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Chacko AN, Miller ADC, Dhanabalan KM, Mukherjee A. Exploring the potential of water channels for developing genetically encoded reporters and biosensors for diffusion-weighted MRI. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2024; 365:107743. [PMID: 39053029 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2024.107743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Genetically encoded reporters for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offer a valuable technology for making molecular-scale measurements of biological processes within living organisms with high anatomical resolution and whole-organ coverage without relying on ionizing radiation. However, most MRI reporters rely on synthetic contrast agents, typically paramagnetic metals and metal complexes, which often need to be supplemented exogenously to create optimal contrast. To eliminate the need for synthetic contrast agents, we previously introduced aquaporin-1, a mammalian water channel, as a new reporter gene for the fully autonomous detection of genetically labeled cells using diffusion-weighted MRI. In this study, we aimed to expand the toolbox of diffusion-based genetic reporters by modulating aquaporin membrane trafficking and harnessing the evolutionary diversity of water channels across species. We identified a number of new water channels that functioned as diffusion-weighted reporter genes. In addition, we show that loss-of-function variants of yeast and human aquaporins can be leveraged to design first-in-class diffusion-based sensors for detecting the activity of a model protease within living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asish N Chacko
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080, USA
| | - Austin D C Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080, USA
| | - Kaamini M Dhanabalan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080, USA
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080, USA; Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080, USA.
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2
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Tang G, Zhou H, Zeng C, Jiang Y, Li Y, Hou L, Liao K, Tan Z, Wu H, Tang Y, Cheng Y, Ling X, Guo Q, Xu H. Alterations of apparent diffusion coefficient from ultra high b-values in the bilateral thalamus and striatum in MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy. Epilepsia Open 2024; 9:1515-1525. [PMID: 38943548 PMCID: PMC11296122 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Subcortical nuclei such as the thalamus and striatum have been shown to be related to seizure modulation and termination, especially in drug-resistant epilepsy. Enhance diffusion-weighted imaging (eDWI) technique and tri-component model have been used in previous studies to calculate apparent diffusion coefficient from ultra high b-values (ADCuh). This study aimed to explore the alterations of ADCuh in the bilateral thalamus and striatum in MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy. METHODS Twenty-nine patients with MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy and 18 healthy controls underwent eDWI scan with 15 b-values (0-5000 s/mm2). The eDWI parameters including standard ADC (ADCst), pure water diffusion (D), and ADCuh were calculated from the 15 b-values. Regions-of-interest (ROIs) analyses were conducted in the bilateral thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus. ADCst, D, and ADCuh values were compared between the MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy patients and controls using multivariate generalized linear models. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman (BA) analysis. False discovery rate (FDR) method was applied for multiple comparisons correction. RESULTS ADCuh values in the bilateral thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus in MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy were significantly higher than those in the healthy control subjects (all p < 0.05, FDR corrected). SIGNIFICANCE The alterations of the ADCuh values in the bilateral thalamus and striatum in MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy might reflect abnormal membrane water permeability in MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy. ADCuh might be a sensitive measurement for evaluating subcortical nuclei-related brain damage in epilepsy patients. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY This study aimed to explore the alterations of apparent diffusion coefficient calculated from ultra high b-values (ADCuh) in the subcortical nuclei such as the bilateral thalamus and striatum in MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy. The bilateral thalamus and striatum showed higher ADCuh in epilepsy patients than healthy controls. These findings may add new evidences of subcortical nuclei abnormalities related to water and ion hemostasis in epilepsy patients, which might help to elucidate the underlying epileptic neuropathophysiological mechanisms and facilitate the exploration of therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guixian Tang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Hailing Zhou
- Department of RadiologyCentral People's Hospital of ZhanjiangZhanjiangChina
| | - Chunyuan Zeng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yuanfang Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Lu Hou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Kai Liao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhiqiang Tan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Huanhua Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yongjin Tang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yong Cheng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xueying Ling
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Qiang Guo
- Epilepsy Center, Guangdong 999 Brain HospitalAffiliated Brain Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Hao Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT‐MRI Center, Center of Cyclotron and PET RadiopharmaceuticalsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
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3
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Rallapalli H, McCall EC, Koretsky AP. Genetic control of MRI contrast using the manganese transporter Zip14. Magn Reson Med 2024; 92:820-835. [PMID: 38573932 PMCID: PMC11142883 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gene-expression reporter systems, such as green fluorescent protein, have been instrumental to understanding biological processes in living organisms at organ system, tissue, cell, and molecular scales. More than 30 years of work on developing MRI-visible gene-expression reporter systems has resulted in a variety of clever application-specific methods. However, these techniques have not yet been widely adopted, so a general-purpose expression reporter is still required. Here, we demonstrate that the manganese ion transporter Zip14 is an in vivo MRI-visible, flexible, and robust gene-expression reporter to meet this need. METHODS Plasmid constructs consisting of a cell type-specific promoter, gene coding for human Zip14, and a histology-visible tag were packaged into adeno-associated viruses. These viruses were intracranially injected into the mouse brain. Serial in vivo MRI was performed using a vendor-supplied 3D-MPRAGE sequence. No additional contrast agents were administered. Animals were sacrificed after the last imaging timepoint for immunohistological validation. RESULTS Neuron-specific overexpression of Zip14 produced substantial and long-lasting changes in MRI contrast. Using appropriate viruses enabled both anterograde and retrograde neural tracing. Expression of Zip14 in astrocytes also enabled MRI of glia populations in the living mammalian brain. CONCLUSIONS The flexibility of this system as an MRI-visible gene-expression reporter will enable many applications of serial, high-resolution imaging of gene expression for basic science and therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikrishna Rallapalli
- Section on Plasticity and Imaging of the Nervous System, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Eleanor C McCall
- Section on Plasticity and Imaging of the Nervous System, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Alan P Koretsky
- Section on Plasticity and Imaging of the Nervous System, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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4
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Yun J, Huang Y, Miller ADC, Chang BL, Baldini L, Dhanabalan KM, Li E, Li H, Mukherjee A. Destabilized reporters for background-subtracted, chemically-gated, and multiplexed deep-tissue imaging. Chem Sci 2024; 15:11108-11121. [PMID: 39027298 PMCID: PMC11253201 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc00377b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Tracking gene expression in deep tissues requires genetic reporters that can be unambiguously detected using tissue penetrant techniques. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is uniquely suited for this purpose; however, there is a dearth of reporters that can be reliably linked to gene expression with minimal interference from background tissue signals. Here, we present a conceptually new method for generating background-subtracted, drug-gated, multiplex images of gene expression using MRI. Specifically, we engineered chemically erasable reporters consisting of a water channel, aquaporin-1, fused to destabilizing domains, which are stabilized by binding to cell-permeable small-molecule ligands. We showed that this approach allows for highly specific detection of gene expression through differential imaging. In addition, by engineering destabilized aquaporin-1 variants with orthogonal ligand requirements, it is possible to distinguish distinct subpopulations of cells in mixed cultures. Finally, we demonstrated this approach in a mouse tumor model through differential imaging of gene expression with minimal background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Yun
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Yimeng Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Austin D C Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Brandon L Chang
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Logan Baldini
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Kaamini M Dhanabalan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Eugene Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Honghao Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Santa Barbara CA 93106 USA
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5
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Huang Y, Chen X, Zhu Z, Mukherjee A. A Dual-Gene Reporter-Amplifier Architecture for Enhancing the Sensitivity of Molecular MRI by Water Exchange. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400087. [PMID: 38439618 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The development of genetic reporters for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for investigating biological functions in vivo. However, current MRI reporters have low sensitivity, making it challenging to create significant contrast against the tissue background, especially when only a small fraction of cells express the reporter. To overcome this limitation, we developed an approach for amplifying the sensitivity of molecular MRI by combining a chemogenetic contrast mechanism with a biophysical approach to increase water diffusion through the co-expression of a dual-gene construct comprising an organic anion transporting polypeptide, Oatp1b3, and a water channel, Aqp1. We first show that the expression of Aqp1 amplifies MRI contrast in cultured cells engineered to express Oatp1b3. We demonstrate that the contrast amplification is caused by Aqp1-driven increase in water exchange, which provides the gadolinium ions internalized by Oatp1b3-expressing cells with access to a larger water pool compared with exchange-limited conditions. We further show that our methodology allows cells to be detected using approximately 10-fold lower concentrations of gadolinium than that in the Aqp1-free scenario. Finally, we show that our approach enables the imaging of mixed-cell cultures containing a low fraction of Oatp1b3-labeled cells that are undetectable on the basis of Oatp1b3 expression alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimeng Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080
| | - Xinyue Chen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080
| | - Ziyue Zhu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5080
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6
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Miller ADC, Chowdhury SP, Hanson HW, Linderman SK, Ghasemi HI, Miller WD, Morrissey MA, Richardson CD, Gardner BM, Mukherjee A. Engineering water exchange is a safe and effective method for magnetic resonance imaging in diverse cell types. J Biol Eng 2024; 18:30. [PMID: 38649904 PMCID: PMC11035135 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-024-00424-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Aquaporin-1 (Aqp1), a water channel, has garnered significant interest for cell-based medicine and in vivo synthetic biology due to its ability to be genetically encoded to produce magnetic resonance signals by increasing the rate of water diffusion in cells. However, concerns regarding the effects of Aqp1 overexpression and increased membrane diffusivity on cell physiology have limited its widespread use as a deep-tissue reporter. In this study, we present evidence that Aqp1 generates strong diffusion-based magnetic resonance signals without adversely affecting cell viability or morphology in diverse cell lines derived from mice and humans. Our findings indicate that Aqp1 overexpression does not induce ER stress, which is frequently associated with heterologous expression of membrane proteins. Furthermore, we observed that Aqp1 expression had no detrimental effects on native biological activities, such as phagocytosis, immune response, insulin secretion, and tumor cell migration in the analyzed cell lines. These findings should serve to alleviate any lingering safety concerns regarding the utilization of Aqp1 as a genetic reporter and should foster its broader application as a noninvasive reporter for in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin D C Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Soham P Chowdhury
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Hadley W Hanson
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Sarah K Linderman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Hannah I Ghasemi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Wyatt D Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Meghan A Morrissey
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Chris D Richardson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Brooke M Gardner
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
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7
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Li M, Liu Z, Wu Y, Zheng N, Liu X, Cai A, Zheng D, Zhu J, Wu J, Xu L, Li X, Zhu LQ, Manyande A, Xu F, Wang J. In vivo imaging of astrocytes in the whole brain with engineered AAVs and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:545-552. [PMID: 35484244 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01580-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes constitute a major part of the central nervous system and the delineation of their activity patterns is conducive to a better understanding of brain network dynamics. This study aimed to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based method in order to monitor the brain-wide or region-specific astrocytes in live animals. Adeno-associated virus (AAVs) vectors carrying the human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter driving the EGFP-AQP1 (Aquaporin-1, an MRI reporter) fusion gene were employed. The following steps were included: constructing recombinant AAV vectors for astrocyte-specific expression, detecting MRI reporters in cell culture, brain regions, or whole brain following cell transduction, stereotactic injection, or tail vein injection. The astrocytes were detected by both fluorescent imaging and Diffusion-weighted MRI. The novel AAV mutation (Site-directed mutagenesis of surface-exposed tyrosine (Y) residues on the AAV5 capsid) significantly increased fluorescence intensity (p < 0.01) compared with the AAV5 wild type. Transduction of the rAAV2/5 carrying AQP1 induced the titer-dependent changes in MRI contrast in cell cultures (p < 0.05) and caudate-putamen (CPu) in the brain (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the MRI revealed a good brain-wide alignment between AQP1 levels and ADC signals, which increased over time in most of the transduced brain regions. In addition, the rAAV2/PHP.eB serotype efficiently introduced AOP1 expression in the whole brain via tail vein injection. This study provides an MRI-based approach to detect dynamic changes in astrocytes in live animals. The novel in vivo tool could help us to understand the complexity of neuronal and glial networks in different pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Li
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhuang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Yang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Ning Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Peter Hung Pain Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Aoling Cai
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Danhao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Jinpiao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
| | - Lingling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China
| | - Xihai Li
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, PR China
| | - Ling-Qiang Zhu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Key Lab of Neurological Disorder of Education Ministry, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Anne Manyande
- School of Human and Social Sciences, University of West London, Middlesex, TW8 9GA, UK
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China.
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, PR China.
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China.
| | - Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, PR of China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China.
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8
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Huang Y, Chen X, Zhu Z, Mukherjee A. A dual-gene reporter-amplifier architecture for enhancing the sensitivity of molecular MRI by water exchange. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.22.576672. [PMID: 38328134 PMCID: PMC10849537 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.22.576672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The development of genetic reporters for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for investigating biological functions in intact animals. However, current MRI reporters have low sensitivity, making it challenging to create significant contrast against the tissue background, especially when only a small percentage of cells express the reporter. To overcome this limitation, we developed an approach that amplifies signals by co-expressing an MRI reporter gene, Oatp1b3, with a water channel, aquaporin-1 (Aqp1). We first show that the expression of Aqp1 amplifies the paramagnetic relaxation effect of Oatp1b3 by facilitating transmembrane water exchange. This mechanism provides Oatp1b3-expressing cells with access to a larger water pool compared with typical exchange-limited conditions. We further demonstrated that our methodology allows dual-labeled cells to be detected using approximately 10-fold lower concentrations of contrast agent than that in the Aqp1-free scenario. Finally, we show that our approach enables the imaging of mixed-cell populations containing a low fraction of Oatp1b3-labeled cells that are otherwise undetectable based on Oatp1b3 expression alone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xinyue Chen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
| | - Ziyue Zhu
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
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9
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Chacko AN, Miller AD, Dhanabalan KM, Mukherjee A. Exploring the potential of water channels for developing MRI reporters and sensors without the need for exogenous contrast agents. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.21.576580. [PMID: 38328035 PMCID: PMC10849501 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.21.576580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Genetically encoded reporters for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offer a valuable technology for making molecular-scale measurements of biological processes within living organisms with high anatomical resolution and whole-organ coverage without relying on ionizing radiation. However, most MRI reporters rely on contrast agents, typically paramagnetic metals and metal complexes, which often need to be supplemented exogenously to create optimal contrast. To eliminate the need for contrast agents, we previously introduced aquaporin-1, a mammalian water channel, as a new reporter gene for the fully autonomous detection of genetically labeled cells using diffusion-weighted MRI. In this study, we aimed to expand the toolbox of diffusion-based genetic reporters by modulating aquaporin membrane trafficking and harnessing the evolutionary diversity of water channels across species. We identified a number of new water channels that functioned as diffusion-weighted reporter genes. In addition, we show that loss-of-function variants of yeast and human aquaporins can be leveraged to design first-in-class diffusion-based sensors for detecting the activity of a model protease within living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program
- Department of Chemical Engineering
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10
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Özkan M, Yılmaz H, Ergenekon P, Erdoğan EM, Erbakan M. Microbial membrane transport proteins and their biotechnological applications. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:71. [PMID: 38225445 PMCID: PMC10789880 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03891-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Because of the hydrophobic nature of the membrane lipid bilayer, the majority of the hydrophilic solutes require special transportation mechanisms for passing through the cell membrane. Integral membrane transport proteins (MTPs), which belong to the Major Intrinsic Protein Family, facilitate the transport of these solutes across cell membranes. MTPs including aquaporins and carrier proteins are transmembrane proteins spanning across the cell membrane. The easy handling of microorganisms enabled the discovery of a remarkable number of transport proteins specific to different substances. It has been realized that these transporters have very important roles in the survival of microorganisms, their pathogenesis, and antimicrobial resistance. Astonishing features related to the solute specificity of these proteins have led to the acceleration of the research on the discovery of their properties and the development of innovative products in which these unique properties are used or imitated. Studies on microbial MTPs range from the discovery and characterization of a novel transporter protein to the mining and screening of them in a large transporter library for particular functions, from simulations and modeling of specific transporters to the preparation of biomimetic synthetic materials for different purposes such as biosensors or filtration membranes. This review presents recent discoveries on microbial membrane transport proteins and focuses especially on formate nitrite transport proteins and aquaporins, and advances in their biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melek Özkan
- Environmental Engineering Department, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, 41400, Türkiye.
| | - Hilal Yılmaz
- Environmental Engineering Department, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, 41400, Türkiye
| | - Pınar Ergenekon
- Environmental Engineering Department, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, 41400, Türkiye
| | - Esra Meşe Erdoğan
- Environmental Engineering Department, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, 41400, Türkiye
| | - Mustafa Erbakan
- Biosystem Engineering Department, Bozok University, Yozgat , 66900, Türkiye
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11
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Lee S, Nouraein S, Kwon JJ, Huang Z, Wojick JA, Xia B, Corder G, Szablowski JO. Engineered serum markers for non-invasive monitoring of gene expression in the brain. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-023-02087-x. [PMID: 38200117 PMCID: PMC11233427 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-02087-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Measurement of gene expression in the brain requires invasive analysis of brain tissue or non-invasive methods that are limited by low sensitivity. Here we introduce a method for non-invasive, multiplexed, site-specific monitoring of endogenous gene or transgene expression in the brain through engineered reporters called released markers of activity (RMAs). RMAs consist of an easily detectable reporter and a receptor-binding domain that enables transcytosis across the brain endothelium. RMAs are expressed in the brain but exit into the blood, where they can be easily measured. We show that expressing RMAs at a single mouse brain site representing approximately 1% of the brain volume provides up to a 100,000-fold signal increase over the baseline. Expression of RMAs in tens to hundreds of neurons is sufficient for their reliable detection. We demonstrate that chemogenetic activation of cells expressing Fos-responsive RMA increases serum RMA levels >6-fold compared to non-activated controls. RMAs provide a non-invasive method for repeatable, multiplexed monitoring of gene expression in the intact animal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangsin Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shirin Nouraein
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - James J Kwon
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhimin Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jessica A Wojick
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Boao Xia
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gregory Corder
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jerzy O Szablowski
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Applied Physics Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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12
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Mao J, Li J, Chen J, Wen Q, Cao M, Zhang F, Li B, Zhang Q, Wang Z, Zhang J, Shen J. CXCL10 and Nrf2-upregulated mesenchymal stem cells reinvigorate T lymphocytes for combating glioblastoma. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e007481. [PMID: 38056897 PMCID: PMC10711923 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lack of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes and concurrent T-cell dysfunction have been identified as major contributors to glioblastoma (GBM) immunotherapy resistance. Upregulating CXCL10 in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a promising immunotherapeutic approach that potentially increases tumor-infiltrating T cells and boosts T-cell activity but is lacking effective delivery methods. METHODS In this study, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were transduced with a recombinant lentivirus encoding Cxcl10, Nrf2 (an anti-apoptosis gene), and a ferritin heavy chain (Fth) reporter gene in order to increase their CXCL10 secretion, TME survival, and MRI visibility. Using FTH-MRI guidance, these cells were injected into the tumor periphery of orthotopic GL261 and CT2A GBMs in mice. Combination therapy consisting of CXCL10-Nrf2-FTH-MSC transplantation together with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) was also performed for CT2A GBMs. Thereafter, in vivo and serial MRI, survival analysis, and histology examinations were conducted to assess the treatments' efficacy and mechanism. RESULTS CXCL10-Nrf2-FTH-MSCs exhibit enhanced T lymphocyte recruitment, oxidative stress tolerance, and iron accumulation. Under in vivo FTH-MRI guidance and monitoring, peritumoral transplantation of CXCL10-Nrf2-FTH-MSCs remarkably inhibited orthotopic GL261 and CT2A tumor growth in C57BL6 mice and prolonged animal survival. While ICB alone demonstrated no therapeutic impact, CXCL10-Nrf2-FTH-MSC transplantation combined with ICB demonstrated an enhanced anticancer effect for CT2A GBMs compared with transplanting it alone. Histology revealed that peritumorally injected CXCL10-Nrf2-FTH-MSCs survived longer in the TME, increased CXCL10 production, and ultimately remodeled the TME by increasing CD8+ T cells, interferon-γ+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), GzmB+ CTLs, and Th1 cells while reducing regulatory T cells (Tregs), exhausted CD8+ and exhausted CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS MRI-guided peritumoral administration of CXCL10 and Nrf2-overexpressed MSCs can significantly limit GBM growth by revitalizing T lymphocytes within TME. The combination application of CXCL10-Nrf2-FTH-MSC transplantation and ICB therapy presents a potentially effective approach to treating GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaji Mao
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianing Li
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junwei Chen
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qin Wen
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Minghui Cao
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fang Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Baoxun Li
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qinyuan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingzhong Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jun Shen
- Department of Radiology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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13
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Banerjee S, Smith IM, Hengen AC, Stroka KM. Methods for studying mammalian aquaporin biology. Biol Methods Protoc 2023; 8:bpad031. [PMID: 38046463 PMCID: PMC10689382 DOI: 10.1093/biomethods/bpad031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs), transmembrane water-conducting channels, have earned a great deal of scrutiny for their critical physiological roles in healthy and disease cell states, especially in the biomedical field. Numerous methods have been implemented to elucidate the involvement of AQP-mediated water transport and downstream signaling activation in eliciting whole cell, tissue, and organ functional responses. To modulate these responses, other methods have been employed to investigate AQP druggability. This review discusses standard in vitro, in vivo, and in silico methods for studying AQPs, especially for biomedical and mammalian cell biology applications. We also propose some new techniques and approaches for future AQP research to address current gaps in methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shohini Banerjee
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, MD 20742, United States
| | - Ian M Smith
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, MD 20742, United States
| | - Autumn C Hengen
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, MD 20742, United States
| | - Kimberly M Stroka
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, MD 20742, United States
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore MD 21201, United States
- Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, MD 20742, United States
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore MD 21201, United States
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14
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Miller ADC, Chowdhury SP, Hanson HW, Linderman SK, Ghasemi HI, Miller WD, Morrissey MA, Richardson CD, Gardner BM, Mukherjee A. Engineering water exchange is a safe and effective method for magnetic resonance imaging in diverse cell types. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.07.566095. [PMID: 37986852 PMCID: PMC10659288 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.07.566095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporin-1 (Aqp1), a water channel, has garnered significant interest for cell-based medicine and in vivo synthetic biology due to its ability to be genetically encoded to produce magnetic resonance signals by increasing the rate of water diffusion in cells. However, concerns regarding the effects of Aqp1 overexpression and increased membrane diffusivity on cell physiology have limited its widespread use as a deep-tissue reporter. In this study, we present evidence that Aqp1 generates strong diffusion-based magnetic resonance signals without adversely affecting cell viability or morphology in diverse cell lines derived from mice and humans. Our findings indicate that Aqp1 overexpression does not induce ER stress, which is frequently associated with heterologous expression of membrane proteins. Furthermore, we observed that Aqp1 expression had no detrimental effects on native biological activities, such as phagocytosis, immune response, insulin secretion, and tumor cell migration in the analyzed cell lines. These findings should serve to alleviate any lingering safety concerns regarding the utilization of Aqp1 as a genetic reporter and should foster its broader application as a noninvasive reporter for in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin D C Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Soham P Chowdhury
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Hadley W Hanson
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Sarah K Linderman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Hannah I Ghasemi
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Wyatt D Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Meghan A Morrissey
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Chris D Richardson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Brooke M Gardner
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering Graduate Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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15
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Chowdhury R, Wan J, Gardier R, Rafael-Patino J, Thiran JP, Gibou F, Mukherjee A. Molecular Imaging with Aquaporin-Based Reporter Genes: Quantitative Considerations from Monte Carlo Diffusion Simulations. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:3041-3049. [PMID: 37793076 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins provide a unique approach for imaging genetic activity in deep tissues by increasing the rate of cellular water diffusion, which generates a magnetic resonance contrast. However, distinguishing aquaporin signals from the tissue background is challenging because water diffusion is influenced by structural factors, such as cell size and packing density. Here, we developed a Monte Carlo model to analyze how cell radius and intracellular volume fraction quantitatively affect aquaporin signals. We demonstrated that a differential imaging approach based on subtracting signals at two diffusion times can improve specificity by unambiguously isolating aquaporin signals from the tissue background. We further used Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the connection between diffusivity and the percentage of cells engineered to express aquaporin and established a mapping that accurately determined the volume fraction of aquaporin-expressing cells in mixed populations. The quantitative framework developed in this study will enable a broad range of applications in biomedical synthetic biology, requiring the use of aquaporins to noninvasively monitor the location and function of genetically engineered devices in live animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Remy Gardier
- Signal Processing Laboratory (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Rafael-Patino
- Signal Processing Laboratory (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Radiology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Philippe Thiran
- Signal Processing Laboratory (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Radiology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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16
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Zheng N, Gui Z, Liu X, Wu Y, Wang H, Cai A, Wu J, Li X, Kaewborisuth C, Zhang Z, Wang Q, Manyande A, Xu F, Wang J. Investigations of brain-wide functional and structural networks of dopaminergic and CamKIIα-positive neurons in VTA with DREADD-fMRI and neurotropic virus tracing technologies. J Transl Med 2023; 21:543. [PMID: 37580725 PMCID: PMC10424380 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04362-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ventral tegmental area (VTA) contains heterogeneous cell populations. The dopaminergic neurons in VTA play a central role in reward and cognition, while CamKIIα-positive neurons, composed mainly of glutamatergic and some dopaminergic neurons, participate in the reward learning and locomotor activity behaviors. The differences in brain-wide functional and structural networks between these two neuronal subtypes were comparatively elucidated. METHODS In this study, we applied a method combining Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) and fMRI to assess the cell type-specific modulation of whole-brain neural networks. rAAV encoding the cre-dependent hM3D was injected into the right VTA of DAT-cre or CamKIIα-cre transgenic rats. The global brain activities elicited by DREADD stimulation were then detected using BOLD-fMRI. Furthermore, the cre-dependent antegrade transsynaptic viral tracer H129ΔTK-TT was applied to label the outputs of VTA neurons. RESULTS We found that DREADD stimulation of dopaminergic neurons induced significant BOLD signal changes in the VTA and several VTA-related regions including mPFC, Cg and Septum. More regions responded to selective activation of VTA CamKIIα-positive neurons, resulting in increased BOLD signals in VTA, Insula, mPFC, MC_R (Right), Cg, Septum, Hipp, TH_R, PtA_R, and ViC_R. Along with DREADD-BOLD analysis, further neuronal tracing identified multiple cortical (MC, mPFC) and subcortical (Hipp, TH) brain regions that are structurally and functionally connected by VTA dopaminergic and CamKIIα-positive neurons. CONCLUSIONS Our study dissects brain-wide structural and functional networks of two neuronal subtypes in VTA and advances our understanding of VTA functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhu Gui
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Peter Hung Pain Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Yang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Huadong Wang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Aoling Cai
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xihai Li
- College of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian, People's Republic of China
| | - Challika Kaewborisuth
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Zhijian Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School for Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Qitian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Anne Manyande
- School of Human and Social Sciences, University of West London, Middlesex, TW8 9GA, UK
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, 430071, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Diseases, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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Zhang G, Xu Z, Zheng J, Wang M, Ren J, Wei X, Huan Y, Zhang J. Ultra-high b-Value DWI in predicting progression risk of locally advanced rectal cancer: a comparative study with routine DWI. Cancer Imaging 2023; 23:59. [PMID: 37308941 DOI: 10.1186/s40644-023-00582-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prognosis prediction of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) was important to individualized treatment, we aimed to investigate the performance of ultra-high b-value DWI (UHBV-DWI) in progression risk prediction of LARC and compare with routine DWI. METHODS This retrospective study collected patients with rectal cancer from 2016 to 2019. Routine DWI (b = 0, 1000 s/mm2) and UHBV-DWI (b = 0, 1700 ~ 3500 s/mm2) were processed with mono-exponential model to generate ADC and ADCuh, respectively. The performance of the ADCuh was compared with ADC in 3-year progression free survival (PFS) assessment using time-dependent ROC and Kaplan-Meier curve. Prognosis model was constructed with ADCuh, ADC and clinicopathologic factors using multivariate COX proportional hazard regression analysis. The prognosis model was assessed with time-dependent ROC, decision curve analysis (DCA) and calibration curve. RESULTS A total of 112 patients with LARC (TNM-stage II-III) were evaluated. ADCuh performed better than ADC for 3-year PFS assessment (AUC = 0.754 and 0.586, respectively). Multivariate COX analysis showed that ADCuh and ADC were independent factors for 3-year PFS (P < 0.05). Prognostic model 3 (TNM-stage + extramural venous invasion (EMVI) + ADCuh) was superior than model 2 (TNM-stage + EMVI + ADC) and model 1 (TNM-stage + EMVI) for 3-year PFS prediction (AUC = 0.805, 0.719 and 0.688, respectively). DCA showed that model 3 had higher net benefit than model 2 and model 1. Calibration curve demonstrated better agreement of model 1 than model 2 and model 1. CONCLUSIONS ADCuh from UHBV-DWI performed better than ADC from routine DWI in predicting prognosis of LARC. The model based on combination of ADCuh, TNM-stage and EMVI could help to indicate progression risk before treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangwen Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127, Chang Le West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Ziliang Xu
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127, Chang Le West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Jianyong Zheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Mian Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Jialiang Ren
- Department of Pharmaceuticals Diagnostics, GE Healthcare China, Beijing, 100176, China
| | - Xiaocheng Wei
- Department of MR Research, GE Healthcare China, Beijing, 100176, China
| | - Yi Huan
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127, Chang Le West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China
| | - Jinsong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127, Chang Le West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
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18
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Chowdhury R, Wan J, Gardier R, Rafael-Patino J, Thiran JP, Gibou F, Mukherjee A. Molecular imaging with aquaporin-based reporter genes: quantitative considerations from Monte Carlo diffusion simulations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.09.544324. [PMID: 37333205 PMCID: PMC10274877 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.09.544324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins provide a new class of genetic tools for imaging molecular activity in deep tissues by increasing the rate of cellular water diffusion, which generates magnetic resonance contrast. However, distinguishing aquaporin contrast from the tissue background is challenging because water diffusion is also influenced by structural factors such as cell size and packing density. Here, we developed and experimentally validated a Monte Carlo model to analyze how cell radius and intracellular volume fraction quantitatively affect aquaporin signals. We demonstrated that a differential imaging approach based on time-dependent changes in diffusivity can improve specificity by unambiguously isolating aquaporin-driven contrast from the tissue background. Finally, we used Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the connection between diffusivity and the percentage of cells engineered to express aquaporin, and established a simple mapping that accurately determined the volume fraction of aquaporin-expressing cells in mixed populations. This study creates a framework for broad applications of aquaporins, particularly in biomedicine and in vivo synthetic biology, where quantitative methods to measure the location and performance of genetic devices in whole vertebrates are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochishnu Chowdhury
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Jinyang Wan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Remy Gardier
- Signal Processing Laboratory (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Rafael-Patino
- Signal Processing Laboratory (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Radiology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Philippe Thiran
- Signal Processing Laboratory (LTS5), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Radiology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Frederic Gibou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Biological Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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19
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Yun J, Baldini L, Huang Y, Li E, Li H, Chacko AN, Miller AD, Wan J, Mukherjee A. Engineering ligand stabilized aquaporin reporters for magnetic resonance imaging. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.02.543364. [PMID: 37333371 PMCID: PMC10274688 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.02.543364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Imaging transgene expression in live tissues requires reporters that are detectable with deeply penetrant modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we show that LSAqp1, a water channel engineered from aquaporin-1, can be used to create background-free, drug-gated, and multiplex images of gene expression using MRI. LSAqp1 is a fusion protein composed of aquaporin-1 and a degradation tag that is sensitive to a cell-permeable ligand, which allows for dynamic small molecule modulation of MRI signals. LSAqp1 improves specificity for imaging gene expression by allowing reporter signals to be conditionally activated and distinguished from the tissue background by difference imaging. In addition, by engineering destabilized aquaporin-1 variants with different ligand requirements, it is possible to image distinct cell types simultaneously. Finally, we expressed LSAqp1 in a tumor model and showed successful in vivo imaging of gene expression without background activity. LSAqp1 provides a conceptually unique approach to accurately measure gene expression in living organisms by combining the physics of water diffusion and biotechnology tools to control protein stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Yun
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Logan Baldini
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Yimeng Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Eugene Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Honghao Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Asish N. Chacko
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Austin D.C. Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Jinyang Wan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Biological Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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20
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Cheng HLM. A primer on in vivo cell tracking using MRI. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1193459. [PMID: 37324153 PMCID: PMC10264782 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1193459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell tracking by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a collection of multiple advantages over other imaging modalities, including high spatial resolution, unlimited depth penetration, 3D visualization, lack of ionizing radiation, and the potential for long-term cell monitoring. Three decades of innovation in both contrast agent chemistry and imaging physics have built an expansive array of probes and methods to track cells non-invasively across a diverse range of applications. In this review, we describe both established and emerging MRI cell tracking approaches and the variety of mechanisms available for contrast generation. Emphasis is given to the advantages, practical limitations, and persistent challenges of each approach, incorporating quantitative comparisons where possible. Toward the end of this review, we take a deeper dive into three key application areas - tracking cancer metastasis, immunotherapy for cancer, and stem cell regeneration - and discuss the cell tracking techniques most suitable to each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Toronto, ON, Canada
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21
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Li C, Fieremans E, Novikov DS, Ge Y, Zhang J. Measuring water exchange on a preclinical MRI system using filter exchange and diffusion time dependent kurtosis imaging. Magn Reson Med 2023; 89:1441-1455. [PMID: 36404493 PMCID: PMC9892228 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Filter exchange imaging (FEXI) and diffusion time (t)-dependent diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI(t)) are both sensitive to water exchange between tissue compartments. The restrictive effects of tissue microstructure, however, introduce bias to the exchange rate obtained by these two methods, as their interpretation conventionally rely on the Kärger model of barrier limited exchange between Gaussian compartments. Here, we investigated whether FEXI and DKI(t) can provide comparable exchange rates in ex vivo mouse brains. THEORY AND METHODS FEXI and DKI(t) data were acquired from ex vivo mouse brains on a preclinical MRI system. Phase cycling and negative slice prewinder gradients were used to minimize the interferences from imaging gradients. RESULTS In the corpus callosum, apparent exchange rate (AXR) from FEXI correlated with the exchange rate (the inverse of exchange time, 1/τex ) from DKI(t) along the radial direction. In comparison, discrepancies between FEXI and DKI(t) were found in the cortex due to low filter efficiency and confounding effects from tissue microstructure. CONCLUSION The results suggest that FEXI and DKI(t) are sensitive to the same exchange processes in white matter when separated from restrictive effects of microstructure. The complex microstructure in gray matter, with potential exchange among multiple compartments and confounding effects of microstructure, still pose a challenge for FEXI and DKI(t).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Li
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Els Fieremans
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dmitry S. Novikov
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yulin Ge
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jiangyang Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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22
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Alghanimy A, Martin C, Gallagher L, Holmes WM. The effect of a novel AQP4 facilitator, TGN-073, on glymphatic transport captured by diffusion MRI and DCE-MRI. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282955. [PMID: 36920936 PMCID: PMC10016657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The glymphatic system is a low resistance pathway, by which cerebrospinal fluid enters the brain parenchyma along perivascular spaces via AQP4 channels. It is hypothesised that the resulting convective flow of the interstitial fluid provides an efficient mechanism for the removal of waste toxins from the brain. Therefore, enhancing AQP4 function might protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), in which the accumulation of harmful proteins and solutes is a hallmark feature. Here, we test the effect of a putative AQP4 facilitator, TGN-073, on glymphatic transport in a normal rat brain by employing different MRI techniques. Surgical procedures were undertaken to catheterise the cisterna magna, thereby enabling infusion of the MRI tracer. Followed by the intraperitoneal injection of either TGN-073, or the vehicle. Using a paramagnetic contrast agent (Gd-DTPA) as the MRI tracer, dynamic 3D T1 weighted imaging of the glymphatic system was undertaken over two hours. Further, the apparent diffusion coefficient was measured in different brain regions using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). While physiological parameters and arterial blood gas analysis were monitored continuously. We found that rats treated with TGN-073 showed the distribution of Gd-DTPA was more extensive and parenchymal uptake was higher compared with the vehicle group. Water diffusivity was increased in the brain of TGN-073 treated group, which indicates greater water flux. Also, MRI showed the glymphatic transport and distribution in the brain is naturally heterogeneous, which is consistent with previous studies. Our results indicate that compounds such as TGN-073 can improve glymphatic function in the brain. Since glymphatic impairment due to AQP4 dysfunction is potentially associated with several neurological disorders such as AD, dementia and traumatic brain injury, enhancing AQP4 functionality might be a promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Alghanimy
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Radiological Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Conor Martin
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsay Gallagher
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - William M. Holmes
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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23
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Nyström NN, McRae SW, Martinez FM, Kelly JJ, Scholl TJ, Ronald JA. A Genetically Encoded Magnetic Resonance Imaging Reporter Enables Sensitive Detection and Tracking of Spontaneous Metastases in Deep Tissues. Cancer Res 2023; 83:673-685. [PMID: 36512633 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death. However, it remains a poorly understood aspect of cancer biology, and most preclinical cancer studies do not examine metastasis, focusing solely on the primary tumor. One major factor contributing to this paradox is a gap in available tools for accurate spatiotemporal measurements of metastatic spread in vivo. Here, our objective was to develop an imaging reporter system that offers sensitive three-dimensional (3D) detection of cancer cells at high resolutions in live mice. An organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1b3 (oatp1b3) was used as an MRI reporter gene, and its sensitivity was systematically optimized for in vivo tracking of viable cancer cells in a spontaneous metastasis model. Metastases with oatp1b3-MRI could be observed at the single lymph node level and tracked over time as cancer cells spread to multiple lymph nodes and different organ systems in individual animals. While initial single lesions were successfully imaged in parallel via bioluminescence, later metastases were largely obscured by light scatter from the initial node. Importantly, MRI could detect micrometastases in lung tissue comprised on the order of 1,000 cancer cells. In summary, oatp1b3-MRI enables longitudinal tracking of cancer cells with combined high resolution and high sensitivity that provides 3D spatial information and the surrounding anatomical context. SIGNIFICANCE An MRI reporter gene system optimized for tracking metastasis in deep tissues at high resolutions and able to detect spontaneous micrometastases in lungs of mice provides a useful tool for metastasis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivin N Nyström
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Sean W McRae
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Imaging Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Francisco M Martinez
- Imaging Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - John J Kelly
- Imaging Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Scholl
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Imaging Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John A Ronald
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Imaging Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
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24
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Jia Y, Xu S, Han G, Wang B, Wang Z, Lan C, Zhao P, Gao M, Zhang Y, Jiang W, Qiu B, Liu R, Hsu YC, Sun Y, Liu C, Liu Y, Bai R. Transmembrane water-efflux rate measured by magnetic resonance imaging as a biomarker of the expression of aquaporin-4 in gliomas. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:236-252. [PMID: 36376487 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-022-00960-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The water-selective channel protein aquaporin-4 (AQP4) contributes to the migration and proliferation of gliomas, and to their resistance to therapy. Here we show, in glioma cell cultures, in subcutaneous and orthotopic gliomas in rats, and in glioma tumours in patients, that transmembrane water-efflux rate is a sensitive biomarker of AQP4 expression and can be measured via conventional dynamic-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Water-efflux rates correlated with stages of glioma proliferation as well as with changes in the heterogeneity of intra-tumoural and inter-tumoural AQP4 in rodent and human gliomas following treatment with temozolomide and with the AQP4 inhibitor TGN020. Regions with low water-efflux rates contained higher fractions of stem-like slow-cycling cells and therapy-resistant cells, suggesting that maps of water-efflux rates could be used to identify gliomas that are resistant to therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinhang Jia
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Affiliated Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital AND Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Shangchen Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Guangxu Han
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bao Wang
- Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zejun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chuanjin Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Meng Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wenhong Jiang
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Biying Qiu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Liu
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Cheng Hsu
- MR Collaboration, Siemens Healthcare, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Sun
- MR Collaboration, Siemens Healthcare, Shanghai, China
| | - Chong Liu
- MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingchao Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
- Shandong National Center for Applied Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Ruiliang Bai
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Affiliated Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital AND Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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25
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Springer CS, Baker EM, Li X, Moloney B, Wilson GJ, Pike MM, Barbara TM, Rooney WD, Maki JH. Metabolic activity diffusion imaging (MADI): I. Metabolic, cytometric modeling and simulations. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4781. [PMID: 35654608 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Evidence mounts that the steady-state cellular water efflux (unidirectional) first-order rate constant (kio [s-1 ]) magnitude reflects the ongoing, cellular metabolic rate of the cytolemmal Na+ , K+ -ATPase (NKA), c MRNKA (pmol [ATP consumed by NKA]/s/cell), perhaps biology's most vital enzyme. Optimal 1 H2 O MR kio determinations require paramagnetic contrast agents (CAs) in model systems. However, results suggest that the homeostatic metabolic kio biomarker magnitude in vivo is often too large to be reached with allowable or possible CA living tissue distributions. Thus, we seek a noninvasive (CA-free) method to determine kio in vivo. Because membrane water permeability has long been considered important in tissue water diffusion, we turn to the well-known diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) modality. To analyze the diffusion tensor magnitude, we use a parsimoniously primitive model featuring Monte Carlo simulations of water diffusion in virtual ensembles comprising water-filled and -immersed randomly sized/shaped contracted Voronoi cells. We find this requires two additional, cytometric properties: the mean cell volume (V [pL]) and the cell number density (ρ [cells/μL]), important biomarkers in their own right. We call this approach metabolic activity diffusion imaging (MADI). We simulate water molecule displacements and transverse MR signal decays covering the entirety of b-space from pure water (ρ = V = 0; kio undefined; diffusion coefficient, D0 ) to zero diffusion. The MADI model confirms that, in compartmented spaces with semipermeable boundaries, diffusion cannot be described as Gaussian: the nanoscopic D (Dn ) is diffusion time-dependent, a manifestation of the "diffusion dispersion". When the "well-mixed" (steady-state) condition is reached, diffusion becomes limited, mainly by the probabilities of (1) encountering (ρ, V), and (2) permeating (kio ) cytoplasmic membranes, and less so by Dn magnitudes. Importantly, for spaces with large area/volume (A/V; claustrophobia) ratios, this can happen in less than a millisecond. The model matches literature experimental data well, with implications for DWI interpretations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Springer
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Eric M Baker
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Xin Li
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Brendan Moloney
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Gregory J Wilson
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Bayer Healthcare, Radiology, New Jersey, USA
| | - Martin M Pike
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Thomas M Barbara
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - William D Rooney
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Maki
- Anschutz Medical Center Department of Radiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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26
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Shi L, Yu B, Chen Q, Zheng T, Xing P, Wei D. Heterogeneity evaluation of multi-high b-value apparent diffusion coefficient on cerebral ischemia in MCAO rat. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1048429. [PMID: 36605551 PMCID: PMC9808070 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1048429] [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: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess brain damage in a rat model of cerebral ischemia based on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) data obtained from multi-high b-values and evaluate the relationship between Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression and ADC. Methods Thirty eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into two groups: (1) sham controls (n = 6) and (2) cerebral ischemia (successful model, n = 19). All rats underwent diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with both standard b-values and multi-high b-values (2,500-4,500 s/mm2) using a 3.0-T device. Standard ADC (ADCst) maps and multi-high b-value ADCs (ADCmh) were calculated, respectively. Aquaporin 4 expression was quantified using Western blot. Relative values of ADCst and ADCmh, AQP4 expression were compared between the sham group and the ischemia group. Correlations between ADC values and AQP4 expression were evaluated. Results At 0.5 h after suture insertion, the value of ADCmh on the lesion was obviously decreased, and there was no difference in lesion volume when compared with ADCst. After reperfusion, besides similar regions where ADCst values decreased, we also found additional large values on ADCmh within the cortex of the ipsilateral side or surrounding the lesion. The lesion evolution of the large value on ADCmh was quite different from other indicators. But the total ADCmh values were still significantly associated with ADCst. The AQP4 protein expression level was appreciably increased after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), but there was no correlation between AQP4 expression either with ADCmh or ADCst. Conclusion We found the large values on ADCmh during the progression of cerebral infarction is varied, but there was no correlation between ADCmh values and AQP4 expression. ADCmh may indicate the heterogeneity of ischemia lesions, but the underlying pathological basis should be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Shi
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Department of Radiology, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China,Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory for Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China
| | - Bo Yu
- Department of Radiology, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China,Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory for Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China
| | - Qiuyan Chen
- Department of Radiology, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China,Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory for Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China
| | - Tianxiu Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China,Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory for Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China
| | - Peiqiu Xing
- Department of Radiology, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China,Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory for Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China
| | - Dingtai Wei
- The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China,Department of Radiology, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China,Functional and Molecular Imaging Laboratory for Cerebral Vascular Diseases, Ningde Municipal Hospital of Ningde Normal University, Ningde, Fujian, China,*Correspondence: Dingtai Wei,
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27
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Brindle KM. Gene reporters for magnetic resonance imaging. Trends Genet 2022; 38:996-998. [PMID: 35641343 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
MRI-based gene reporters allow imaging of gene expression at depth (tens of centimetres) and at relatively high resolution (~10-100 μm) and have the potential to be translated to the clinic. The reporters exploit either endogenous contrast mechanisms or they modulate the response to an introduced exogenous contrast agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Brindle
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK.
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28
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Yun J, Baldini M, Chowdhury R, Mukherjee A. Designing Protein-Based Probes for Sensing Biological Analytes with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. ANALYSIS & SENSING 2022; 2:e202200019. [PMID: 37409177 PMCID: PMC10321474 DOI: 10.1002/anse.202200019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Genetically encoded sensors provide unique advantages for monitoring biological analytes with molecular and cellular-level specificity. While sensors derived from fluorescent proteins represent staple tools in biological imaging, these probes are limited to optically accessible preparations owing to physical curbs on light penetration. In contrast to optical methods, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to noninvasively look inside intact organisms at any arbitrary depth and over large fields of view. These capabilities have spurred the development of innovative methods to connect MRI readouts with biological targets using protein-based probes that are in principle genetically encodable. Here, we highlight the state-of-the-art in MRI-based biomolecular sensors, focusing on their physical mechanisms, quantitative characteristics, and biological applications. We also describe how innovations in reporter gene technology are creating new opportunities to engineer MRI sensors that are sensitive to dilute biological targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Yun
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Michelle Baldini
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Rochishnu Chowdhury
- Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Center for BioEngineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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Application of Genetically Encoded Molecular Imaging Probes in Tumor Imaging. CONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING 2022; 2022:5473244. [PMID: 36101803 PMCID: PMC9440812 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5473244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, imaging technology has made rapid progress to improve the sensitivity of tumor diagnostic. With the development of genetic engineering and synthetic biology, various genetically encoded molecular imaging probes have also been extensively developed. As a biomedical imaging method with excellent detectable sensitivity and spatial resolution, genetically encoded molecular imaging has great application potential in the visualization of cellular and molecular functions during tumor development. Compared to chemosynthetic dyes and nanoparticles with an imaging function, genetically encoded molecular imaging probes can more easily label specific cells or proteins of interest in tumor tissues and have higher stability and tissue contrast in vivo. Therefore, genetically encoded molecular imaging probes have attracted increasing attention from researchers in engineering and biomedicine. In this review, we aimed to introduce the genetically encoded molecular imaging probes and further explained their applications in tumor imaging.
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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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Zheng N, Li M, Wu Y, Kaewborisuth C, Li Z, Gui Z, Wu J, Cai A, Lin K, Su KP, Xiang H, Tian X, Manyande A, Xu F, Wang J. A novel technology for in vivo detection of cell type-specific neural connection with AQP1-encoding rAAV2-retro vector and metal-free MRI. Neuroimage 2022; 258:119402. [PMID: 35732245 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A mammalian brain contains numerous neurons with distinct cell types for complex neural circuits. Virus-based circuit tracing tools are powerful in tracking the interaction among the different brain regions. However, detecting brain-wide neural networks in vivo remains challenging since most viral tracing systems rely on postmortem optical imaging. We developed a novel approach that enables in vivo detection of brain-wide neural connections based on metal-free magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) with retrograde ability, the rAAV2-retro, encoding the human water channel aquaporin 1 (AQP1) MRI reporter gene was generated to label neural connections. The mouse was micro-injected with the virus at the Caudate Putamen (CPU) region and subjected to detection with Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI). The prominent structure of the CPU-connected network was clearly defined. In combination with a Cre-loxP system, rAAV2-retro expressing Cre-dependent AQP1 provides a CPU-connected network of specific type neurons. Here, we established a sensitive, metal-free MRI-based strategy for in vivo detection of cell type-specific neural connections in the whole brain, which could visualize the dynamic changes of neural networks in rodents and potentially in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Mei Li
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Challika Kaewborisuth
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhu Gui
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinfeng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Aoling Cai
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Kangguang Lin
- Department of Affective Disorders, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kuan-Pin Su
- Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan, China
| | - Hongbing Xiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xuebi Tian
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Anne Manyande
- School of Human and Social Sciences, University of West London, Middlesex, TW8 9GA, UK
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan 430071, China; The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences-Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan 430071, China; Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Diseases, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, Hubei, China.
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Sun C, Lin L, Yin L, Hao X, Tian J, Zhang X, Ren Y, Li C, Yang Y. Acutely Inhibiting AQP4 With TGN-020 Improves Functional Outcome by Attenuating Edema and Peri-Infarct Astrogliosis After Cerebral Ischemia. Front Immunol 2022; 13:870029. [PMID: 35592320 PMCID: PMC9110854 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.870029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of human death and disability. Brain edema and peri-infarct astrocyte reactivity are crucial pathological changes, both involving aquaporin-4 (AQP4). Studies revealed that acute inhibition of AQP4 after stroke diminishes brain edema, however, its effect on peri-infarct astrocyte reactivity and the subacute outcome is unclear. And if diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) could reflect the AQP4 expression patterns is uncertain. Methods Rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and allocated randomly to TGN 020-treated and control groups. One day after stroke, brain swelling and lesion volumes of the rats were checked using T2-weighted imaging (T2-WI). Fourteen days after stroke, the rats successively underwent neurological examination, T2-WI and DWI with standard b-values and ultra-high b-values, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was calculated correspondingly. Finally, the rats’ brains were acquired and used for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and AQP4 immunoreactive analysis. Results At 1 day after stroke, the TGN-020-treated animals exhibited reduced brain swelling and lesion volumes compared with those in the control group. At 14 days after stroke, the TGN-020-treated animals showed fewer neurological function deficits and smaller lesion volumes. In the peri-infarct region, the control group showed evident astrogliosis and AQP4 depolarization, which were reduced significantly in the TGN-020 group. In addition, the ultra-high b-values of ADC (ADCuh) in the peri-infarct region of the TGN-020 group was higher than that of the control group. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed that peri-infarct AQP4 polarization correlated negatively with astrogliosis extent, and ADCuh correlated positively with AQP4 polarization. Conclusion We found that acutely inhibiting AQP4 using TGN-020 promoted neurological recovery by diminishing brain edema at the early stage and attenuating peri-infarct astrogliosis and AQP4 depolarization at the subacute stage after stroke. Moreover, ADCuh could reflect the AQP4 polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengfeng Sun
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Luyi Lin
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lekang Yin
- Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaozhu Hao
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaqi Tian
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoxue Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Ren
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chanchan Li
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanmei Yang
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Spees WM, Sukstanskii AL, Bretthorst GL, Neil JJ, Ackerman JJH. Rat Brain Global Ischemia-Induced Diffusion Changes Revisited: Biophysical Modeling of the Water and NAA MR "Diffusion Signal". Magn Reson Med 2022; 88:1333-1346. [PMID: 35452137 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess changes in intracellular diffusion as a mechanism for the reduction in water ADC that accompanies brain injury. Using NAA as a marker of neuronal cytoplasmic diffusion, NAA diffusion was measured before and after global ischemia (immediately postmortem) in the female Sprague-Dawley rat. METHODS Diffusion-weighted PRESS spectra, with diffusion encoding in a single direction, were acquired from large voxels of rat brain gray matter in vivo and postischemia employing either pairs of pulsed half-sine-shaped gradients (in vivo and postischemia, bmax = 19 ms/μm2 ) or sinusoidal oscillating gradients (in vivo only) with frequencies of 99.2-250 Hz. A 2D randomly oriented cylinder (neurite) model gave estimates of longitudinal and transverse diffusivities (DL and DT , respectively). In this model, DL represents the "free" diffusivity of NAA, whereas DT reflects highly restricted diffusion. Using oscillating gradients, the frequency dependence of DT [DT (ω)] gave estimates of the cylinder (axon/dendrite) radius. RESULTS A 10% decrease in DL,NAA followed global ischemia, dropping from 0.391 ± 0.012 μm2 /ms to 0.350 ± 0.009 μm2 /ms. Modeling DT,NAA (ω) provided an estimate of the neurite radius of 1.0 ± 0.6 μm. CONCLUSION Whereas the increase in apparent intraneuronal viscosity suggested by changes in DL,NAA may contribute to the overall reduction in water ADC associated with brain injury, it is not sufficient to be the sole explanation. Estimates of neurite radius based on DT (ω) were consistent with literature values.
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Affiliation(s)
- William M Spees
- Biomedical MR Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Alex L Sukstanskii
- Biomedical MR Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - G Larry Bretthorst
- Biomedical MR Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jeffrey J Neil
- Biomedical MR Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joseph J H Ackerman
- Biomedical MR Laboratory, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.,Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Alvin J Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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Chen Y, Li B, Jiang Z, Li H, Dang Y, Tang C, Xia Y, Zhang H, Song B, Long L. Multi-parameter diffusion and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging and radiomics nomogram for preoperative evaluation of aquaporin-1 expression in rectal cancer. Abdom Radiol (NY) 2022; 47:1276-1290. [PMID: 35166938 DOI: 10.1007/s00261-021-03397-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The overexpression of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is associated with poor prognosis in rectal cancer. This study aimed to explore the value of multi-parameter diffusion and perfusion MRI and radiomics models in predicting AQP1 high expression. METHODS This prospective study was performed from July 2019 to February 2021, which included rectal cancer participants after preoperative rectal MRI, with diffusion-weighted imaging, intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) sequences. Radiomic features were extracted from MR images, and immunohistochemical tests assessed AQP1 expression. Selected quantitative MRI and radiomic features were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves evaluated the predictive performance. The nomogram performance was evaluated by its calibration, discrimen, and clinical utility. The intraclass correlation coefficient evaluated the interobserver agreement for the MRI features. RESULTS 110 participants with the age of 60.7 ± 12.5 years been enrolled in this study. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), IVIM_D, DKI_diffusivity, and DCE_Ktrans were significantly higher in participants with high AQP1 expression than in those with low expression (P < 0.05). ADC (b = 1000, 2000, and 3000 s/mm2), IVIM_D, DKI_diffusivity, and DCE_Ktrans were positively correlated (r = 0.205, 0.275, 0.37, 0.235, 0.229, and 0.227, respectively; P < 0.05), whereas DKI_Kurtosis was negatively correlated (r = - 0.22, P = 0.021) with AQP1 expression. ADC (b = 3000 s/mm2), IVIM_D, DKI_ diffusivity, DKI_Kurtosis, and DCE_Ktrans had moderate diagnostic efficiencies for high AQP1 expression (AUC = 0.715, 0.636, 0.627, 0.633, and 0.632, respectively; P < 0.05). The radiomic features had excellent predictive efficiency for high AQP1 expression (AUC = 0.967 and 0.917 for training and validation). The model-based nomogram had C-indexes of 0.932 and 0.851 for the training and validation cohorts, which indicated good fitting to the calibration curves (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION Diffusion and perfusion MRI can indicate the aquaporin-1 expression in rectal cancer, and radiomic features can enhance the predictive efficiency for high AQP1 expression. A nomogram for high aquaporin-1 expression will improve clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Chen
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Basen Li
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zijian Jiang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Anus and Intestine Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yiwu Dang
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Cheng Tang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China
| | - Yuwei Xia
- Huiying Medical Technology, Beijing, 100192, China
| | | | - Bin Song
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Liling Long
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor, Ministry of Education, Gaungxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
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Liu T, Li Z, Li X, Zhao R, Wei X, Wang Z, Xin SX. In vivo visualization of murine melanoma cells B16-derived exosomes through magnetic resonance imaging. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2022; 1866:130062. [PMID: 34822924 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.130062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous studies demonstrated that exosomes play a powerful role in mediating intercellular communication to induce a pro-tumoral environment to promote tumor progression, including pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis. Noninvasive imaging could determine the in vivo kinetics of exosomes in real time to provide better understanding of the mechanisms of the tumor formation, progression and metastasis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an ideal technique which provides excellent anatomical resolution, intrinsic soft tissue contrast, unlimited penetration depth and no radiation exposure. METHODS A fusion protein composed of ferritin heavy chain (FTH1) and lactadherin was designed for visualizing exosomes through MRI. FTH1 was served as MRI reporter protein and lactadherin is a membrane-associated protein that is distributed on exosome surface. The characterizations of labeled exosomes were validated through transmission electron microscopy, western blot, nanoparticle tracking analysis and finally visualized in vitro and in vivo through MRI. RESULTS MR imaging showed that the labeled exosomes are able to be visualized in vitro and in vivo. Verification of the characterizations of exosomes observed no significant difference between labeled and unlabeled exosomes. CONCLUSION The proposed FTH1 labeling method was useful for visualizing exosomes through MRI. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The present study first reported a novel self-label method for imaging labeled exosomes of tumor cells in vivo through MR with cell endogenous MRI reporter protein. It may be further used as a tool to enhance understanding the role of exosomes in various pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqi Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenlin Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruiting Zhao
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinhua Wei
- Department of Radiology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
| | - Zixin Wang
- School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Xingang Xi Road 135, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Sherman Xuegang Xin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China; School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.
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Computationally designed dual-color MRI reporters for noninvasive imaging of transgene expression. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1143-1149. [PMID: 35102291 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-021-01162-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Imaging of gene-expression patterns in live animals is difficult to achieve with fluorescent proteins because tissues are opaque to visible light. Imaging of transgene expression with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which penetrates to deep tissues, has been limited by single reporter visualization capabilities. Moreover, the low-throughput capacity of MRI limits large-scale mutagenesis strategies to improve existing reporters. Here we develop an MRI system, called GeneREFORM, comprising orthogonal reporters for two-color imaging of transgene expression in deep tissues. Starting from two promiscuous deoxyribonucleoside kinases, we computationally designed highly active, orthogonal enzymes ('reporter genes') that specifically phosphorylate two MRI-detectable synthetic deoxyribonucleosides ('reporter probes'). Systemically administered reporter probes exclusively accumulate in cells expressing the designed reporter genes, and their distribution is displayed as pseudo-colored MRI maps based on dynamic proton exchange for noninvasive visualization of transgene expression. We envision that future extensions of GeneREFORM will pave the way to multiplexed deep-tissue mapping of gene expression in live animals.
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Targeting visualization of malignant tumor based on the alteration of DWI signal generated by hTERT promoter–driven AQP1 overexpression. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022; 49:2310-2322. [DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05684-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Vaughan HJ, Green JJ. Recent Advances in Gene Therapy for Cancer Theranostics. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2021; 20:100300. [PMID: 34738046 PMCID: PMC8562678 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2021.100300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
There is great interest in developing gene therapies for many disease indications, including cancer. However, successful delivery of nucleic acids to tumor cells is a major challenge, and in vivo efficacy is difficult to predict. Cancer theranostics is an approach combining anti-tumor therapy with imaging or diagnostic capabilities, with the goal of monitoring successful delivery and efficacy of a therapeutic agent in a tumor. Successful theranostics must maintain a high degree of anticancer targeting and efficacy while incorporating high-contrast imaging agents that are nontoxic and compatible with clinical imaging modalities. This review highlights recent advancements in theranostic strategies, including imaging technologies and genetic engineering approaches. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Vaughan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and the Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 400 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Jordan J. Green
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for NanoBioTechnology, and the Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 400 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Oncology, Neurosurgery, Materials Science & Engineering, and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, and the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 400 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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Wei H, Frey AM, Jasanoff A. Molecular fMRI of neurochemical signaling. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 364:109372. [PMID: 34597714 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most widely applied technique for brain-wide measurement of neural function in humans and animals. In conventional functional MRI (fMRI), brain signaling is detected indirectly, via localized activity-dependent changes in regional blood flow, oxygenation, and volume, to which MRI contrast can be readily sensitized. Although such hemodynamic fMRI methods are powerful tools for analysis of brain activity, they lack specificity for the many molecules and cell types that play functionally distinct roles in neural processing. A suite of techniques collectively known to as "molecular fMRI," addresses this limitation by permitting MRI-based detection of specific molecular processes in deep brain tissue. This review discusses how molecular fMRI is coming to be used in the study of neurochemical dynamics that mediate intercellular communication in the brain. Neurochemical molecular fMRI is a potentially powerful approach for mechanistic analysis of brain-wide function, but the techniques are still in early stages of development. Here we provide an overview of the major advances and results that have been achieved to date, as well as directions for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Wei
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
| | - Abigail M Frey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
| | - Alan Jasanoff
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States; Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States; Department of Nuclear Science & Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States.
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Ozbakir HF, Miller ADC, Fishman KB, Martins AF, Kippin TE, Mukherjee A. A Protein-Based Biosensor for Detecting Calcium by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. ACS Sens 2021; 6:3163-3169. [PMID: 34420291 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c01085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Calcium-responsive contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offer a promising approach for noninvasive brain-wide monitoring of neural activity at any arbitrary depth. Current examples of MRI-based calcium probes involve synthetic molecules and nanoparticles, which cannot be used to examine calcium signaling in a genetically encoded form. Here, we describe a new MRI sensor for calcium, based entirely on a naturally occurring calcium-binding protein known as calprotectin. Calcium-binding causes calprotectin to sequester manganese ions, thereby limiting Mn2+ enhanced paramagnetic relaxation of nearby water molecules. We demonstrate that this mechanism allows calprotectin to alter T1 and T2 based MRI signals in response to biologically relevant calcium concentrations. The resulting response amplitude, i.e., change in relaxation time, is comparable to existing MRI-based calcium sensors as well as other reported protein-based MRI sensors. As a preliminary demonstration of its biological applicability, we used calprotectin to detect calcium in a lysed hippocampal cell preparation as well as in intact Chinese hamster ovary cells treated with a calcium ionophore. Calprotectin thus represents a promising path toward noninvasive imaging of calcium signaling by combining the molecular and cellular specificity of genetically encodable tools with the ability of MRI to image through scattering tissue of any size and depth.
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Zocher S, Overall RW, Berdugo-Vega G, Rund N, Karasinsky A, Adusumilli VS, Steinhauer C, Scheibenstock S, Händler K, Schultze JL, Calegari F, Kempermann G. De novo DNA methylation controls neuronal maturation during adult hippocampal neurogenesis. EMBO J 2021; 40:e107100. [PMID: 34337766 PMCID: PMC8441477 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020107100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis enables the life‐long addition of functional neurons to the hippocampus and is regulated by both cell‐intrinsic molecular programs and behavioral activity. De novo DNA methylation is crucial for embryonic brain development, but its role during adult hippocampal neurogenesis has remained unknown. Here, we show that de novo DNA methylation is critical for maturation and functional integration of adult‐born neurons in the mouse hippocampus. Bisulfite sequencing revealed that de novo DNA methyltransferases target neuronal enhancers and gene bodies during adult hippocampal neural stem cell differentiation, to establish neuronal methylomes and facilitate transcriptional up‐regulation of neuronal genes. Inducible deletion of both de novo DNA methyltransferases Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b in adult neural stem cells did not affect proliferation or fate specification, but specifically impaired dendritic outgrowth and synaptogenesis of newborn neurons, thereby hampering their functional maturation. Consequently, abolishing de novo DNA methylation modulated activation patterns in the hippocampal circuitry and caused specific deficits in hippocampus‐dependent learning and memory. Our results demonstrate that proper establishment of neuronal methylomes during adult neurogenesis is fundamental for hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Zocher
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Rupert W Overall
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gabriel Berdugo-Vega
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nicole Rund
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anne Karasinsky
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Vijay S Adusumilli
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christina Steinhauer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sina Scheibenstock
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kristian Händler
- PRECISE Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Joachim L Schultze
- PRECISE Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Federico Calegari
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gerd Kempermann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Dresden, Germany.,Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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42
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Miller ADC, Ozbakir HF, Mukherjee A. Calcium-responsive contrast agents for functional magnetic resonance imaging. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 2:021301. [PMID: 34085055 DOI: 10.1063/5.0041394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Calcium ions represent one of the key second messengers accompanying neural activity and synaptic signaling. Accordingly, dynamic imaging of calcium fluctuations in living organisms represents a cornerstone technology for discovering neural mechanisms that underlie memory, determine behavior, and modulate emotional states as well as how these mechanisms are perturbed by neurological disease and brain injury. While optical technologies are well established for high resolution imaging of calcium dynamics, physical limits on light penetration hinder their application for whole-brain imaging in intact vertebrates. Unlike optics, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enables noninvasive large-scale imaging across vertebrates of all sizes. This has motivated the development of several sensors that leverage innovative physicochemical mechanisms to sensitize MRI contrast to intracellular and extracellular changes in calcium. Here, we review the current state-of-the-art in MRI-based calcium sensors, focusing on fundamental aspects of sensor performance, in vivo applications, and challenges related to sensitivity. We also highlight how innovations at the intersection of reporter gene technology and gene delivery open potential opportunities for mapping calcium activity in genetically targeted cells, complementing the benefits of small molecule probes and nanoparticle sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin D C Miller
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Harun F Ozbakir
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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43
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Farhadi A, Sigmund F, Westmeyer GG, Shapiro MG. Genetically encodable materials for non-invasive biological imaging. NATURE MATERIALS 2021; 20:585-592. [PMID: 33526879 PMCID: PMC8606175 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-00883-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Many questions in basic biology and medicine require the ability to visualize the function of specific cells and molecules inside living organisms. In this context, technologies such as ultrasound, optoacoustics and magnetic resonance provide non-invasive imaging access to deep-tissue regions, as used in many laboratories and clinics to visualize anatomy and physiology. In addition, recent work has enabled these technologies to image the location and function of specific cells and molecules inside the body by coupling the physics of sound waves, nuclear spins and light absorption to unique protein-based materials. These materials, which include air-filled gas vesicles, capsid-like nanocompartments, pigment-producing enzymes and transmembrane transporters, enable new forms of biomolecular and cellular contrast. The ability of these protein-based contrast agents to be genetically encoded and produced by cells creates opportunities for unprecedented in vivo studies of cellular function, while their amenability to genetic engineering enables atomic-level design of their physical, chemical and biological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Farhadi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Felix Sigmund
- Department of Chemistry and TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Synthetic Biomedicine, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Gil Gregor Westmeyer
- Department of Chemistry and TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Institute for Synthetic Biomedicine, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Mikhail G Shapiro
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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44
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Lee JK, Liu D, Jiang D, Kulikowicz E, Tekes A, Liu P, Qin Q, Koehler RC, Aggarwal M, Zhang J, Martin LJ. Fractional anisotropy from diffusion tensor imaging correlates with acute astrocyte and myelin swelling in neonatal swine models of excitotoxic and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:2750-2770. [PMID: 33543493 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The specific cytopathology that causes abnormal fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is not completely understood. The panoply of cell types in the brain might contribute differentially to changes in DTI metrics. Because glia are the predominant cell type in brain, we hypothesized that changes in FA and MD would signify perturbations in glial microstructure. Using a 3-Tesla clinical scanner, we conducted in vivo DTI MRI in nine neonatal piglets at 20-96 h after excitotoxic brain injury from striatal quinolinic acid injection or global HI. FA and MD from putamen, caudate, and internal capsule in toto were correlated with astrocyte swelling, neuronal excitotoxicity, and white matter injury. Low FA correlated with more swollen astrocytes immunophenotyped by aquaporin-4 (AQP4), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1). Low FA was also related to the loss of neurons with perineuronal GLT-1+ astrocyte decorations, large myelin swellings, lower myelin density, and oligodendrocyte cell death identified by 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase, bridging integrator-1, and nuclear morphology. MD correlated with degenerating oligodendrocytes and depletion of normal GFAP+ astrocytes but not with astrocyte or myelin swelling. We conclude that FA is associated with cytotoxic edema in astrocytes and oligodendrocyte processes as well as myelin injury at the cellular level. MD can detect glial cell death and loss, but it may not discern subtle pathology in swollen astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, or myelin. This study provides a cytopathologic basis for interpreting DTI in the neonatal brain after HI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Lee
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dapeng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dengrong Jiang
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ewa Kulikowicz
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Aylin Tekes
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Peiying Liu
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Qin Qin
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Raymond C Koehler
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Manisha Aggarwal
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jiangyang Zhang
- Department of Radiology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lee J Martin
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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45
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Chandy M, Wu JC. Molecular Imaging of Stem Cell Therapy in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy. Mol Imaging 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816386-3.00065-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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46
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Shapiro MG. Reporter Genes for Ultrasound and MRI. Mol Imaging 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816386-3.00051-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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47
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Perlman O, Ito H, Gilad AA, McMahon MT, Chiocca EA, Nakashima H, Farrar CT. Redesigned reporter gene for improved proton exchange-based molecular MRI contrast. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20664. [PMID: 33244130 PMCID: PMC7692519 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77576-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reporter gene imaging allows for non-invasive monitoring of molecular processes in living cells, providing insights on the mechanisms underlying pathology and therapy. A lysine-rich protein (LRP) chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI reporter gene has previously been developed and used to image tumor cells, cardiac viral gene transfer, and oncolytic virotherapy. However, the highly repetitive nature of the LRP reporter gene sequence leads to DNA recombination events and the expression of a range of truncated LRP protein fragments, thereby greatly limiting the CEST sensitivity. Here we report the use of a redesigned LRP reporter (rdLRP), aimed to provide excellent stability and CEST sensitivity. The rdLRP contains no DNA repeats or GC rich regions and 30% less positively charged amino-acids. RT-PCR of cell lysates transfected with rdLRP demonstrated a stable reporter gene with a single distinct band corresponding to full-length DNA. A distinct increase in CEST-MRI contrast was obtained in cell lysates of rdLRP transfected cells and in in vivo LRP expressing mouse brain tumors ([Formula: see text], n = 10).
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Perlman
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Suite 2301, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Hirotaka Ito
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Assaf A Gilad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- The Institute of Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Michael T McMahon
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of MR Research, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - E Antonio Chiocca
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hiroshi Nakashima
- Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christian T Farrar
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Suite 2301, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
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48
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Breen‐Norris JO, Siow B, Walsh C, Hipwell B, Hill I, Roberts T, Hall MG, Lythgoe MF, Ianus A, Alexander DC, Walker‐Samuel S. Measuring diffusion exchange across the cell membrane with DEXSY (Diffusion Exchange Spectroscopy). Magn Reson Med 2020; 84:1543-1551. [PMID: 32060975 PMCID: PMC7317745 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To combine numerical simulations, in vitro and in vivo experiments to evaluate the feasibility of measuring diffusion exchange across the cell membrane with diffusion exchange spectroscopy (DEXSY). METHODS DEXSY acquisitions were simulated over a range of permeabilities in nerve tissue and yeast substrates. In vitro measurements were performed in a yeast substrate and in vivo measurements in mouse tumor xenograft models, all at 9.4 T. RESULTS Diffusion exchange was observed in simulations over a physiologically relevant range of cell permeability values. In vitro and in vivo measures also provided evidence of diffusion exchange, which was quantified with the Diffusion Exchange Index (DEI). CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide preliminary evidence that DEXSY can be used to make in vivo measurements of diffusion exchange and cell membrane permeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- James O. Breen‐Norris
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingDivision of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Microstructure Imaging GroupCentre for Medical Imaging ComputingUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Bernard Siow
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingDivision of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Microstructure Imaging GroupCentre for Medical Imaging ComputingUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUK
| | - Claire Walsh
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingDivision of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Ben Hipwell
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingDivision of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Ioana Hill
- Microstructure Imaging GroupCentre for Medical Imaging ComputingUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Thomas Roberts
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingDivision of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Matt G. Hall
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Mark F. Lythgoe
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingDivision of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Andrada Ianus
- Microstructure Imaging GroupCentre for Medical Imaging ComputingUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Daniel C. Alexander
- Microstructure Imaging GroupCentre for Medical Imaging ComputingUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Simon Walker‐Samuel
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingDivision of MedicineUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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49
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Lee HH, Papaioannou A, Kim SL, Novikov DS, Fieremans E. A time-dependent diffusion MRI signature of axon caliber variations and beading. Commun Biol 2020; 3:354. [PMID: 32636463 PMCID: PMC7341838 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1050-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
MRI provides a unique non-invasive window into the brain, yet is limited to millimeter resolution, orders of magnitude coarser than cell dimensions. Here, we show that diffusion MRI is sensitive to the micrometer-scale variations in axon caliber or pathological beading, by identifying a signature power-law diffusion time-dependence of the along-fiber diffusion coefficient. We observe this signature in human brain white matter and identify its origins by Monte Carlo simulations in realistic substrates from 3-dimensional electron microscopy of mouse corpus callosum. Simulations reveal that the time-dependence originates from axon caliber variation, rather than from mitochondria or axonal undulations. We report a decreased amplitude of time-dependence in multiple sclerosis lesions, illustrating the potential sensitivity of our method to axonal beading in a plethora of neurodegenerative disorders. This specificity to microstructure offers an exciting possibility of bridging across scales to image cellular-level pathology with a clinically feasible MRI technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Hsi Lee
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Antonios Papaioannou
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Sung-Lyoung Kim
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Dmitry S Novikov
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Els Fieremans
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAI2R), Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
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50
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Zhang G, Ma W, Dong H, Shu J, Hou W, Guo Y, Wang M, Wei X, Ren J, Zhang J. Based on Histogram Analysis: ADC aqp Derived from Ultra-high b-Value DWI could be a Non-invasive Specific Biomarker for Rectal Cancer Prognosis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10158. [PMID: 32576929 PMCID: PMC7311405 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67263-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQP) are not only water channel protein, but also potential prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for rectal cancer. Some previous studies have demonstrated the AQP expression could be estimated by ADCaqp value derived from ultra-high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). We aim to determine whether ADCaqp could be a new and specific biomarker for indicating the AQP expression and prognostic factors of rectal cancer. 76 untreated patients with rectal cancer confirmed by colonoscopy biopsy were enrolled. ADCaqp value was generated from ultra-high b-value DWI with five b-values (1700–3500 s/mm2). AQP (AQP1, 3 and 5)staining intensity was estimated by both of software (QuPath) and manual manner. The relationships between histogram features of ADCaqp and AQP staining intensity were analyzed. The correlations between histogram features of ADCaqp and differentiation degrees (good, moderate, poor), T stage (T1–2 vs T3–4), and lymph node status (N+ vs N−) were also evaluated respectively. The mean, 75th percentile and 97.5th percentile of ADCaqp were correlated with AQP1 staining intensity (r = 0.237, 0.323 and 0.362, respectively, all P < 0.05) . No correlation was found between the histogram features of ADCaqp and AQP3 or AQP5 staining intensity. The mean, 50th percentile, 75th percentile and 97.5th percentile of ADCaqp value exhibited significant differences between differentiation status (all P < 0.05). Histogram features of ADCaqp value showed no significant differences in two subgroups of T stage and lymph node status (all P > 0.05). Histogram analysis showed that the ADCaqp value derived from ultra-high b-value DWI of rectal cancer could reflect AQP1’s expression and rectal cancer’s malignancy degree. ADCaqp might be a new imaging biomarker for evaluating rectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangwen Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Wanling Ma
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Hui Dong
- Research Equipment Management Center, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, P.R. China
| | - Jun Shu
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Weihuan Hou
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Yong Guo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Pathology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Mian Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
| | - Xiaocheng Wei
- MR Research China, GE Healthcare Greater China, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jialiang Ren
- MR Research China, GE Healthcare Greater China, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jinsong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
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