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Ahmed WS, Geethakumari AM, Sultana A, Fatima A, Philip AM, Uddin SMN, Biswas KH. A slow but steady nanoLuc: R162A mutation results in a decreased, but stable, nanoLuc activity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131864. [PMID: 38692549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
NanoLuc (NLuc) luciferase has found extensive application in designing a range of biological assays, including gene expression analysis, protein-protein interaction, and protein conformational changes due to its enhanced brightness and small size. However, questions related to its mechanism of interaction with the substrate, furimazine, as well as bioluminescence activity remain elusive. Here, we combined molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and mutational analysis to show that the R162A mutation results in a decreased but stable bioluminescence activity of NLuc in living cells and in vitro. Specifically, we performed multiple, all-atom, explicit solvent MD simulations of the apo and furimazine-docked (holo) NLuc structures revealing differential dynamics of the protein in the absence and presence of the ligand. Further, analysis of trajectories for hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed between NLuc and furimazine revealed substantial H-bond interaction between R162 and Q32 residues. Mutation of the two residues in NLuc revealed a decreased but stable activity of the R162A, but not Q32A, mutant NLuc in live cell and in vitro assays performed using lysates prepared from cells expressing the proteins and with the furimazine substrate. In addition to highlighting the role of the R162 residue in NLuc activity, we believe that the mutant NLuc will find wide application in designing in vitro assays requiring extended monitoring of NLuc bioluminescence activity. SIGNIFICANCE: Bioluminescence has been extensively utilized in developing a variety of biological and biomedical assays. In this regard, engineering of brighter bioluminescent proteins, i.e. luciferases, has played a significant role. This is acutely exemplified by the engineering of the NLuc luciferase, which is small in size and displays much enhanced bioluminescence and thermal stability compared to previously available luciferases. While enhanced bioluminescent activity is desirable in a multitude of biological and biomedical assays, it would also be useful to develop variants of the protein that display a prolonged bioluminescence activity. This is specifically relevant in designing assays that require bioluminescence for extended periods, such as in the case of biosensors designed for monitoring slow enzymatic or cellular signaling reactions, without necessitating multiple rounds of luciferase substrate addition or any specialized reagents that result in increased assay costs. In the current manuscript, we report a mutant NLuc that possesses a stable and prolonged bioluminescence activity, albeit lower than the wild-type NLuc, and envisage a wider application of the mutant NLuc in designing biosensors for monitoring slower biological and biomedical events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesam S Ahmed
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Anupriya M Geethakumari
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Asfia Sultana
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Asma Fatima
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Angelin M Philip
- Division of Genomics and Translational Biomedicine, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - S M Nasir Uddin
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Kabir H Biswas
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha 34110, Qatar.
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Haider MT, Freytag V, Krause L, Spethmann T, Gosau T, Beine MC, Knies C, Schröder-Schwarz J, Horn M, Riecken K, Lange T. Comparison of ex vivo bioluminescence imaging, Alu-qPCR and histology for the quantification of spontaneous lung and bone metastases in subcutaneous xenograft mouse models. Clin Exp Metastasis 2024; 41:103-115. [PMID: 38353934 PMCID: PMC10972982 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-024-10268-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a non-invasive state-of-the-art-method for longitudinal tracking of tumor cells in mice. The technique is commonly used to determine bone metastatic burden in vivo and also suitable ex vivo to detect even smallest bone micro-metastases in spontaneous metastasis xenograft models. However, it is unclear to which extent ex vivo BLI correlates with alternative methods for metastasis quantification. Here, we compared ex vivo BLI, human DNA-based Alu-qPCR, and histology for the quantification of bone vs. lung metastases, which are amongst the most common sites of metastasis in prostate cancer (PCa) patients and spontaneous PCa xenograft models. Data from 93 immunodeficient mice were considered, each of which were subcutaneously injected with luciferase/RGB-labeled human PCa PC-3 cells. The primary tumors were resected at ~ 0.75 cm³ and mice were sacrificed ~ 3 weeks after surgery and immediately examined by ex vivo BLI. Afterwards, the right lungs and hind limbs with the higher BLI signal (BLIHi bone) were processed for histology, whereas the left lung lobes and hind limbs with the lower BLI signal (BLILo bone) were prepared for Alu-qPCR. Our data demonstrate remarkable differences in the correlation coefficients of the different methods for lung metastasis detection (r ~ 0.8) vs. bone metastasis detection (r ~ 0.4). However, the BLI values of the BLIHi and BLILo bones correlated very strongly (r ~ 0.9), indicating that the method per se was reliable under identical limitations; the overall level of metastasis to contralateral bones was astonishingly similar. Instead, the level of lung metastasis only weakly to moderately correlated with the level of bone metastasis formation. Summarized, we observed a considerable discrepancy between ex vivo BLI and histology/Alu-qPCR in the quantification of bone metastases, which was not observed in the case of lung metastases. Future studies using ex vivo BLI for bone metastasis quantification should combine multiple methods to accurately determine metastatic load in bone samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Therese Haider
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Vera Freytag
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Linda Krause
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Spethmann
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Tobias Gosau
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Mia C Beine
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Christine Knies
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Jennifer Schröder-Schwarz
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Michael Horn
- Core Facility In Vivo Optical Imaging, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kristoffer Riecken
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Lange
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.
- Institute of Anatomy I, University Hospital Jena, Teichgraben 7, Jena, 07743, Germany.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), Ulm, Germany.
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3
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Chen X, Meng Y, Wang L, Zhou W, Chen D, Xie H, Ren S. Highly robust reconstruction framework for three-dimensional optical imaging based on physical model constrained neural networks. Phys Med Biol 2024; 69:075020. [PMID: 38394682 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad2ca3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Objective. The reconstruction of three-dimensional optical imaging that can quantitatively acquire the target distribution from surface measurements is a serious ill-posed problem. Traditional regularization-based reconstruction can solve such ill-posed problem to a certain extent, but its accuracy is highly dependent ona priorinformation, resulting in a less stable and adaptable method. Data-driven deep learning-based reconstruction avoids the errors of light propagation models and the reliance on experience and a prior by learning the mapping relationship between the surface light distribution and the target directly from the dataset. However, the acquisition of the training dataset and the training of the network itself are time consuming, and the high dependence of the network performance on the training dataset results in a low generalization ability. The objective of this work is to develop a highly robust reconstruction framework to solve the existing problems.Approach. This paper proposes a physical model constrained neural networks-based reconstruction framework. In the framework, the neural networks are to generate a target distribution from surface measurements, while the physical model is used to calculate the surface light distribution based on this target distribution. The mean square error between the calculated surface light distribution and the surface measurements is then used as a loss function to optimize the neural network. To further reduce the dependence ona prioriinformation, a movable region is randomly selected and then traverses the entire solution interval. We reconstruct the target distribution in this movable region and the results are used as the basis for its next movement.Main Results. The performance of the proposed framework is evaluated with a series of simulations andin vivoexperiment, including accuracy robustness of different target distributions, noise immunity, depth robustness, and spatial resolution. The results collectively demonstrate that the framework can reconstruct targets with a high accuracy, stability and versatility.Significance. The proposed framework has high accuracy and robustness, as well as good generalizability. Compared with traditional regularization-based reconstruction methods, it eliminates the need to manually delineate feasible regions and adjust regularization parameters. Compared with emerging deep learning assisted methods, it does not require any training dataset, thus saving a lot of time and resources and solving the problem of poor generalization and robustness of deep learning methods. Thus, the framework opens up a new perspective for the reconstruction of three-dimension optical imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Chen
- Center for Biomedical-photonics and Molecular Imaging, Advanced Diagnostic-Therapy Technology and Equipment Key Laboratory of Higher Education Institutions in Shaanxi Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education & Xi'an Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Regulation of trans-Scale Life Information, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
- Innovation Center for Advanced Medical Imaging and Intelligent Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Technology, Xidian University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510555, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Meng
- Center for Biomedical-photonics and Molecular Imaging, Advanced Diagnostic-Therapy Technology and Equipment Key Laboratory of Higher Education Institutions in Shaanxi Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education & Xi'an Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Regulation of trans-Scale Life Information, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Wang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710048, People's Republic of China
| | - Wangting Zhou
- Center for Biomedical-photonics and Molecular Imaging, Advanced Diagnostic-Therapy Technology and Equipment Key Laboratory of Higher Education Institutions in Shaanxi Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education & Xi'an Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Regulation of trans-Scale Life Information, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
| | - Duofang Chen
- Center for Biomedical-photonics and Molecular Imaging, Advanced Diagnostic-Therapy Technology and Equipment Key Laboratory of Higher Education Institutions in Shaanxi Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education & Xi'an Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Regulation of trans-Scale Life Information, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Xie
- Center for Biomedical-photonics and Molecular Imaging, Advanced Diagnostic-Therapy Technology and Equipment Key Laboratory of Higher Education Institutions in Shaanxi Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education & Xi'an Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Regulation of trans-Scale Life Information, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenghan Ren
- Center for Biomedical-photonics and Molecular Imaging, Advanced Diagnostic-Therapy Technology and Equipment Key Laboratory of Higher Education Institutions in Shaanxi Province, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education & Xi'an Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing and Regulation of trans-Scale Life Information, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710126, People's Republic of China
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Su SP, Yang YZ, Chiang HK. Development of an integrated dual-modality 3D bioluminescence tomography and ultrasound imaging system for small animal tumor imaging. OPTICS EXPRESS 2024; 32:5607-5620. [PMID: 38439282 DOI: 10.1364/oe.507659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) is a valuable tool for imaging soft tissue and visualizing tumor contours. Taking the benefits of US, we presented an integrated dual-modality imaging system in this paper that achieves three-dimensional (3D) bioluminescence tomography (BLT) with multi-view bioluminescence images and 3D US imaging. The purpose of this system is to perform non-invasive, long-term monitoring of tumor growth in 3D images. US images can enhance the accuracy of the 3D BLT reconstruction and the bioluminescence dose within an object. Furthermore, an integrated co-registered scanning geometry was used to capture the fused BLT and US images. We validated the system with an in vivo experiment involving tumor-bearing mice. The results demonstrated the feasibility of reconstructing 3D BLT images in the tumor region using 3D US images. We used the dice coefficient and locational error to evaluate the similarity between the reconstructed source region and the actual source region. The dice coefficient was 88.5%, and the locational error was 0.4 mm when comparing the BLT and 3D US images. The hybrid BLT/US system could provide significant benefits for reconstructing the source of tumor location and conducting quantitative analysis of tumor size.
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Molière S, Martinet A, Jaulin A, Lodi M, Chamaraux-Tran TN, Alpy F, Bierry G, Tomasetto C. Fast Ultrasound Scanning is a Rapid, Sensitive, Precise and Cost-Effective Method to Monitor Tumor Grafts in Mice. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2024; 29:2. [PMID: 38289494 PMCID: PMC10827948 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-024-09555-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In preclinical studies, accurate monitoring of tumor dynamics is crucial for understanding cancer biology and evaluating therapeutic interventions. Traditional methods like caliper measurements and bioluminescence imaging (BLI) have limitations, prompting the need for improved imaging techniques. This study introduces a fast-scan high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) protocol for the longitudinal assessment of syngeneic breast tumor grafts in mice, comparing its performance with caliper, BLI measurements and with histological analysis. The E0771 mammary gland tumor cell line, engineered to express luciferase, was orthotopically grafted into immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice. Tumor growth was monitored longitudinally at multiple timepoints using caliper measurement, HFUS, and BLI, with the latter two modalities assessed against histopathological standards post-euthanasia. The HFUS protocol was designed for rapid, anesthesia-free scanning, focusing on volume estimation, echogenicity, and necrosis visualization. All mice developed tumors, only 20.6% were palpable at day 4. HFUS detected tumors as small as 2.2 mm in average diameter from day 4 post-implantation, with an average scanning duration of 47 s per mouse. It provided a more accurate volume assessment than caliper, with a lower average bias relative to reference tumor volume. HFUS also revealed tumor necrosis, correlating strongly with BLI in terms of tumor volume and cellularity. Notable discrepancies between HFUS and BLI growth rates were attributed to immune cell infiltration. The fast HFUS protocol enables precise and efficient tumor assessment in preclinical studies, offering significant advantages over traditional methods in terms of speed, accuracy, and animal welfare, aligning with the 3R principle in animal research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Molière
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France.
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France.
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1258, Illkirch, France.
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
- Department of Radiology, Strasbourg University Hospital, Hôpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France.
- Breast and Thyroid Imaging Unit, ICANS, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Arthur Martinet
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1258, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Amélie Jaulin
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1258, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Massimo Lodi
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1258, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thien-Nga Chamaraux-Tran
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1258, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Anesthesiology, Groupe Hospitalier Saint Vincent, Clinique Sainte Barbe, Strasbourg, France
| | - Fabien Alpy
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1258, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Guillaume Bierry
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Radiology, Strasbourg University Hospital, Hôpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France
- Engineering Science, Computer Science and Imaging Laboratory (ICube), Integrative Multimodal Imaging in Healthcare, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, Strasbourg, France
| | - Catherine Tomasetto
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illkirch, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7104, Illkirch, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1258, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Huang Y, Wang H, Yue X, Li X. Bone serves as a transfer station for secondary dissemination of breast cancer. Bone Res 2023; 11:21. [PMID: 37085486 PMCID: PMC10121690 DOI: 10.1038/s41413-023-00260-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is responsible for the majority of deaths among breast cancer patients. Although parallel polyclonal seeding has been shown to contribute to organ-specific metastasis, in the past decade, horizontal cross-metastatic seeding (metastasis-to-metastasis spreading) has also been demonstrated as a pattern of distant metastasis to multiple sites. Bone, as the most frequent first destination of breast cancer metastasis, has been demonstrated to facilitate the secondary dissemination of breast cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the clinical and experimental evidence that bone is a transfer station for the secondary dissemination of breast cancer. We also discuss the regulatory mechanisms of the bone microenvironment in secondary seeding of breast cancer, focusing on stemness regulation, quiescence-proliferation equilibrium regulation, epigenetic reprogramming and immune escape of cancer cells. Furthermore, we highlight future research perspectives and strategies for preventing secondary dissemination from bone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Xiaomin Yue
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Xiaoqing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China.
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China.
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China.
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Wei X, Huang J, Zhang C, Xu C, Pu K, Zhang Y. Highly Bright Near-Infrared Chemiluminescent Probes for Cancer Imaging and Laparotomy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202213791. [PMID: 36579889 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202213791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Near-infrared (NIR) chemiluminescence imaging holds potential for sensitive imaging of cancer due to its low background; however, few NIR chemiluminophores are available, which share the drawback of low chemiluminescence quantum yields (ΦCL ). Herein, we report the synthesis of NIR chemiluminophores for cancer imaging and laparotomy. Molecular engineering of the electron-withdrawing group at the para-position of the phenol-dioxetane leads to a highly bright NIR chemiluminophore (DPT), showing the ΦCL (4.6×10-2 Einstein mol-1 ) that is 3 to 5-fold higher than existing NIR chemiluminophores. By caging the phenol group of DPT with a cathepsin B (CatB) responsive moiety, an activatable chemiluminescence probe (DPTCB ) is developed for real-time turn-on detection of deeply buried tumor tissues in living mice. Due to its high brightness, DPTCB permits accurate chemiluminescence-guided laparotomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wei
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Jingsheng Huang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Cheng Xu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637457, Singapore
| | - Kanyi Pu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637457, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 636921, Singapore
| | - Yan Zhang
- National Engineering Research Centre for Nanomedicine, College of Life Science and Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic Chemistry and Materia Medical, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430074, P.R. China
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8
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Chen J, Zhao N, Copello V, Ru Y, Burnstein KL, Yang Y. Accurate and Early Metastases Diagnosis in Live Animals With Multimodal X-ray and Optical Imaging. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2023; 115:511-517. [PMID: 35931351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.07.1832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE In vivo optical imaging systems are essential to track disease progression and evaluate therapeutic efficacy in animal studies. However, current approaches are limited by their inability to accurately capture 3-dimensional (3-D) image information. To overcome this hindrance, we adopted x-ray computed tomography (CT) as a prior for 3-D optical image reconstruction and further challenged the multimodal imaging performance with a metastasis model. METHODS AND MATERIALS The iSMAART system, an integrated small animal research platform, features coregistered high-quality quantitative optical tomography and CT. In the synergistic dual-modality imaging, CT provides both 3-D anatomy information and animal structure mesh for optical tomography reconstruction, which is performed using bioluminescence projections acquired from 4 orthogonal angles. The multimodal imaging system was challenged with a prostate cancer metastasis model, and a double-blind histopathology diagnosis was obtained to validate the imaging results. RESULTS The iSMAART located, visualized, and quantified early tumor metastases at the millimeter scale, and can accurately track deep tumors as small as 1.5 mm in live animals. Tumors metastasized into the liver, diaphragm, and tibia in 4 mice were all successfully diagnosed by the integrated tomographic imaging. CONCLUSIONS Instead of roughly comparing surface-light intensities, as traditionally performed in 2-dimensional optical imaging, iSMAART provides accurate tumor imaging and quantitative assessment capabilities with integrated CT and optical tomography for cancer metastasis research. With the powerful 3-D optical/CT imaging capability, iSMAART has the potential to tackle more complex research needs with higher targeting accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Chen
- Department of Engineering and Applied Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ning Zhao
- Department of Engineering and Applied Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Valeria Copello
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Yi Ru
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Kerry L Burnstein
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida; Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Yidong Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China; School of Physical Sciences and Ion Medical Research Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
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9
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Gonzalez C, Williamson S, Gammon ST, Glazer S, Rhee JH, Piwnica-Worms D. TLR5 agonists enhance anti-tumor immunity and overcome resistance to immune checkpoint therapy. Commun Biol 2023; 6:31. [PMID: 36635337 PMCID: PMC9837180 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04403-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary and adaptive resistance to immune checkpoint therapies (ICT) represent a considerable obstacle to achieving enhanced overall survival. Innate immune activators have been actively pursued for their antitumor potential. Herein we report that a syngeneic 4T1 mammary carcinoma murine model for established highly-refractory triple negative breast cancer showed enhanced survival when treated intra-tumorally with either the TLR5 agonist flagellin or CBLB502, a flagellin derivative, in combination with antibodies targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1. Long-term survivor mice showed immunologic memory upon tumor re-challenge and a distinctive immune activating cytokine profile that engaged both innate and adaptive immunity. Low serum levels of G-CSF and CXCL5 (as well as high IL-15) were candidate predictive biomarkers correlating with enhanced survival. CBLB502-induced enhancement of ICT was also observed in poorly immunogenic B16-F10 melanoma tumors. Combination immune checkpoint therapy plus TLR5 agonists may offer a new therapeutic strategy to treat ICT-refractory solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Gonzalez
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Sarah Williamson
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Seth T. Gammon
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Sarah Glazer
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Joon Haeng Rhee
- grid.14005.300000 0001 0356 9399Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - David Piwnica-Worms
- grid.240145.60000 0001 2291 4776Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 USA
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10
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Li S, Wang K, Wang Z, Zhang W, Liu Z, Cheng Y, Zhu J, Zhong M, Hu S, Zhang Y. Application and trend of bioluminescence imaging in metabolic syndrome research. Front Chem 2023; 10:1113546. [PMID: 36700071 PMCID: PMC9868317 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1113546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging is a non-invasive technology used to visualize physiological processes in animals and is useful for studying the dynamics of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a broad spectrum of diseases which are rapidly increasing in prevalence, and is closely associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and circadian rhythm disorder. To better serve metabolic syndrome research, researchers have established a variety of animal models expressing luciferase, while also committing to finding more suitable luciferase promoters and developing more efficient luciferase-luciferin systems. In this review, we systematically summarize the applications of different models for bioluminescence imaging in the study of metabolic syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirui Li
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Kang Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China,Postgraduate Department, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China,Postgraduate Department, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zenglin Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yugang Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Jiankang Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Mingwei Zhong
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Sanyuan Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China,Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Sanyuan Hu, ; Yun Zhang,
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China,Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Sanyuan Hu, ; Yun Zhang,
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11
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Wu J, Qiao H. Medical Imaging Technology and Imaging Agents. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1199:15-38. [PMID: 37460725 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-32-9902-3_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Medical imaging is a technology that studies the interaction between human body and irradiations of X-ray, ultrasound, magnetic field, etc. and represents anatomical structures of human organs/tissues with the implication of irradiation attenuation in the form of grayscales. With these medical images, detailed information on health status and disease diagnosis may be judged by clinical physicians to determine an appropriate therapy approach. This chapter will give a systematic introduction on the modalities, classifications, basic principles, and biomedical applications of traditional medical imaging along with the types, construction, and major features of the corresponding contrast agents or imaging probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieting Wu
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Huanhuan Qiao
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
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12
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Zhang X, Cao X, Zhang P, Song F, Zhang J, Zhang L, Zhang G. Self-Training Strategy Based on Finite Element Method for Adaptive Bioluminescence Tomography Reconstruction. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING 2022; 41:2629-2643. [PMID: 35436185 DOI: 10.1109/tmi.2022.3167809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) is a promising pre-clinical imaging technique for a wide variety of biomedical applications, which can non-invasively reveal functional activities inside living animal bodies through the detection of visible or near-infrared light produced by bioluminescent reactions. Recently, reconstruction approaches based on deep learning have shown great potential in optical tomography modalities. However, these reports only generate data with stationary patterns of constant target number, shape, and size. The neural networks trained by these data sets are difficult to reconstruct the patterns outside the data sets. This will tremendously restrict the applications of deep learning in optical tomography reconstruction. To address this problem, a self-training strategy is proposed for BLT reconstruction in this paper. The proposed strategy can fast generate large-scale BLT data sets with random target numbers, shapes, and sizes through an algorithm named random seed growth algorithm and the neural network is automatically self-trained. In addition, the proposed strategy uses the neural network to build a map between photon densities on surface and inside the imaged object rather than an end-to-end neural network that directly infers the distribution of sources from the photon density on surface. The map of photon density is further converted into the distribution of sources through the multiplication with stiffness matrix. Simulation, phantom, and mouse studies are carried out. Results show the availability of the proposed self-training strategy.
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13
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Tracking of Extracellular Vesicles’ Biodistribution: New Methods and Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911312. [PMID: 36232613 PMCID: PMC9569979 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized lipid bilayer vesicles that are released by almost all cell types. They range in diameter from 30 nm to several micrometres and have the ability to carry biologically active molecules such as proteins, lipids, RNA, and DNA. EVs are natural vectors and play an important role in many physiological and pathological processes. The amount and composition of EVs in human biological fluids serve as biomarkers and are used for diagnosing diseases and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment. EVs are promising for use as therapeutic agents and as natural vectors for drug delivery. However, the successful use of EVs in clinical practice requires an understanding of their biodistribution in an organism. Numerous studies conducted so far on the biodistribution of EVs show that, after intravenous administration, EVs are mostly localized in organs rich in blood vessels and organs associated with the reticuloendothelial system, such as the liver, lungs, spleen, and kidneys. In order to improve resolution, new dyes and labels are being developed and detection methods are being optimized. In this work, we review all available modern methods and approaches used to assess the biodistribution of EVs, as well as discuss their advantages and limitations.
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14
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Deng Z, Xu X, Iordachita I, Dehghani H, Zhang B, Wong JW, Wang KKH. Mobile bioluminescence tomography-guided system for pre-clinical radiotherapy research. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:4970-4989. [PMID: 36187243 PMCID: PMC9484421 DOI: 10.1364/boe.460737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Due to low imaging contrast, a widely-used cone-beam computed tomography-guided small animal irradiator is less adept at localizing in vivo soft tissue targets. Bioluminescence tomography (BLT), which combines a model of light propagation through tissue with an optimization algorithm, can recover a spatially resolved tomographic volume for an internal bioluminescent source. We built a novel mobile BLT system for a small animal irradiator to localize soft tissue targets for radiation guidance. In this study, we elaborate its configuration and features that are indispensable for accurate image guidance. Phantom and in vivo validations show the BLT system can localize targets with accuracy within 1 mm. With the optimal choice of threshold and margin for target volume, BLT can provide a distinctive opportunity for investigators to perform conformal biology-guided irradiation to malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijian Deng
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
- Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Technology Laboratory (BIRTLab), Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Xiangkun Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
- Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Technology Laboratory (BIRTLab), Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Iulian Iordachita
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Hamid Dehghani
- School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Bin Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
| | - John W Wong
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
| | - Ken Kang-Hsin Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
- Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Technology Laboratory (BIRTLab), Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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15
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Rezaeifar B, Wolfs CJA, Lieuwes NG, Biemans R, Reniers B, Dubois LJ, Verhaegen F. A deep learning and Monte Carlo based framework for bioluminescence imaging center of mass-guided glioblastoma targeting. Phys Med Biol 2022; 67. [DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ac79f8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a valuable tool for non-invasive monitoring of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor-bearing small animals without incurring x-ray radiation burden. However, the use of this imaging modality is limited due to photon scattering and lack of spatial information. Attempts at reconstructing bioluminescence tomography (BLT) using mathematical models of light propagation show limited progress. Approach. This paper employed a different approach by using a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict the tumor’s center of mass (CoM). Transfer-learning with a sizeable artificial database is employed to facilitate the training process for, the much smaller, target database including Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of real orthotopic glioblastoma models. Predicted CoM was then used to estimate a BLI-based planning target volume (bPTV), by using the CoM as the center of a sphere, encompassing the tumor. The volume of the encompassing target sphere was estimated based on the total number of photons reaching the skin surface. Main results. Results show sub-millimeter accuracy for CoM prediction with a median error of 0.59 mm. The proposed method also provides promising performance for BLI-based tumor targeting with on average 94% of the tumor inside the bPTV while keeping the average healthy tissue coverage below 10%. Significance. This work introduced a framework for developing and using a CNN for targeted radiation studies for GBM based on BLI. The framework will enable biologists to use BLI as their main image-guidance tool to target GBM tumors in rat models, avoiding delivery of high x-ray imaging dose to the animals.
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16
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Knier NN, Pellizzari S, Zhou J, Foster PJ, Parsyan A. Preclinical Models of Brain Metastases in Breast Cancer. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10030667. [PMID: 35327469 PMCID: PMC8945440 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10030667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer remains a leading cause of mortality among women worldwide. Brain metastases confer extremely poor prognosis due to a lack of understanding of their specific biology, unique physiologic and anatomic features of the brain, and limited treatment strategies. A major roadblock in advancing the treatment of breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) is the scarcity of representative experimental preclinical models. Current models are predominantly based on the use of animal xenograft models with immortalized breast cancer cell lines that poorly capture the disease’s heterogeneity. Recent years have witnessed the development of patient-derived in vitro and in vivo breast cancer culturing systems that more closely recapitulate the biology from individual patients. These advances led to the development of modern patient-tissue-based experimental models for BCBM. The success of preclinical models is also based on the imaging technologies used to detect metastases. Advances in animal brain imaging, including cellular MRI and multimodality imaging, allow sensitive and specific detection of brain metastases and monitoring treatment responses. These imaging technologies, together with novel translational breast cancer models based on patient-derived cancer tissues, represent a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of brain metastases biology and develop novel treatment approaches. This review discusses the state-of-the-art knowledge in preclinical models of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha N. Knier
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada; (N.N.K.); (P.J.F.)
- Imaging Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Sierra Pellizzari
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada;
| | - Jiangbing Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA;
| | - Paula J. Foster
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada; (N.N.K.); (P.J.F.)
- Imaging Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Armen Parsyan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada;
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON N6A 4L6, Canada
- Department of Surgery, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-519-646-4831; Fax: +1-519-646-6327
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17
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Okada R, Furusawa A, Choyke PL, Kobayashi H. Quantitative Assessment of the Efficacy of Near-Infrared Photoimmunotherapy with Bioluminescence Imaging. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2525:3-13. [PMID: 35836056 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2473-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a cell-specific cancer therapy in which antibody-photoabsorber conjugates (APCs) are activated by NIR light to induce rapid immunogenic cell death with minimal off-target effects. In preclinical settings, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is useful to quantitatively assess the efficacy of NIR-PIT for both in vitro and in vivo experiments, especially in the early phase of testing. Here, we describe the detailed methods of the experiments for NIR-PIT and evaluation of its efficacy using BLI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuhei Okada
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Aki Furusawa
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter L Choyke
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hisataka Kobayashi
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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18
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Deng Z, Xu X, Dehghani H, Sforza DM, Iordachita I, Lim M, Wong JW, Wang KKH. Quantitative Bioluminescence Tomography for In Vivo Volumetric-Guided Radiotherapy. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2393:701-731. [PMID: 34837208 PMCID: PMC9098109 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1803-5_38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Several groups, including ours, have initiated efforts to develop small-animal irradiators that mimic radiation therapy (RT) for human treatment. The major image modality used to guide irradiation is cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). While CBCT provides excellent guidance capability, it is less adept at localizing soft tissue targets growing in a low image contrast environment. In contrast, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) provides strong image contrast and thus is an attractive solution for soft tissue targeting. However, commonly used 2D BLI on an animal surface is inadequate to guide irradiation, because optical transport from an internal bioluminescent tumor is highly susceptible to the effects of optical path length and tissue absorption and scattering. Recognition of these limitations led us to integrate 3D bioluminescence tomography (BLT) with the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP). In this chapter, we introduce quantitative BLT (QBLT) with the advanced capabilities of quantifying tumor volume for irradiation guidance. The detail of system components, calibration protocol, and step-by-step procedure to conduct the QBLT-guided irradiation are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijian Deng
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xiangkun Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Hamid Dehghani
- School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Daniel M Sforza
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Iulian Iordachita
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael Lim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John W Wong
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ken Kang-Hsin Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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19
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A Method of Bone-Metastatic Tumor Progression Assessment in Mice Using Longitudinal Radiography. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2413:1-6. [PMID: 35044648 PMCID: PMC9082521 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1896-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Many types of solid tumors metastasize to the bone, where it causes significant morbidity and mortality in patients with advanced disease. Bone metastases are not only incurable but also affect bone health which impairs patients' quality of life. In order to understand the mechanisms and develop effective treatments for bone-metastatic disease, it is first necessary to develop animal models that permit the assessment of tumor growth in the bone and progressive structural changes of the bone simultaneously. Longitudinal analysis of bone tumor progression is generally performed by bioluminescent imaging; however, this method is not able to assess progressive structural changes of the bone. Here, we describe a simple method for assessment of bone lesions using a scoring system that takes into account disease burden and bone destruction using longitudinal radiographs.
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20
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Manni I, de Latouliere L, Piaggio G. Bioluminescence and Optical Imaging: Principles and Applications. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822960-6.00105-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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21
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Abstract
Optical imaging is an indispensable tool in clinical diagnostics and fundamental biomedical research. Autofluorescence-free optical imaging, which eliminates real-time optical excitation to minimize background noise, enables clear visualization of biological architecture and physiopathological events deep within living subjects. Molecular probes especially developed for autofluorescence-free optical imaging have been proven to remarkably improve the imaging sensitivity, penetration depth, target specificity, and multiplexing capability. In this Review, we focus on the advancements of autofluorescence-free molecular probes through the lens of particular molecular or photophysical mechanisms that produce long-lasting luminescence after the cessation of light excitation. The versatile design strategies of these molecular probes are discussed along with a broad range of biological applications. Finally, challenges and perspectives are discussed to further advance the next-generation autofluorescence-free molecular probes for in vivo imaging and in vitro biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyan Jiang
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637457, Singapore
| | - Kanyi Pu
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637457, Singapore.,School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371, Singapore
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22
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Arruda de Faria C, Silva Júnior WA, Caetano Andrade Coelho KB, Bassi M, Colombari E, Zanette DL, Ribeiro-Paes JT. Mesenchymal stromal cells-based therapy in a murine model of elastase-induced emphysema: Simvastatin as a potential adjuvant in cellular homing. Pulm Pharmacol Ther 2021; 70:102075. [PMID: 34428598 DOI: 10.1016/j.pupt.2021.102075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - COPD is characterized by the destruction of alveolar walls associated to a chronic inflammatory response of the airways. There is no clinical therapy for COPD. In this context, cell-based therapies represent a promising therapeutic approach for chronic lung disease. The goal of this work was to evaluate the effect of simvastatin on cell-based therapy in a mice emphysema model. Female FVB mice received intranasal instillation of elastase (three consecutive doses of 50 μL) in order to promote pulmonary emphysema. After 21 days of the first instillation, the animals were treated with Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (AD-MSC, 2.6 × 106) via retro-orbital infusion associated or not with simvastatin administrated daily via oral gavage (15 mg/kg/15d). Before and after these treatments, the histological and morphometrical analyses of the lung tissue, as so as lung function (whole body plethysmography) were evaluated. PAI-1 gene expression, an upregulated factor by ischemia that indicate a low survival of transplanted MSC, was also evaluated. The result regarding morphological and functional aspects of both lungs, presented no significant difference among the groups (AD-MSC or AD-MSC + Simvastatin). However, significant anatomical difference was observed in the right lung of the both groups of mice. The results shown a higher deposition of cells in the right lung, with might to be explained by anatomical differences (slightly higher right bronchi). Decreased levels of PAI-1 were observed in the simvastatin treated groups. The pulmonary ventilation was similar between the groups with only a tendency to a lower in the elastase treated animals due to a low respiratory frequency. In conclusion, the results suggest that both AD-MSC and simvastatin treatments could promote an improvement of morphological recovery of pulmonary emphysema, that it was more pronounced in the right lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Arruda de Faria
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wilson Araújo Silva Júnior
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Mirian Bassi
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - Unesp, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Colombari
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Patologia, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - Unesp, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dalila Lucíola Zanette
- Laboratório de Ciências e Tecnologias Aplicadas em Saúde, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - João Tadeu Ribeiro-Paes
- Departamento de Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista - Unesp, Assis, São Paulo, Brazil.
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23
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Price MJ, Baëta C, Dalton TE, Nguyen A, Lavau C, Pennington Z, Sciubba DM, Goodwin CR. Animal Models of Metastatic Lesions to the Spine: a Focus on Epidural Spinal Cord Compression. World Neurosurg 2021; 155:122-134. [PMID: 34343682 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.07.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC) secondary to spine metastases is one of the most devastating sequelae of primary cancer as it may lead to muscle weakness, paresthesia, pain, and paralysis. Spine metastases occur through a multi-step process that can result in eventual ESCC; however, the lack of a preclinical model to effectively recapitulate each step of this metastatic cascade and the symptom burden of ESCC has limited our understanding of this disease process. In this review, we discuss animal models that best recapitulate ESCC; we start with a broad discussion of commonly used models of bone metastasis and end with a focused discussion of models used to specifically study ESCC. Orthotopic models offer the most authentic recapitulation of metastasis development; however, they rarely result in symptomatic ESCC and are challenging to replicate. Conversely, models that involve injection of tumor cells directly into the bloodstream or bone better mimic the symptoms of ESCC; however, they provide limited insight into the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and natural hematogenous spread of tumor cell. Therefore, until an ideal model is created, it is critical to select an animal model that is specifically designed to answer the scientific question of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan J Price
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - César Baëta
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Tara E Dalton
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Annee Nguyen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Catherine Lavau
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Zach Pennington
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel M Sciubba
- Department of Neurosurgery, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital, Northwell Health, Manhasset, New York, USA
| | - C Rory Goodwin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
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D'Alonzo RA, Gill S, Rowshanfarzad P, Keam S, MacKinnon KM, Cook AM, Ebert MA. In vivo noninvasive preclinical tumor hypoxia imaging methods: a review. Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 97:593-631. [PMID: 33703994 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1900943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Tumors exhibit areas of decreased oxygenation due to malformed blood vessels. This low oxygen concentration decreases the effectiveness of radiation therapy, and the resulting poor perfusion can prevent drugs from reaching areas of the tumor. Tumor hypoxia is associated with poorer prognosis and disease progression, and is therefore of interest to preclinical researchers. Although there are multiple different ways to measure tumor hypoxia and related factors, there is no standard for quantifying spatial and temporal tumor hypoxia distributions in preclinical research or in the clinic. This review compares imaging methods utilized for the purpose of assessing spatio-temporal patterns of hypoxia in the preclinical setting. Imaging methods provide varying levels of spatial and temporal resolution regarding different aspects of hypoxia, and with varying advantages and disadvantages. The choice of modality requires consideration of the specific experimental model, the nature of the required characterization and the availability of complementary modalities as well as immunohistochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A D'Alonzo
- School of Physics, Mathematics and Computing, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Suki Gill
- School of Physics, Mathematics and Computing, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Pejman Rowshanfarzad
- School of Physics, Mathematics and Computing, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Synat Keam
- School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Kelly M MacKinnon
- School of Physics, Mathematics and Computing, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Alistair M Cook
- School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Martin A Ebert
- School of Physics, Mathematics and Computing, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
- 5D Clinics, Claremont, Australia
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Alsawaftah N, Farooq A, Dhou S, Majdalawieh AF. Bioluminescence Imaging Applications in Cancer: A Comprehensive Review. IEEE Rev Biomed Eng 2021; 14:307-326. [PMID: 32746363 DOI: 10.1109/rbme.2020.2995124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI), an optical preclinical imaging modality, is an invaluable imaging modality due to its low-cost, high throughput, fast acquisition times, and functional imaging capabilities. BLI is being extensively used in the field of cancer imaging, especially with the recent developments in genetic-engineering, stem cell, and gene therapy treatments. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the principles, developments, and current status of BLI in cancer research. This paper covers the fundamental BLI concepts including BLI reporters and enzyme-substrate systems, data acquisition, and image characteristics. It reviews the studies discussing the use of BLI in cancer research such as imaging tumor-characteristic phenomena including tumorigenesis, metastasis, cancer metabolism, apoptosis, hypoxia, and angiogenesis, and response to cancer therapy treatments including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and stem cell therapy. The key advantages and disadvantages of BLI compared to other common imaging modalities are also discussed.
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Deng Z, Xu X, Dehghani H, Reyes J, Zheng L, Klose AD, Wong JW, Tran PT, Wang KKH. In vivo bioluminescence tomography-guided radiation research platform for pancreatic cancer: an initial study using subcutaneous and orthotopic pancreatic tumor models. PROCEEDINGS OF SPIE--THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR OPTICAL ENGINEERING 2020; 11224. [PMID: 33223595 DOI: 10.1117/12.2546503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Genetically engineered mouse model(GEMM) that develops pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC) offers an experimental system to advance our understanding of radiotherapy(RT) for pancreatic cancer. Cone beam CT(CBCT)-guided small animal radiation research platform(SARRP) has been developed to mimic the RT used for human. However, we recognized that CBCT is inadequate to localize the PDAC growing in low image contrast environment. We innovated bioluminescence tomography(BLT) to guide SARRP irradiation for in vivo PDAC. Before working on the complex PDAC-GEMM, we first validated our BLT target localization using subcutaneous and orthotopic pancreatic tumor models. Our BLT process involves the animal transport between the BLT system and SARRP. We inserted a titanium wire into the orthotopic tumor as the fiducial marker to track the tumor location and to validate the BLT reconstruction accuracy. Our data shows that with careful animal handling, minimum disturbance for target position was introduced during our BLT imaging procedure(<0.5mm). However, from longitudinal 2D bioluminescence image(BLI) study, the day-to-day location variation for an abdominal tumor can be significant. We also showed that the 2D BLI in single projection setting cannot accurately capture the abdominal tumor location. It renders that 3D BLT with multiple-projection is needed to quantify the tumor volume and location for precise radiation research. Our initial results show the BLT can retrieve the location at 2mm accuracy for both tumor models, and the tumor volume can be delineated within 25% accuracy. The study for the subcutaneous and orthotopic models will provide us valuable knowledge for BLT-guided PDAC-GEMM radiation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijian Deng
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287
| | - Xiangkun Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287
| | - Hamid Dehghani
- School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK B15 2TT
| | - Juvenal Reyes
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287.,Precision Medicine Center of Excellence Program for Pancreatic Cancer, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287
| | | | - John W Wong
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287
| | - Phuoc T Tran
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287
| | - Ken Kang-Hsin Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA 21287
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Dai Y, Chen D, Wang G, Yin J, Zhan Y, Wu K, Liang J, Chen X. Kinetic modeling and analysis of dynamic bioluminescence imaging of substrates administered by intraperitoneal injection. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2020; 10:389-396. [PMID: 32190565 DOI: 10.21037/qims.2020.01.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has been found to have diverse applications in the life sciences and medical research due to its ease of use and high sensitivity. From kinetics analysis, dynamic imaging studies have significant advantages for diagnosis when compared to traditional static imaging studies. This work focuses on modeling and quantitatively analyzing the dynamic data produced from the intraperitoneal (IP) injection of D-luciferin in longitudinal BLI, aiming to provide a powerful tool for monitoring the growth of tumors. Methods We constructed a three-compartment pharmacokinetic (PK) model and employed the standard Michaelis-Menten (M-M) kinetics to investigate the dynamic BLI data produced from the IP injection of D-luciferin. The 3 compartments were the plasma compartment, the non-specific compartment, and the specific compartment. The validity of this PK model was tested by the dynamic BLI data of MKN28M-luc xenograft mice, along with the published longitudinal dynamic BLI data of B16F10-luc xenograft mice. Results The R-squares between the simulated lines and the measurement were 1 and 0.99, respectively, for the mice data and the published data. In addition, the 2 kinetic macroparameters obtained reflected the rate of tumor growth in vivo. In particular, the values of macroparameters A showed a significant dependence on tumor surface area. Conclusions The proposed PK model may be an effective tool for use in drug development programs and for monitoring the response of tumors to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Dai
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Duofang Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Guodong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jipeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Yonghua Zhan
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Kaichun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jimin Liang
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Xueli Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
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Sobczuk P, Brodziak A, Khan MI, Chhabra S, Fiedorowicz M, Wełniak-Kamińska M, Synoradzki K, Bartnik E, Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska A, Czarnecka AM. Choosing The Right Animal Model for Renal Cancer Research. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100745. [PMID: 32092671 PMCID: PMC7036425 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The increase in the life expectancy of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the last decade is due to changes that have occurred in the area of preclinical studies. Understanding cancer pathophysiology and the emergence of new therapeutic options, including immunotherapy, would not be possible without proper research. Before new approaches to disease treatment are developed and introduced into clinical practice they must be preceded by preclinical tests, in which animal studies play a significant role. This review describes the progress in animal model development in kidney cancer research starting from the oldest syngeneic or chemically-induced models, through genetically modified mice, finally to xenograft, especially patient-derived, avatar and humanized mouse models. As there are a number of subtypes of RCC, our aim is to help to choose the right animal model for a particular kidney cancer subtype. The data on genetic backgrounds, biochemical parameters, histology, different stages of carcinogenesis and metastasis in various animal models of RCC as well as their translational relevance are summarized. Moreover, we shed some light on imaging methods, which can help define tumor microstructure, assist in the analysis of its metabolic changes and track metastasis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Sobczuk
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Anna Brodziak
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Mohammed Imran Khan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Stuti Chhabra
- Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
| | - Michał Fiedorowicz
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawinskiego Str., Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marlena Wełniak-Kamińska
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawinskiego Str., Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Kamil Synoradzki
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawinskiego Str., Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Ewa Bartnik
- Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Anna M Czarnecka
- Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawinskiego Str., Warsaw, Poland.
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Development of an embedded multimodality imaging platform for onco-pharmacology using a smart anticancer prodrug as an example. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2661. [PMID: 32060400 PMCID: PMC7021674 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59561-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasingly, in vivo imaging holds a strategic position in bio-pharmaceutical innovation. We will present the implementation of an integrated multimodal imaging setup enabling the assessment of multiple, complementary parameters. The system allows the fusion of information provided by: Near infrared fluorescent biomarkers, bioluminescence (for tumor proliferation status), Photoacoustic and Ultrasound imaging. We will study representative applications to the development of a smart prodrug, delivering a highly cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent to cancer tumors. The results realized the ability of this embedded, multimodality imaging platform to firstly detect bioluminescent and fluorescent signals, and secondly, record ultrasound and photoacoustic data from the same animal. This study demonstrated that the prodrug was effective in three different models of hypoxia in human cancers compared to the parental cytotoxic agent and the vehicle groups. Monitoring by photoacoustic imaging during the treatments revealed that the prodrug exhibits an intrinsic capability to prevent the progression of tumor hypoxia. It is essential for onco-pharmacology studies to precisely document the hypoxic status of tumors both before and during the time course of treatments. This approach opens new perspectives for exploitation of preclinical mouse models of cancer, especially when considering associations between hypoxia, neoangiogenesis and antitumor activity.
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Betzer O, Barnoy E, Sadan T, Elbaz I, Braverman C, Liu Z, Popovtzer R. Advances in imaging strategies for in vivo tracking of exosomes. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 12:e1594. [PMID: 31840427 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Exosomes have many biological functions as short- and long distance nanocarriers for cell-to-cell communication. They allow the exchange of complex information between cells, and thereby modulate various processes such as homeostasis, immune response and angiogenesis, in both physiological and pathological conditions. In addition, due to their unique abilities of migration, targeting, and selective internalization into specific cells, they are promising delivery vectors. As such, they provide a potentially new field in diagnostics and treatment, and may serve as an alternative to cell-based therapeutic approaches. However, a major drawback for translating exosome treatment to the clinic is that current understanding of these endogenous vesicles is insufficient, especially in regards to their in vivo behavior. Tracking exosomes in vivo can provide important knowledge regarding their biodistribution, migration abilities, toxicity, biological role, communication capabilities, and mechanism of action. Therefore, the development of efficient, sensitive and biocompatible exosome labeling and imaging techniques is highly desired. Recent studies have developed different methods for exosome labeling and imaging, which have allowed for in vivo investigation of their bio-distribution, physiological functions, migration, and targeting mechanisms. These improved imaging capabilities are expected to greatly advance exosome-based nanomedicine applications. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oshra Betzer
- Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), College of Nano Science and Technology (CNST), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Eran Barnoy
- Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Tamar Sadan
- Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Idan Elbaz
- Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Cara Braverman
- Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Zhuang Liu
- Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), College of Nano Science and Technology (CNST), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Rachela Popovtzer
- Faculty of Engineering, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Deng Z, Xu X, Garzon-Muvdi T, Xia Y, Kim E, Belcaid Z, Luksik A, Maxwell R, Choi J, Wang H, Yu J, Iordachita I, Lim M, Wong JW, Wang KKH. In Vivo Bioluminescence Tomography Center of Mass-Guided Conformal Irradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2019; 106:612-620. [PMID: 31738948 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-guided small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) has provided unique opportunities to test radiobiologic hypotheses. However, CBCT is less adept to localize soft tissue targets growing in a low imaging contrast environment. Three-dimensional bioluminescence tomography (BLT) provides strong image contrast and thus offers an attractive solution. We introduced a novel and efficient BLT-guided conformal radiation therapy and demonstrated it in an orthotopic glioblastoma (GBM) model. METHODS AND MATERIALS A multispectral BLT system was integrated with SARRP for radiation therapy (RT) guidance. GBM growth curve was first established by contrast CBCT/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to derive equivalent sphere as approximated gross target volume (aGTV). For BLT, mice were subject to multispectral bioluminescence imaging, followed by SARRP CBCT imaging and optical reconstruction. The CBCT image was acquired to generate anatomic mesh for the reconstruction and RT planning. To ensure high accuracy of the BLT-reconstructed center of mass (CoM) for target localization, we optimized the optical absorption coefficients μa by minimizing the distance between the CoMs of BLT reconstruction and contrast CBCT/MRI-delineated GBM volume. The aGTV combined with the uncertainties of BLT CoM localization and target volume determination was used to generate estimated target volume (ETV). For conformal irradiation procedure, the GBM was first localized by the predetermined ETV centered at BLT-reconstructed CoM, followed by SARRP radiation. The irradiation accuracy was qualitatively confirmed by pathologic staining. RESULTS Deviation between CoMs of BLT reconstruction and contrast CBCT/MRI-imaged GBM is approximately 1 mm. Our derived ETV centered at BLT-reconstructed CoM covers >95% of the tumor volume. Using the second-week GBM as an example, the ETV-based BLT-guided irradiation can cover 95.4% ± 4.7% tumor volume at prescribed dose. The pathologic staining demonstrated the BLT-guided irradiated area overlapped well with the GBM location. CONCLUSIONS The BLT-guided RT enables 3-dimensional conformal radiation for important orthotopic tumor models, which provides investigators a new preclinical research capability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijian Deng
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Xiangkun Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Tomas Garzon-Muvdi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Yuanxuan Xia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Eileen Kim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Zineb Belcaid
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Andrew Luksik
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Russell Maxwell
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - John Choi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hailun Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jingjing Yu
- School of Physics and Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Shanxi, China
| | - Iulian Iordachita
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Michael Lim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - John W Wong
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ken Kang-Hsin Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Landgraf M, Lahr CA, Sanchez-Herrero A, Meinert C, Shokoohmand A, Pollock PM, Hutmacher DW, Shafiee A, McGovern JA. Humanized bone facilitates prostate cancer metastasis and recapitulates therapeutic effects of zoledronic acid in vivo. Bone Res 2019; 7:31. [PMID: 31646018 PMCID: PMC6804745 DOI: 10.1038/s41413-019-0072-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced prostate cancer (PCa) is known for its high prevalence to metastasize to bone, at which point it is considered incurable. Despite significant effort, there is no animal model capable of recapitulating the complexity of PCa bone metastasis. The humanized mouse model for PCa bone metastasis used in this study aims to provide a platform for the assessment of new drugs by recapitulating the human-human cell interactions relevant for disease development and progression. The humanized tissue-engineered bone construct (hTEBC) was created within NOD-scid IL2rgnull (NSG) mice and was used for the study of experimental PC3-Luc bone metastases. It was confirmed that PC3-Luc cells preferentially grew in the hTEBC compared with murine bone. The translational potential of the humanized mouse model for PCa bone metastasis was evaluated with two clinically approved osteoprotective therapies, the non-species-specific bisphosphonate zoledronic acid (ZA) or the human-specific antibody Denosumab, both targeting Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor Kappa-Β Ligand. ZA, but not Denosumab, significantly decreased metastases in hTEBCs, but not murine femora. These results highlight the importance of humanized models for the preclinical research on PCa bone metastasis and indicate the potential of the bioengineered mouse model to closely mimic the metastatic cascade of PCa cells to human bone. Eventually, it will enable the development of new effective antimetastatic treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marietta Landgraf
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Christoph A. Lahr
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Alvaro Sanchez-Herrero
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Christoph Meinert
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ali Shokoohmand
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Pamela M. Pollock
- School of Biomedical Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dietmar W. Hutmacher
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Training Centre in Additive Biomanufacturing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Abbas Shafiee
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- UQ Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Jacqui A. McGovern
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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Advances in the strategies for designing receptor-targeted molecular imaging probes for cancer research. J Control Release 2019; 305:1-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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34
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Norleual, a hepatocyte growth factor and macrophage stimulating protein dual antagonist, increases pancreatic cancer sensitivity to gemcitabine. Anticancer Drugs 2019; 29:295-306. [PMID: 29389804 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000000598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA and is characterized by an exceptionally poor long-term survival rate compared with other major cancers. The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and macrophage stimulating protein (MSP) growth factor systems are frequently over-activated in pancreatic cancer and significantly contribute to cancer progression, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance. Small molecules homologous to the 'hinge' region of HGF, which participates in its dimerization and activation, had been developed and shown to bind HGF with high affinity, antagonize HGF's actions, and possess anticancer activity. Encouraged by sequence homology between HGF's hinge region and a similar sequence in MSP, our laboratory previously investigated and determined that these same antagonists could also block MSP-dependent cellular responses. Thus, the purpose of this study was to establish that the dual HGF/MSP antagonist Norleual could inhibit the prosurvival activity imparted by both HGF and MSP to pancreatic cancer cells in vitro, and to determine whether this effect translated into an improved chemotherapeutic impact for gemcitabine when delivered in combination in a human pancreatic cancer xenograft model. Our results demonstrate that Norleual does indeed suppress HGF's and MSP's prosurvival effects as well as sensitizing pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine in vitro. Most importantly, treatment with Norleual in combination with gemcitabine markedly inhibited in-vivo tumor growth beyond the suppression observed with gemcitabine alone. These results suggest that dual functional HGF/MSP antagonists like Norleual warrant further development and may offer an improved therapeutic outcome for pancreatic cancer patients.
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Yoo J, Yun C, Bui N, Oh J, Nam S. Photoacoustic Monitoring of the Viability of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Labeled with Indocyanine Green. Ing Rech Biomed 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.irbm.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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36
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Enhanced noninvasive imaging of oncology models using the NIS reporter gene and bioluminescence imaging. Cancer Gene Ther 2019; 27:179-188. [PMID: 30674994 PMCID: PMC7170803 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-019-0081-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Noninvasive bioluminescence imaging (BLI) of luciferase-expressing tumor cells has advanced pre-clinical evaluation of cancer therapies. Yet despite its successes, BLI is limited by poor spatial resolution and signal penetration, making it unusable for deep tissue or large animal imaging and preventing precise anatomical localization or signal quantification. To refine pre-clinical BLI methods and circumvent these limitations, we compared and ultimately combined BLI with tomographic, quantitative imaging of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS). To this end, we generated tumor cell lines expressing luciferase, NIS, or both reporters, and established tumor models in mice. BLI provided sensitive early detection of tumors and relatively easy monitoring of disease progression. However, spatial resolution was poor, and as the tumors grew, deep thoracic tumor signals were massked by overwhelming surface signals from superficial tumors. In contrast, NIS-expressing tumors were readily distinguished and precisely localized at all tissue depths by positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Furthermore, radiotracer uptake for each tumor could be quantitated noninvasively. Ultimately, combining BLI and NIS imaging represented a significant enhancement over traditional BLI, providing more information about tumor size and location. This combined imaging approach should facilitate comprehensive evaluation of tumor responses to given therapies.
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Hum NR, Martin KA, Malfatti MA, Haack K, Buchholz BA, Loots GG. Tracking Tumor Colonization in Xenograft Mouse Models Using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15013. [PMID: 30302019 PMCID: PMC6178347 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33368-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we introduce an Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS)-based high precision method for quantifying the number of cancer cells that initiate metastatic tumors, in xenograft mice. Quantification of 14C per cell prior to injection into animals, and quantification of 14C in whole organs allows us to extrapolate the number of cancer cells available to initiate metastatic tumors. The 14C labeling was optimized such that 1 cancer cell was detected among 1 million normal cells. We show that ~1–5% of human cancer cells injected into immunodeficient mice form subcutaneous tumors, and even fewer cells initiate metastatic tumors. Comparisons of metastatic site colonization between a highly metastatic (PC3) and a non-metastatic (LnCap) cell line showed that PC3 cells colonize target tissues in greater quantities at 2 weeks post-delivery, and by 12 weeks post-delivery no 14C was detected in LnCap xenografts, suggesting that all metastatic cells were cleared. The 14C-signal correlated with the presence and the severity of metastatic tumors. AMS measurements of 14C-labeled cells provides a highly-sensitive, quantitative assay to experimentally evaluate metastasis and colonization of target tissues in xenograft mouse models. This approach can potentially be used to evaluate tumor aggressiveness and assist in making informed decisions regarding treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R Hum
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Kelly A Martin
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA.,Georgetown University, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Michael A Malfatti
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Kurt Haack
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Bruce A Buchholz
- Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Gabriela G Loots
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Livermore, CA, USA. .,UC Merced, School of Natural Sciences, Merced, CA, USA.
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Dehghani H, Guggenheim JA, Taylor SL, Xu X, Wang KKH. Quantitative bioluminescence tomography using spectral derivative data. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 9:4163-4174. [PMID: 30615705 PMCID: PMC6157772 DOI: 10.1364/boe.9.004163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a non-contact, optical imaging technique based on measurement of emitted light due to an internal source, which is then often directly related to cellular activity. It is widely used in pre-clinical small animal imaging studies to assess the progression of diseases such as cancer, aiding in the development of new treatments and therapies. For many applications, the quantitative assessment of accurate cellular activity and spatial distribution is desirable as it would enable direct monitoring for prognostic evaluation. This requires quantitative spatially-resolved measurements of bioluminescence source strength inside the animal to be obtained from BLI images. This is the goal of bioluminescence tomography (BLT) in which a model of light propagation through tissue is combined with an optimization algorithm to reconstruct a map of the underlying source distribution. As most models consider only the propagation of light from internal sources to the animal skin surface, an additional challenge is accounting for the light propagation from the skin to the optical detector (e.g. camera). Existing approaches typically use a model of the imaging system optics (e.g. ray-tracing, analytical optical models) or approximate corrections derived from calibration measurements. However, these approaches are typically computationally intensive or of limited accuracy. In this work, a new approach is presented in which, rather than directly using BLI images acquired at several wavelengths, the spectral derivative of that data (difference of BLI images at adjacent wavelengths) is used in BLT. As light at similar wavelengths encounters a near-identical system response (path through the optics etc.) this eliminates the need for additional corrections or system models. This approach is applied to BLT with simulated and experimental phantom data and shown that the error in reconstructed source intensity is reduced from 49% to 4%. Qualitatively, the accuracy of source localization is improved in both simulated and experimental data, as compared to reconstruction using the standard approach. The outlined algorithm can widely be adapted to all commercial systems without any further technological modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Dehghani
- School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - James A. Guggenheim
- Department of Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Shelley L. Taylor
- School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Xiangkun Xu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ken Kang-Hsin Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Animal models of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: mimicking the human disease. JOURNAL OF BIO-X RESEARCH 2018. [DOI: 10.1097/jbr.0000000000000001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Yang X, Sun R, Ci L, Wang N, Yang S, Shi J, Yang H, Zhang M, Fei J. Tracing the dynamic expression of the Nfκb2 gene during inflammatory processes by in vivo bioluminescence imaging in transgenic mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 501:41-47. [PMID: 29680659 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.04.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Nfκb2(p52/p100) plays essential roles in many chronic inflammatory diseases. Tracing the dynamic expression of Nfκb2 during different biological processes in vivo can provide valuable clues to understand the biological functions of this gene and develop anti-inflammatory drugs. In this study, B6-Tg(Nfκb2-luc)Mlit transgenic mouse line, a mouse model in which the expression of firefly luciferase gene is under the control of a 14.6-kb mouse Nfκb2 promoter, was generated to monitor the expression of p52/p100 in vivo. Bioluminescence imaging was used for tracking the luciferase signal in living mice in a variety of inflammatory processes, including LPS-induced sepsis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The data of in vivo bioluminescence imaging in this mouse model showed that luciferase activity coincided with the endogenous p52/p100 expression. Moreover, dexamethasone or aspirin, two routine anti-inflammatory drugs, could decrease the high-level expression of luciferase induced by LPS. Overall, our results suggest that the B6-Tg(Nfκb2-luc)Mlit mice represent a valuable reporter mouse model not only to monitor the expression of p52/p100 in physiological or pathological processes but also to evaluate the effects of various anti-inflammatory drug treatments in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Yang
- International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China; Institute of Embryo-Fetal Original Adult Disease Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruilin Sun
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Model Organisms, SRCMO/SMOC, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Lei Ci
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Model Organisms, SRCMO/SMOC, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Life Science & Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Sai Yang
- School of Life Science & Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jiahao Shi
- School of Life Science & Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Hua Yang
- School of Life Science & Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Mengjie Zhang
- School of Life Science & Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Jian Fei
- School of Life Science & Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Model Organisms, SRCMO/SMOC, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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Shi J, Udayakumar TS, Wang Z, Dogan N, Pollack A, Yang Y. Optical molecular imaging-guided radiation therapy part 1: Integrated x-ray and bioluminescence tomography. Med Phys 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/mp.12415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Junwei Shi
- Department of Radiation Oncology; School of Medicine; University of Miami; Miami FL 33136 USA
| | | | - Zhiqun Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology; School of Medicine; University of Miami; Miami FL 33136 USA
| | - Nesrin Dogan
- Department of Radiation Oncology; School of Medicine; University of Miami; Miami FL 33136 USA
| | - Alan Pollack
- Department of Radiation Oncology; School of Medicine; University of Miami; Miami FL 33136 USA
| | - Yidong Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology; School of Medicine; University of Miami; Miami FL 33136 USA
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Heffern MC, Park HM, Au-Yeung HY, Van de Bittner GC, Ackerman CM, Stahl A, Chang CJ. In vivo bioluminescence imaging reveals copper deficiency in a murine model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:14219-14224. [PMID: 27911810 PMCID: PMC5167165 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1613628113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper is a required metal nutrient for life, but global or local alterations in its homeostasis are linked to diseases spanning genetic and metabolic disorders to cancer and neurodegeneration. Technologies that enable longitudinal in vivo monitoring of dynamic copper pools can help meet the need to study the complex interplay between copper status, health, and disease in the same living organism over time. Here, we present the synthesis, characterization, and in vivo imaging applications of Copper-Caged Luciferin-1 (CCL-1), a bioluminescent reporter for tissue-specific copper visualization in living animals. CCL-1 uses a selective copper(I)-dependent oxidative cleavage reaction to release d-luciferin for subsequent bioluminescent reaction with firefly luciferase. The probe can detect physiological changes in labile Cu+ levels in live cells and mice under situations of copper deficiency or overload. Application of CCL-1 to mice with liver-specific luciferase expression in a diet-induced model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease reveals onset of hepatic copper deficiency and altered expression levels of central copper trafficking proteins that accompany symptoms of glucose intolerance and weight gain. The data connect copper dysregulation to metabolic liver disease and provide a starting point for expanding the toolbox of reactivity-based chemical reporters for cell- and tissue-specific in vivo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie C Heffern
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Hyo Min Park
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Ho Yu Au-Yeung
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | | | - Cheri M Ackerman
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Andreas Stahl
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
| | - Christopher J Chang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720;
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
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Zhang B, Wong JW, Iordachita II, Reyes J, Nugent K, Tran PT, Tuttle SW, Koumenis C, Wang KKH. Evaluation of On- and Off-Line Bioluminescence Tomography System for Focal Irradiation Guidance. Radiat Res 2016; 186:592-601. [PMID: 27869556 DOI: 10.1667/rr14423.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In response to the limitations of computed tomography (CT) and cone-beam CT (CBCT) in irradiation guidance, especially for soft-tissue targets without the use of contrast agents, our group developed a solution that implemented bioluminescence tomography (BLT) as the image-guidance modality for preclinical radiation research. However, adding such a system to existing small animal irradiators is no small task. A potential solution is to utilize an off-line BLT system in close proximity to the irradiator, with stable and effective animal transport between the two systems. In this study, we investigated the localization accuracy of an off-line BLT system when used for the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) and compared the results with those of an on-line system. The CBCT was equipped on both the off-line BLT system and the SARRP, with a distance of 5 m between them. To evaluate the setup error during animal transport between the two systems, the mice underwent CBCT imaging on the SARRP and were then transported to the off-line system for a second CBCT imaging session. The normalized intensity difference of the two images and the corresponding histogram and correlation were computed to evaluate if the transport process perturbed animal positioning. Strong correlation (correlation coefficients >0.95) between the SARRP and the off-line mouse CBCT was observed. The offset of the implanted light source center can be maintained within 0.2 mm during transport. To compare the target localization accuracy using the on-line SARRP BLT and the off-line system, a self-illuminated bioluminescent source was implanted in the abdomen of anesthetized mice. In addition to the application for dose calculation, CBCT imaging was also employed to generate the mesh grid of the imaged mouse for BLT reconstruction. Two scenarios were devised and compared, which involved localization of the luminescence source based on either: 1. on-line SARRP bioluminescence image and CBCT; or 2. off-line bioluminescence image and SARRP CBCT. The first scenario is assumed to have the least setup error, because no animal transport was involved. The second scenario examines if an off-line BLT system, with the mesh generated from the SARRP CBCT, can be used to guide SARRP irradiation when there is minimal target contrast in CBCT. Stability during animal transport between the two systems was maintained. The center of mass (CoM) of the light source reconstructed by the off-line BLT had an offset of 1.0 ± 0.4 mm from the true CoM derived from the SARRP CBCT. These results are comparable to the offset of 1.0 ± 0.2 mm using on-line BLT. With CBCT information provided by the SARRP and effective animal immobilization during transport, these findings support the utilization of an off-line BLT-guided system, in close proximity to the SARRP, for accurate soft-tissue target localization. In addition, a dedicated standalone BLT system for our partner site at the University of Pennsylvania was introduced in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhang
- a Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - John W Wong
- a Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Iulian I Iordachita
- b Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Juvenal Reyes
- a Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Katriana Nugent
- a Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Phuoc T Tran
- a Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.,c Departments of Oncology and Urology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Stephen W Tuttle
- d Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Constantinos Koumenis
- d Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ken Kang-Hsin Wang
- a Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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Fleten KG, Bakke KM, Mælandsmo GM, Abildgaard A, Redalen KR, Flatmark K. Use of non-invasive imaging to monitor response to aflibercept treatment in murine models of colorectal cancer liver metastases. Clin Exp Metastasis 2016; 34:51-62. [PMID: 27812769 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-016-9829-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The liver is the most frequent metastatic site in colorectal cancer (CRC), and relevant orthotopic in vivo models are needed to study the efficacy of anticancer drugs in the metastatic setting. A challenge when utilizing such models is monitoring tumor growth during the experiments. In this study, experimental liver metastases were established in nude mice by splenic injection of the CRC cell lines HT29 and HCT116, and the mice were treated with the antiangiogenic drug aflibercept. Tumor growth was monitored using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Aflibercept treatment was well tolerated and resulted in increased animal survival in HCT116, but not in HT29, while inhibited tumor growth was observed in both models. Treatment efficacy was monitored with high precision using MRI, while BLI detected small-volume disease with high sensitivity, but was less accurate in end-stage disease. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values obtained by diffusion weighted MRI (DW-MRI) were highly predictive of treatment response, with increased ADC corresponding well with areas of necrosis observed by histological evaluation of aflibercept-treated xenografts. The results showed that the efficacy of the antiangiogenic drug aflibercept varied between the two models, possibly reflecting unique growth patterns in the liver that may be representative of human disease. Non-invasive imaging, especially MRI and DW-MRI, can be used to effectively monitor tumor growth and treatment response in orthotopic liver metastasis models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karianne G Fleten
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0310, Oslo, Norway.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kine M Bakke
- Department of Oncology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.,Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gunhild M Mælandsmo
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0310, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Andreas Abildgaard
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rikshospitalet, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Kjersti Flatmark
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0310, Oslo, Norway. .,Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. .,Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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45
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Monge F, Shakir DI, Lejeune F, Morandi X, Navab N, Jannin P. Acquisition models in intraoperative positron surface imaging. Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg 2016; 12:691-703. [PMID: 27714566 DOI: 10.1007/s11548-016-1487-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Intraoperative imaging aims at identifying residual tumor during surgery. Positron Surface Imaging (PSI) is one of the solutions to help surgeons in a better detection of resection margins of brain tumor, leading to an improved patient outcome. This system relies on a tracked freehand beta probe, using [Formula: see text]F-based radiotracer. Some acquisition models have been proposed in the literature in order to enhance image quality, but no comparative validation study has been performed for PSI. METHODS In this study, we investigated the performance of different acquisition models by considering validation criteria and normalized metrics. We proposed a reference-based validation framework to perform the comparative study between acquisition models and a basic method. We estimated the performance of several acquisition models in light of four validation criteria: efficiency, computational speed, spatial accuracy and tumor contrast. RESULTS Selected acquisition models outperformed the basic method, albeit with the real-time aspect compromised. One acquisition model yielded the best performance among all according to the validation criteria: efficiency (1-Spe: 0.1, Se: 0.94), spatial accuracy (max Dice: 0.77) and tumor contrast (max T/B: 5.2). We also found out that above a minimum threshold value of the sampling rate, the reconstruction quality does not vary significantly. CONCLUSION Our method allowed the comparison of different acquisition models and highlighted one of them according to our validation criteria. This novel approach can be extended to 3D datasets, for validation of future acquisition models dedicated to intraoperative guidance of brain surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Monge
- LTSI INSERM, UMR 1099, Campus de Villejean, Université de Rennes 1, 2, Avenue du Pr. Léon Bernard, 35043, Rennes Cedex, France.
| | | | | | - Xavier Morandi
- LTSI INSERM, UMR 1099, Campus de Villejean, Université de Rennes 1, 2, Avenue du Pr. Léon Bernard, 35043, Rennes Cedex, France.,CHU Rennes, Service de Neurochirurgie, Rennes, 35000, France
| | - Nassir Navab
- CAMP, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Pierre Jannin
- LTSI INSERM, UMR 1099, Campus de Villejean, Université de Rennes 1, 2, Avenue du Pr. Léon Bernard, 35043, Rennes Cedex, France
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Fernandes RS, dos Santos Ferreira D, de Aguiar Ferreira C, Giammarile F, Rubello D, de Barros ALB. Development of imaging probes for bone cancer in animal models. A systematic review. Biomed Pharmacother 2016; 83:1253-1264. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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47
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Eslami S, Wong J, Iordachita I. A dual-use imaging system for pre-clinical small animal radiation research. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2016; 2015:6904-7. [PMID: 26737880 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2015.7319980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The current cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system on the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) is less effective in localizing soft-tissue targets. On the contrary, molecular optical imaging techniques, such as bioluminescence tomography (BLT) and fluorescence tomography (FT), can provide high contrast soft tissue images to complement CBCT and offer functional information. In this study, we present a dual-use optical imaging system that enables BLT/FT for both on-board and stand-alone applications. The system consists of a mobile cart and an imaging unit. Multi-projection optical images can be acquired in a range of -90°~90° angles. An optical fiber driven by an X-Y-Z Cartesian stage serves as an excitation light source specifically for FT. Our results show that the accuracy and reproducibility of the system meets the requirements set by the pre-clinical workflow (<;0.1 mm and 0.5 degree error). Preliminary experiments demonstrate the feasibility of bioluminescent imaging in a tissue-simulating phantom with a luminescent source embedded. In a considerable light-tight environment, we can achieve average background optical intensity significantly lower than the luminescent signal (<; 5%).
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Analyses of Tumor Burden In Vivo and Metastasis Ex Vivo Using Luciferase-Expressing Cancer Cells in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Neuroblastoma. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1372:61-77. [PMID: 26530915 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3148-4_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Cancer xenograft mouse models are useful for examining and understanding tumor growth and cancer progression in vivo. With the development of bioluminescent imaging, these parameters can now be monitored noninvasively with relative ease. Herein we describe imaging of luciferase-expressing cancer cells to quantitatively measure tumor burden in vivo and metastases ex vivo. Specifically, we detail the methodology to examine the effect of shRNA-mediated knockdown of a target gene on the growth and spread of neuroblastoma tumors in immune-deficient mice.
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Grinstead KM, Rowe L, Ensor CM, Joel S, Daftarian P, Dikici E, Zingg JM, Daunert S. Red-Shifted Aequorin Variants Incorporating Non-Canonical Amino Acids: Applications in In Vivo Imaging. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158579. [PMID: 27367859 PMCID: PMC4930207 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased importance of in vivo diagnostics has posed new demands for imaging technologies. In that regard, there is a need for imaging molecules capable of expanding the applications of current state-of-the-art imaging in vivo diagnostics. To that end, there is a desire for new reporter molecules capable of providing strong signals, are non-toxic, and can be tailored to diagnose or monitor the progression of a number of diseases. Aequorin is a non-toxic photoprotein that can be used as a sensitive marker for bioluminescence in vivo imaging. The sensitivity of aequorin is due to the fact that bioluminescence is a rare phenomenon in nature and, therefore, it does not suffer from autofluorescence, which contributes to background emission. Emission of bioluminescence in the blue-region of the spectrum by aequorin only occurs when calcium, and its luciferin coelenterazine, are bound to the protein and trigger a biochemical reaction that results in light generation. It is this reaction that endows aequorin with unique characteristics, making it ideally suited for a number of applications in bioanalysis and imaging. Herein we report the site-specific incorporation of non-canonical or non-natural amino acids and several coelenterazine analogues, resulting in a catalog of 72 cysteine-free, aequorin variants which expand the potential applications of these photoproteins by providing several red-shifted mutants better suited to use in vivo. In vivo studies in mouse models using the transparent tissue of the eye confirmed the activity of the aequorin variants incorporating L-4-iodophehylalanine and L-4-methoxyphenylalanine after injection into the eye and topical addition of coelenterazine. The signal also remained localized within the eye. This is the first time that aequorin variants incorporating non-canonical amino acids have shown to be active in vivo and useful as reporters in bioluminescence imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M. Grinstead
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, R. Bunn Gautier Bldg., 1011 NW 15th Street, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, United States of America
| | - Laura Rowe
- Department of Chemistry, 1610 Campus Drive East, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN, 46385, United States of America
| | - Charles M. Ensor
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, United States of America
| | - Smita Joel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, R. Bunn Gautier Bldg., 1011 NW 15th Street, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, United States of America
| | - Pirouz Daftarian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, R. Bunn Gautier Bldg., 1011 NW 15th Street, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, United States of America
| | - Emre Dikici
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, R. Bunn Gautier Bldg., 1011 NW 15th Street, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, United States of America
| | - Jean-Marc Zingg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, R. Bunn Gautier Bldg., 1011 NW 15th Street, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, United States of America
| | - Sylvia Daunert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, R. Bunn Gautier Bldg., 1011 NW 15th Street, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33136, United States of America
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Pereira SM, Williams SR, Murray P, Taylor A. MS-1 magA: Revisiting Its Efficacy as a Reporter Gene for MRI. Mol Imaging 2016; 15:15/0/1536012116641533. [PMID: 27118760 PMCID: PMC5470133 DOI: 10.1177/1536012116641533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial genes involved in the biomineralization of magnetic nanoparticles in magnetotactic bacteria have recently been proposed as reporters for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In such systems, the expression of the bacterial genes in mammalian cells purportedly leads to greater concentrations of intracellular iron or the biomineralization of iron oxides, thus leading to an enhancement in relaxation rate that is detectable via MRI. Here, we show that the constitutive expression of the magA gene from Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum is tolerated by human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells but induces a strong toxic effect in murine mesenchymal/stromal cells and kidney-derived stem cells, severely restricting its effective use as a reporter gene for stem cells. Although it has been suggested that magA is involved in iron transport, when expressed in HEK cells, it does not affect the transcription of endogenous genes related to iron homeostasis. Furthermore, the magA-induced enhancement in iron uptake in HEK cells is insignificant, suggesting this gene is a poor reporter even for cell types that can tolerate its expression. We suggest that the use of magA for stem cells should be approached with caution, and its efficacy as a reporter gene requires a careful assessment on a cell-by-cell basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia M Pereira
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Steve R Williams
- Centre for Imaging Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Patricia Murray
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Arthur Taylor
- Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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