chimera, genetically engineered to exhibit stronger paramagnetic properties.
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Srinivas M, Turner MS, Janjic JM, Morel PA, Laidlaw DH, Ahrens ET. In vivo cytometry of antigen-specific t cells using 19F MRI. Magn Reson Med 2009; 62:747-53. [PMID: 19585593 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Noninvasive methods to image the trafficking of phenotypically defined immune cells are paramount as we attempt to understand adaptive immunity. A (19)F MRI-based methodology for tracking and quantifying cells of a defined phenotype is presented. These methods were applied to a murine inflammation model using antigen-specific T cells. The T cells that were intracellularly labeled ex vivo with a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) nanoemulsion and cells were transferred to a host receiving a localized inoculation of antigen. Longitudinal (19)F MRI over 21 days revealed a dynamic accumulation and clearance of T cells in the lymph node (LN) draining the antigen. The apparent T-cell numbers were calculated in the LN from the time-lapse (19)F MRI data. The effect of in vivo T-cell division on the (19)F MRI cell quantification accuracy was investigated using fluorescence assays. Overall, in vivo cytometry using PFPE labeling and (19)F MRI is broadly applicable to studies of whole-body cell biodistribution.
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Janjic JM, Ahrens ET. Fluorine-containing nanoemulsions for MRI cell tracking. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2009; 1:492-501. [PMID: 19920872 PMCID: PMC2777673 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In this article we review the chemistry and nanoemulsion formulation of perfluorocarbons used for in vivo(19)F MRI cell tracking. In this application, cells of interest are labeled in culture using a perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion. Labeled cells are introduced into a subject and tracked using (19)F MRI or NMR spectroscopy. In the same imaging session, a high-resolution, conventional ((1)H) image can be used to place the (19)F-labeled cells into anatomical context. Perfluorocarbon-based (19)F cell tracking is a useful technology because of the high specificity for labeled cells, ability to quantify cell accumulations, and biocompatibility. This technology can be widely applied to studies of inflammation, cellular regenerative medicine, and immunotherapy.
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Janjic JM, Ahrens ET. Fluorine-containing nanoemulsions for MRI cell tracking. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2009. [PMID: 19920872 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
In this article we review the chemistry and nanoemulsion formulation of perfluorocarbons used for in vivo(19)F MRI cell tracking. In this application, cells of interest are labeled in culture using a perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion. Labeled cells are introduced into a subject and tracked using (19)F MRI or NMR spectroscopy. In the same imaging session, a high-resolution, conventional ((1)H) image can be used to place the (19)F-labeled cells into anatomical context. Perfluorocarbon-based (19)F cell tracking is a useful technology because of the high specificity for labeled cells, ability to quantify cell accumulations, and biocompatibility. This technology can be widely applied to studies of inflammation, cellular regenerative medicine, and immunotherapy.
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