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Reporter Genes for Brain Imaging Using MRI, SPECT and PET. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158443. [PMID: 35955578 PMCID: PMC9368793 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of molecular imaging technologies for brain imaging can not only play an important supporting role in disease diagnosis and treatment but can also be used to deeply study brain functions. Recently, with the support of reporter gene technology, optical imaging has achieved a breakthrough in brain function studies at the molecular level. Reporter gene technology based on traditional clinical imaging modalities is also expanding. By benefiting from the deeper imaging depths and wider imaging ranges now possible, these methods have led to breakthroughs in preclinical and clinical research. This article focuses on the applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and positron emission tomography (PET) reporter gene technologies for use in brain imaging. The tracking of cell therapies and gene therapies is the most successful and widely used application of these techniques. Meanwhile, breakthroughs have been achieved in the research and development of reporter genes and their imaging probe pairs with respect to brain function research. This paper introduces the imaging principles and classifications of the reporter gene technologies of these imaging modalities, lists the relevant brain imaging applications, reviews their characteristics, and discusses the opportunities and challenges faced by clinical imaging modalities based on reporter gene technology. The conclusion is provided in the last section.
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Shimojo M, Ono M, Takuwa H, Mimura K, Nagai Y, Fujinaga M, Kikuchi T, Okada M, Seki C, Tokunaga M, Maeda J, Takado Y, Takahashi M, Minamihisamatsu T, Zhang M, Tomita Y, Suzuki N, Maximov A, Suhara T, Minamimoto T, Sahara N, Higuchi M. A genetically targeted reporter for PET imaging of deep neuronal circuits in mammalian brains. EMBO J 2021; 40:e107757. [PMID: 34636430 PMCID: PMC8591537 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021107757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) allows biomolecular tracking but PET monitoring of brain networks has been hampered by a lack of suitable reporters. Here, we take advantage of bacterial dihydrofolate reductase, ecDHFR, and its unique antagonist, TMP, to facilitate in vivo imaging in the brain. Peripheral administration of radiofluorinated and fluorescent TMP analogs enabled PET and intravital microscopy, respectively, of neuronal ecDHFR expression in mice. This technique can be used to the visualize neuronal circuit activity elicited by chemogenetic manipulation in the mouse hippocampus. Notably, ecDHFR-PET allows mapping of neuronal projections in non-human primate brains, demonstrating the applicability of ecDHFR-based tracking technologies for network monitoring. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of TMP analogs for PET studies of turnover and self-assembly of proteins tagged with ecDHFR mutants. These results establish opportunities for a broad spectrum of previously unattainable PET analyses of mammalian brain circuits at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masafumi Shimojo
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Maiko Ono
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Hiroyuki Takuwa
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Koki Mimura
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Yuji Nagai
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Masayuki Fujinaga
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals DevelopmentNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Tatsuya Kikuchi
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals DevelopmentNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Maki Okada
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals DevelopmentNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Chie Seki
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Masaki Tokunaga
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Jun Maeda
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Yuhei Takado
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Manami Takahashi
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Takeharu Minamihisamatsu
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Ming‐Rong Zhang
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals DevelopmentNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Yutaka Tomita
- Department of NeurologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Norihiro Suzuki
- Department of NeurologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Anton Maximov
- Department of NeuroscienceThe Scripps Research InstituteLa JollaCAUSA
| | - Tetsuya Suhara
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Takafumi Minamimoto
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Naruhiko Sahara
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
| | - Makoto Higuchi
- Department of Functional Brain ImagingNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and TechnologyChibaJapan
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Seo JW, Ingham ES, Mahakian L, Tumbale S, Wu B, Aghevlian S, Shams S, Baikoghli M, Jain P, Ding X, Goeden N, Dobreva T, Flytzanis NC, Chavez M, Singhal K, Leib R, James ML, Segal DJ, Cheng RH, Silva EA, Gradinaru V, Ferrara KW. Positron emission tomography imaging of novel AAV capsids maps rapid brain accumulation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2102. [PMID: 32355221 PMCID: PMC7193641 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15818-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are typically single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) encapsulated within 25-nm protein capsids. Recently, tissue-specific AAV capsids (e.g. PHP.eB) have been shown to enhance brain delivery in rodents via the LY6A receptor on brain endothelial cells. Here, we create a non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) methodology to track viruses. To provide the sensitivity required to track AAVs injected at picomolar levels, a unique multichelator construct labeled with a positron emitter (Cu-64, t1/2 = 12.7 h) is coupled to the viral capsid. We find that brain accumulation of the PHP.eB capsid 1) exceeds that reported in any previous PET study of brain uptake of targeted therapies and 2) is correlated with optical reporter gene transduction of the brain. The PHP.eB capsid brain endothelial receptor affinity is nearly 20-fold greater than that of AAV9. The results suggest that novel PET imaging techniques can be applied to inform and optimize capsid design. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) can be targeted in a tissue-specific manner, but their tissue accumulation cannot be assessed in a non-invasive manner. Here the authors conjugate a multivalent chelator labelled with Cu-64 to the surface of AAVs and image the brain accumulation of the PHB.eB capsid by PET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jai Woong Seo
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Ingham
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Mahakian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Spencer Tumbale
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Bo Wu
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sadaf Aghevlian
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shahin Shams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Mo Baikoghli
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Poorva Jain
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xiaozhe Ding
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Nick Goeden
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Tatyana Dobreva
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas C Flytzanis
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Michael Chavez
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Ryan Leib
- Stanford University Mass Spectrometry, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michelle L James
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - David J Segal
- Genome Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - R Holland Cheng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Eduardo A Silva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Viviana Gradinaru
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Katherine W Ferrara
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Hunter JE, Gurda BL, Yoon SY, Castle MJ, Wolfe JH. In Situ Hybridization for Detection of AAV-Mediated Gene Expression. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1950:107-122. [PMID: 30783970 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9139-6_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Techniques to localize vector transgenes in cells and tissues are essential in order to fully characterize gene therapy outcomes. In situ hybridization (ISH) uses synthesized complementary RNA or DNA nucleotide probes to localize and detect sequences of interest in fixed cells, tissue sections, or whole tissue mounts. Variations in techniques include adding labels to probes, such as fluorophores, which can allow for the simultaneous visualization of multiple targets. Here we provide the steps necessary to: (1) label probes for colorimetric visualization and (2) perform ISH on OCT cryo-preserved fixed frozen tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline E Hunter
- Research Institute of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brittney L Gurda
- Research Institute of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sea Young Yoon
- Research Institute of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael J Castle
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John H Wolfe
- Research Institute of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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