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Volpe A, Lyashchenko SK, Ponomarev V. Nuclear-Based Labeling of Cellular Immunotherapies: A Simple Protocol for Preclinical Use. Mol Imaging Biol 2024; 26:555-568. [PMID: 38958882 PMCID: PMC11281953 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-024-01923-z] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Labeling and tracking existing and emerging cell-based immunotherapies using nuclear imaging is widely used to guide the preclinical phases of development and testing of existing and new emerging off-the-shelf cell-based immunotherapies. In fact, advancing our knowledge about their mechanism of action and limitations could provide preclinical support and justification for moving towards clinical experimentation of newly generated products and expedite their approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Here we provide the reader with a ready to use protocol describing the labeling methodologies and practical procedures to render different candidate cell therapies in vivo traceable by nuclear-based imaging. The protocol includes sufficient practical details to aid researchers at all career stages and from different fields in familiarizing with the described concepts and incorporating them into their work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Volpe
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Serge K Lyashchenko
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Vladimir Ponomarev
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Grimsdell B, Saleem A, Volpe A, Fruhwirth GO. Genetic Engineering of Therapeutic Cells with the Sodium Iodide Symporter (NIS) to Enable Noninvasive In Vivo Therapy Tracking. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2729:303-330. [PMID: 38006504 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3499-8_18] [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] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Noninvasive long-term imaging of therapeutic cells in preclinical models can be achieved through introducing a reporter gene into the cells of interest. Despite important recent developments such as gene editing, cell engineering based on lentiviruses remains a mainstream tool for gene transfer applicable to a variety of different cell types.In this chapter, we describe how to use lentivirus-based genetic engineering to render different candidate cell therapies in vivo traceable by radionuclide imaging. We illustrate this reporter gene technology using the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), which is compatible with both positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). For preclinical experimentation, we fused NIS with a suitable fluorescent protein such as monomeric GFP or RFP to streamline cell line generation and downstream analyses of ex vivo tissue samples. We present protocols for reporter gene engineering of human cardiac progenitor cells, regulatory T cells, and effector T cells as well as for the characterization experiments required to validate NIS-fluorescent protein reporter function in these candidate therapeutic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Grimsdell
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Adeel Saleem
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Molecular Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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Skourti E, Volpe A, Lang C, Johnson P, Panagaki F, Fruhwirth GO. Spatiotemporal quantitative microRNA-155 imaging reports immune-mediated changes in a triple-negative breast cancer model. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1180233. [PMID: 37359535 PMCID: PMC10285160 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1180233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs and represent key players in physiology and disease. Aberrant microRNA expression is central to the development and progression of cancer, with various microRNAs proposed as potential cancer biomarkers and drug targets. There is a need to better understand dynamic microRNA expression changes as cancers progress and their tumor microenvironments evolve. Therefore, spatiotemporal and non-invasive in vivo microRNA quantification in tumor models would be highly beneficial. Methods We developed an in vivo microRNA detector platform in which the obtained signals are positively correlated to microRNA presence, and which permitted stable expression in cancer cells as needed for long-term experimentation in tumor biology. It exploits a radionuclide-fluorescence dual-reporter for quantitative in vivo imaging of a microRNA of choice by radionuclide tomography and fluorescence-based downstream ex vivo tissue analyses. We generated and characterized breast cancer cells stably expressing various microRNA detectors and validated them in vitro. Results We found the microRNA detector platform to report on microRNA presence in cells specifically and accurately, which was independently confirmed by real-time PCR and through microRNA modulation. Moreover, we established various breast tumor models in animals with different levels of residual immune systems and observed microRNA detector read-outs by imaging. Applying the detector platform to the progression of a triple-negative breast cancer model, we found that miR-155 upregulation in corresponding tumors was dependent on macrophage presence in tumors, revealing immune-mediated phenotypic changes in these tumors as they progressed. Conclusion While applied to immunooncology in this work, this multimodal in vivo microRNA detector platform will be useful whenever non-invasive quantification of spatiotemporal microRNA changes in living animals is of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Skourti
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cameron Lang
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Preeth Johnson
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fani Panagaki
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Physics, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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Jacob J, Volpe A, Peng Q, Lechler RI, Smyth LA, Lombardi G, Fruhwirth GO. Radiolabelling of Polyclonally Expanded Human Regulatory T Cells (Treg) with 89Zr-oxine for Medium-Term In Vivo Cell Tracking. Molecules 2023; 28:1482. [PMID: 36771148 PMCID: PMC9920634 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a promising candidate cell therapy to treat autoimmune diseases and aid the longevity of transplanted solid organs. Despite increasing numbers of clinical trials using human Treg therapy, important questions pertaining to their in vivo fate, distribution, and function remain unanswered. Treg accumulation in relevant tissues was found to be crucial for Treg therapy efficacy, but existing blood-borne biomarkers are unlikely to accurately reflect the tissue state. Non-invasive Treg tracking by whole-body imaging is a promising alternative and can be achieved by direct radiolabelling of Tregs and following the radiolabelled cells with positron emission tomography (PET). Our goal was to evaluate the radiolabelling of polyclonal Tregs with 89Zr to permit their in vivo tracking by PET/CT for longer than one week with current preclinical PET instrumentation. We used [89Zr]Zr(oxinate)4 as the cell-labelling agent and achieved successful radiolabelling efficiency of human Tregs spanning 0.1-11.1 Bq 89Zr/Treg cell, which would be compatible with PET tracking beyond one week. We characterized the 89Zr-Tregs, assessing their phenotypes, and found that they were not tolerating these intracellular 89Zr amounts, as they failed to survive or expand in a 89Zr-dose-dependent manner. Even at 0.1 Bq 89Zr per Treg cell, while 89Zr-Tregs remained functional as determined by a five-day-long effector T cell suppression assay, they failed to expand beyond day 3 in vitro. Moreover, PET imaging revealed signs of 89Zr-Treg death after adoptive transfer in vivo. In summary, 89Zr labelling of Tregs at intracellular radioisotope amounts compatible with cell tracking over several weeks did not achieve the desired outcomes, as 89Zr-Tregs failed to expand and survive. Consequently, we conclude that indirect Treg labelling is likely to be the most effective alternative method to satisfy the requirements of this cell tracking scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta Jacob
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, New Hunt’s House, 2nd Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Qi Peng
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, New Hunt’s House, 2nd Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Robert I. Lechler
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Lesley A. Smyth
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, Stratford Campus, University of East London, London E15 4LZ, UK
| | - Giovanna Lombardi
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, Tower Wing, 5th Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, Guy’s Campus, New Hunt’s House, 2nd Floor, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 1UL, UK
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Poley M, Mora-Raimundo P, Shammai Y, Kaduri M, Koren L, Adir O, Shklover J, Shainsky-Roitman J, Ramishetti S, Man F, de Rosales RTM, Zinger A, Peer D, Ben-Aharon I, Schroeder A. Nanoparticles Accumulate in the Female Reproductive System during Ovulation Affecting Cancer Treatment and Fertility. ACS NANO 2022; 16:5246-5257. [PMID: 35293714 PMCID: PMC7613117 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c07237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the female menstrual cycle, physiological changes occur that affect the biodistribution of nanoparticles within the reproductive system. We demonstrate a 2-fold increase in nanoparticle accumulation in murine ovaries and uterus during ovulation, compared to the nonovulatory stage, following intravenous administration. This biodistribution pattern had positive or negative effects when drug-loaded nanoparticles, sized 100 nm or smaller, were used to treat different cancers. For example, treating ovarian cancer with nanomedicines during mouse ovulation resulted in higher drug accumulation in the ovaries, improving therapeutic efficacy. Conversely, treating breast cancer during ovulation, led to reduced therapeutic efficacy, due to enhanced nanoparticle accumulation in the reproductive system rather than at the tumor site. Moreover, chemotherapeutic nanoparticles administered during ovulation increased ovarian toxicity and decreased fertility compared to the free drug. The menstrual cycle should be accounted for when designing and implementing nanomedicines for females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Poley
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Patricia Mora-Raimundo
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Yael Shammai
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Maya Kaduri
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Lilach Koren
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Omer Adir
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
- The Norman Seiden Multidisciplinary Program for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Jeny Shklover
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Janna Shainsky-Roitman
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Srinivas Ramishetti
- Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Francis Man
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, Lambeth Wing, St. Thomas Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Rafael T. M. de Rosales
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, Lambeth Wing, St. Thomas Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, Strand Campus, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Assaf Zinger
- Laboratory for Bioinspired Nano Engineering and Translational Therapeutics, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003 Israel
- Cardiovascular Sciences and Neurosurgery Departments, Houston Methodist Academic Institute, Houston, 77030 TX, USA
| | - Dan Peer
- Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, and Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Irit Ben-Aharon
- Technion Integrated Cancer Center, Faculty of Medicine, Technion, 320000, Haifa, Israel
| | - Avi Schroeder
- Laboratory for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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Shalaby N, Kelly J, Martinez F, Fox M, Qi Q, Thiessen J, Hicks J, Scholl TJ, Ronald JA. A Human-derived Dual MRI/PET Reporter Gene System with High Translational Potential for Cell Tracking. Mol Imaging Biol 2022; 24:341-351. [PMID: 35146614 PMCID: PMC9235057 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-021-01697-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Reporter gene imaging has been extensively used to longitudinally report on whole-body distribution and viability of transplanted engineered cells. Multi-modal cell tracking can provide complementary information on cell fate. Typical multi-modal reporter gene systems often combine clinical and preclinical modalities. A multi-modal reporter gene system for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), two clinical modalities, would be advantageous by combining the sensitivity of PET with the high-resolution morphology and non-ionizing nature of MRI. PROCEDURES We developed and evaluated a dual MRI/PET reporter gene system composed of two human-derived reporter genes that utilize clinical reporter probes for engineered cell detection. As a proof-of-concept, breast cancer cells were engineered to co-express the human organic anion transporter polypeptide 1B3 (OATP1B3) that uptakes the clinical MRI contrast agent gadolinium ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA), and the human sodium iodide symporter (NIS) which uptakes the PET tracer, [18F] tetrafluoroborate ([18F] TFB). RESULTS T1-weighted MRI results in mice exhibited significantly higher MRI signals in reporter-gene-engineered mammary fat pad tumors versus contralateral naïve tumors (p < 0.05). No differences in contrast enhancement were observed at 5 h after Gd-EOB-DTPA administration using either intravenous or intraperitoneal injection. We also found significantly higher standard uptake values (SUV) in engineered tumors in comparison to the naïve tumors in [18F]TFB PET images (p < 0.001). Intratumoral heterogeneity in signal enhancement was more conspicuous in relatively higher resolution MR images compared to PET images. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates the ability to noninvasively track cells engineered with our human-derived dual MRI/PET reporter system, enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of transplanted cells. Future work is focused on applying this tool to track therapeutic cells, which may one day enable the broader application of cell tracking within the healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nourhan Shalaby
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada.
| | - John Kelly
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Francisco Martinez
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Mathew Fox
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada
- Saint Joseph's Health Care, Toronto, Canada
| | - Qi Qi
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Jonathan Thiessen
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
- Saint Joseph's Health Care, Toronto, Canada
- Lawson Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Facility, London, Canada
| | - Justin Hicks
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada
- Lawson Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Facility, London, Canada
| | - Timothy J Scholl
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Canada
| | - John A Ronald
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Canada
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Costa IM, Siksek N, Volpe A, Man F, Osytek KM, Verger E, Schettino G, Fruhwirth GO, Terry SYA. Relationship of In Vitro Toxicity of Technetium-99m to Subcellular Localisation and Absorbed Dose. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13466. [PMID: 34948266 PMCID: PMC8703725 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Auger electron-emitters increasingly attract attention as potential radionuclides for molecular radionuclide therapy in oncology. The radionuclide technetium-99m is widely used for imaging; however, its potential as a therapeutic radionuclide has not yet been fully assessed. We used MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells engineered to express the human sodium iodide symporter-green fluorescent protein fusion reporter (hNIS-GFP; MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP) as a model for controlled cellular radionuclide uptake. Uptake, efflux, and subcellular location of the NIS radiotracer [99mTc]TcO4- were characterised to calculate the nuclear-absorbed dose using Medical Internal Radiation Dose formalism. Radiotoxicity was determined using clonogenic and γ-H2AX assays. The daughter radionuclide technetium-99 or external beam irradiation therapy (EBRT) served as controls. [99mTc]TcO4- in vivo biodistribution in MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP tumour-bearing mice was determined by imaging and complemented by ex vivo tissue radioactivity analysis. [99mTc]TcO4- resulted in substantial DNA damage and reduction in the survival fraction (SF) following 24 h incubation in hNIS-expressing cells only. We found that 24,430 decays/cell (30 mBq/cell) were required to achieve SF0.37 (95%-confidence interval = [SF0.31; SF0.43]). Different approaches for determining the subcellular localisation of [99mTc]TcO4- led to SF0.37 nuclear-absorbed doses ranging from 0.33 to 11.7 Gy. In comparison, EBRT of MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP cells resulted in an SF0.37 of 2.59 Gy. In vivo retention of [99mTc]TcO4- after 24 h remained high at 28.0% ± 4.5% of the administered activity/gram tissue in MDA-MB-231.hNIS-GFP tumours. [99mTc]TcO4- caused DNA damage and reduced clonogenicity in this model, but only when the radioisotope was taken up into the cells. This data guides the safe use of technetium-99m during imaging and potential future therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines M. Costa
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Noor Siksek
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Molecular Imaging Group, Department of Radiology, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Francis Man
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Katarzyna M. Osytek
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Elise Verger
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
| | - Giuseppe Schettino
- National Physical Laboratory, Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Teddington TW11 0LW, UK;
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guilford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, UK;
| | - Samantha Y. A. Terry
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; (I.M.C.); (N.S.); (F.M.); (K.M.O.); (E.V.)
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Xiao Z, Puré E. Imaging of T-cell Responses in the Context of Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:490-502. [PMID: 33941536 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-0678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy, which promotes the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and enhances their infiltration into and function within tumors, is a rapidly expanding and evolving approach to treating cancer. However, many of the critical denominators for inducing effective anticancer immune responses remain unknown. Efforts are underway to develop comprehensive ex vivo assessments of the immune landscape of patients prior to and during response to immunotherapy. An important complementary approach to these efforts involves the development of noninvasive imaging approaches to detect immune targets, assess delivery of immune-based therapeutics, and evaluate responses to immunotherapy. Herein, we review the merits and limitations of various noninvasive imaging modalities (MRI, PET, and single-photon emission tomography) and discuss candidate targets for cellular and molecular imaging for visualization of T-cell responses at various stages along the cancer-immunity cycle in the context of immunotherapy. We also discuss the potential use of these imaging strategies in monitoring treatment responses and predicting prognosis for patients treated with immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebin Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ellen Puré
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Efremova MV, Bodea SV, Sigmund F, Semkina A, Westmeyer GG, Abakumov MA. Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13030397. [PMID: 33809789 PMCID: PMC8002387 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13030397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of growth and possible metastasis in animal models of tumors would benefit from reliable cell labels for noninvasive whole-organism imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. Genetically encoded cell-tracking reporters have the advantage that they are contrast-selective for viable cells with intact protein expression machinery. Besides, these reporters do not suffer from dilution during cell division. Encapsulins, which are bacterial protein nanocompartments, can serve as genetically controlled labels for multimodal detection of cells. Such nanocompartments can host various guest molecules inside their lumen. These include, for example, fluorescent proteins or enzymes with ferroxidase activity leading to biomineralization of iron oxide inside the encapsulin nanoshell. The aim of this work was to implement heterologous expression of encapsulin systems from Quasibacillus thermotolerans using the fluorescent reporter protein mScarlet-I and ferroxidase IMEF in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. The successful expression of self-assembled encapsulin nanocompartments with functional cargo proteins was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Also, coexpression of encapsulin nanoshells, ferroxidase cargo, and iron transporter led to an increase in T2-weighted contrast in magnetic resonance imaging of HepG2 cells. The results demonstrate that the encapsulin cargo system from Q. thermotolerans may be suitable for multimodal imaging of cancer cells and could contribute to further in vitro and in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V. Efremova
- Department of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.-V.B.); (F.S.); (G.G.W.)
- Institute for Synthetic Biomedicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.E.); (M.A.A.); Tel.: +74-95-638-4465 (M.A.A.)
| | - Silviu-Vasile Bodea
- Department of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.-V.B.); (F.S.); (G.G.W.)
- Institute for Synthetic Biomedicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Felix Sigmund
- Department of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.-V.B.); (F.S.); (G.G.W.)
- Institute for Synthetic Biomedicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Alevtina Semkina
- Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
- V.P. Serbskiy National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, 119034 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gil G. Westmeyer
- Department of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, Germany; (S.-V.B.); (F.S.); (G.G.W.)
- Institute for Synthetic Biomedicine, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maxim A. Abakumov
- Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia;
- Laboratory “Biomedical Nanomaterials”, National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, 119049 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence: (M.V.E.); (M.A.A.); Tel.: +74-95-638-4465 (M.A.A.)
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10
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Jacob J, Nadkarni S, Volpe A, Peng Q, Tung SL, Hannen RF, Mohseni YR, Scotta C, Marelli-Berg FM, Lechler RI, Smyth LA, Fruhwirth GO, Lombardi G. Spatiotemporal in vivo tracking of polyclonal human regulatory T cells (Tregs) reveals a role for innate immune cells in Treg transplant recruitment. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2021; 20:324-336. [PMID: 33511246 PMCID: PMC7811063 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are emerging as a new cell-based therapy in solid organ transplantation. Adoptive transfer of Tregs has been shown preclinically to protect from graft rejection, and the safety of Treg therapy has been demonstrated in clinical trials. Despite these successes, the in vivo distribution and persistence of adoptively transferred Tregs remained elusive, which hampers clinical translation. Here we isolated human Tregs using a GMP-compatible protocol and lentivirally transduced them with the human sodium iodide symporter to render them traceable in vivo by radionuclide imaging. Engineered human Tregs were characterized for phenotype, survival, suppressive capacity, and reporter function. To study their trafficking behavior, they were subsequently administered to humanized mice with human skin transplants. Traceable Tregs were quantified in skin grafts by non-invasive nano-single-photon emission computed tomography (nanoSPECT)/computed tomography (CT) for up to 40 days, and the results were validated ex vivo. Using this approach, we demonstrated that Treg trafficking to skin grafts was regulated by the presence of recipient Gr-1+ innate immune cells. We demonstrated the utility of radionuclide reporter gene-afforded quantitative Treg in vivo tracking, addressing a fundamental need in Treg therapy development and offering a clinically compatible methodology for future Treg therapy imaging in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta Jacob
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Suchita Nadkarni
- Centre for Cell Biology & Cutaneous Research, The Blizard Institute, Bart’s and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Qi Peng
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Sim L. Tung
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Rosalind F. Hannen
- Centre for Cell Biology & Cutaneous Research, The Blizard Institute, Bart’s and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK
| | - Yasmin R. Mohseni
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Cristiano Scotta
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Federica M. Marelli-Berg
- William Harvey Research Institute, Bart’s and The London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Robert I. Lechler
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Lesley A. Smyth
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, Stratford Campus, University of East London, London E16 2RD, UK
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Giovanna Lombardi
- MRC Centre for Transplantation, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
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11
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Volpe A, Lang C, Lim L, Man F, Kurtys E, Ashmore-Harris C, Johnson P, Skourti E, de Rosales RTM, Fruhwirth GO. Spatiotemporal PET Imaging Reveals Differences in CAR-T Tumor Retention in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Models. Mol Ther 2020; 28:2271-2285. [PMID: 32645298 PMCID: PMC7544977 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T) has been rolled out as a new treatment for hematological malignancies. For solid tumor treatment, CAR-T has been disappointing so far. Challenges include the quantification of CAR-T trafficking, expansion and retention in tumors, activity at target sites, toxicities, and long-term CAR-T survival. Non-invasive serial in vivo imaging of CAR-T using reporter genes can address several of these challenges. For clinical use, a non-immunogenic reporter that is detectable with exquisite sensitivity by positron emission tomography (PET) using a clinically available non-toxic radiotracer would be beneficial. Here, we employed the human sodium iodide symporter to non-invasively quantify tumor retention of pan-ErbB family targeted CAR-T by PET. We generated and characterized traceable CAR T cells and examined potential negative effects of radionuclide reporter use. We applied our platform to two different triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) models and unexpectedly observed pronounced differences in CAR-T tumor retention by PET/CT (computed tomography) and confirmed data ex vivo. CAR-T tumor retention inversely correlated with immune checkpoint expression in the TNBC models. Our platform enables highly sensitive non-invasive PET tracking of CAR-T thereby addressing a fundamental unmet need in CAR-T development and offering to provide missing information needed for future clinical CAR-T imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Volpe
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Cameron Lang
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lindsay Lim
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Francis Man
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ewelina Kurtys
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Candice Ashmore-Harris
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Preeth Johnson
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Elena Skourti
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Rafael T M de Rosales
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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12
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Mohseni YR, Tung SL, Dudreuilh C, Lechler RI, Fruhwirth GO, Lombardi G. The Future of Regulatory T Cell Therapy: Promises and Challenges of Implementing CAR Technology. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1608. [PMID: 32793236 PMCID: PMC7393941 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapy with polyclonal regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been translated into the clinic and is currently being tested in transplant recipients and patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Moreover, building on animal models, it has been widely reported that antigen-specific Tregs are functionally superior to polyclonal Tregs. Among various options to confer target specificity to Tregs, genetic engineering is a particularly timely one as has been demonstrated in the treatment of hematological malignancies where it is in routine clinical use. Genetic engineering can be exploited to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) in Tregs, and this has been successfully demonstrated to be robust in preclinical studies across various animal disease models. However, there are several caveats and a number of strategies should be considered to further improve on targeting, efficacy and to understand the in vivo distribution and fate of CAR-Tregs. Here, we review the differing approaches to confer antigen specificity to Tregs with emphasis on CAR-Tregs. This includes an overview and discussion of the various approaches to improve CAR-Treg specificity and therapeutic efficacy as well as addressing potential safety concerns. We also discuss different imaging approaches to understand the in vivo biodistribution of administered Tregs. Preclinical research as well as suitability of methodologies for clinical translation are discussed.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens/immunology
- Bioengineering
- Humans
- Immunomodulation
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/metabolism
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/metabolism
- T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/metabolism
- Treatment Outcome
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin R. Mohseni
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, MRC Centre for Transplantation, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King's College London (KCL), Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sim L. Tung
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, MRC Centre for Transplantation, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King's College London (KCL), Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Dudreuilh
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, MRC Centre for Transplantation, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King's College London (KCL), Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert I. Lechler
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, MRC Centre for Transplantation, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King's College London (KCL), Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Lombardi
- Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, MRC Centre for Transplantation, School of Immunology and Microbial Science, King's College London (KCL), Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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13
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Ashmore-Harris C, Iafrate M, Saleem A, Fruhwirth GO. Non-invasive Reporter Gene Imaging of Cell Therapies, including T Cells and Stem Cells. Mol Ther 2020; 28:1392-1416. [PMID: 32243834 PMCID: PMC7264441 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapies represent a rapidly emerging class of new therapeutics. They are intended and developed for the treatment of some of the most prevalent human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and for regenerative medicine. Currently, they are largely developed without precise assessment of their in vivo distribution, efficacy, or survival either clinically or preclinically. However, it would be highly beneficial for both preclinical cell therapy development and subsequent clinical use to assess these parameters in situ to enable enhancements in efficacy, applicability, and safety. Molecular imaging can be exploited to track cells non-invasively on the whole-body level and can enable monitoring for prolonged periods in a manner compatible with rapidly expanding cell types. In this review, we explain how in vivo imaging can aid the development and clinical translation of cell-based therapeutics. We describe the underlying principles governing non-invasive in vivo long-term cell tracking in the preclinical and clinical settings, including available imaging technologies, reporter genes, and imaging agents as well as pitfalls related to experimental design. Our emphasis is on adoptively transferred T cell and stem cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Ashmore-Harris
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Madeleine Iafrate
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Adeel Saleem
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK; Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK.
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14
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Iafrate M, Fruhwirth GO. How Non-invasive in vivo Cell Tracking Supports the Development and Translation of Cancer Immunotherapies. Front Physiol 2020; 11:154. [PMID: 32327996 PMCID: PMC7152671 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a relatively new treatment regimen for cancer, and it is based on the modulation of the immune system to battle cancer. Immunotherapies can be classified as either molecular or cell-based immunotherapies, and both types have demonstrated promising results in a growing number of cancers. Indeed, several immunotherapies representing both classes are already approved for clinical use in oncology. While spectacular treatment successes have been reported, particularly for so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors and certain cell-based immunotherapies, they have also been accompanied by a variety of severe, sometimes life-threatening side effects. Furthermore, not all patients respond to immunotherapy. Hence, there is the need for more research to render these promising therapeutics more efficacious, more widely applicable, and safer to use. Whole-body in vivo imaging technologies that can interrogate cancers and/or immunotherapies are highly beneficial tools for immunotherapy development and translation to the clinic. In this review, we explain how in vivo imaging can aid the development of molecular and cell-based anti-cancer immunotherapies. We describe the principles of imaging host T-cells and adoptively transferred therapeutic T-cells as well as the value of traceable cancer cell models in immunotherapy development. Our emphasis is on in vivo cell tracking methodology, including important aspects and caveats specific to immunotherapies. We discuss a variety of associated experimental design aspects including parameters such as cell type, observation times/intervals, and detection sensitivity. The focus is on non-invasive 3D cell tracking on the whole-body level including aspects relevant for both preclinical experimentation and clinical translatability of the underlying methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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15
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Ashmore-Harris C, Blackford SJ, Grimsdell B, Kurtys E, Glatz MC, Rashid TS, Fruhwirth GO. Reporter gene-engineering of human induced pluripotent stem cells during differentiation renders in vivo traceable hepatocyte-like cells accessible. Stem Cell Res 2019; 41:101599. [PMID: 31707210 PMCID: PMC6905152 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2019.101599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary hepatocyte transplantation (HTx) is a safe cell therapy for patients with liver disease, but wider application is circumvented by poor cell engraftment due to limitations in hepatocyte quality and transplantation strategies. Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) are considered a promising alternative but also require optimisation of transplantation and are often transplanted prior to full maturation. Whole-body in vivo imaging would be highly beneficial to assess engraftment non-invasively and monitor the transplanted cells in the short and long-term. Here we report a lentiviral transduction approach designed to engineer hiPSC-derived HLCs during differentiation. This strategy resulted in the successful production of sodium iodide symporter (NIS)-expressing HLCs that were functionally characterised, transplanted into mice, and subsequently imaged using radionuclide tomography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Ashmore-Harris
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London (KCL), London, SE1 7EH, UK; Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Guy's Hospital, KCL, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Samuel Ji Blackford
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Guy's Hospital, KCL, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Benjamin Grimsdell
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London (KCL), London, SE1 7EH, UK; Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Shepherd's House, King's College London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Ewelina Kurtys
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London (KCL), London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Marlies C Glatz
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London (KCL), London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Tamir S Rashid
- Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Guy's Hospital, KCL, London SE1 9RT, UK; Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London (KCL), London, SE1 7EH, UK.
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16
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Krekorian M, Fruhwirth GO, Srinivas M, Figdor CG, Heskamp S, Witney TH, Aarntzen EH. Imaging of T-cells and their responses during anti-cancer immunotherapy. Theranostics 2019; 9:7924-7947. [PMID: 31656546 PMCID: PMC6814447 DOI: 10.7150/thno.37924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has proven to be an effective approach in a growing number of cancers. Despite durable clinical responses achieved with antibodies targeting immune checkpoint molecules, many patients do not respond. The common denominator for immunotherapies that have successfully been introduced in the clinic is their potential to induce or enhance infiltration of cytotoxic T-cells into the tumour. However, in clinical research the molecules, cells and processes involved in effective responses during immunotherapy remain largely obscure. Therefore, in vivo imaging technologies that interrogate T-cell responses in patients represent a powerful tool to boost further development of immunotherapy. This review comprises a comprehensive analysis of the in vivo imaging technologies that allow the characterisation of T-cell responses induced by anti-cancer immunotherapy, with emphasis on technologies that are clinically available or have high translational potential. Throughout we discuss their respective strengths and weaknesses, providing arguments for selecting the optimal imaging options for future research and patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massis Krekorian
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, Kings' College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mangala Srinivas
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carl G. Figdor
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra Heskamp
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Timothy H. Witney
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, Kings' College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erik H.J.G. Aarntzen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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17
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Man F, Lim L, Volpe A, Gabizon A, Shmeeda H, Draper B, Parente-Pereira AC, Maher J, Blower PJ, Fruhwirth GO, T M de Rosales R. In Vivo PET Tracking of 89Zr-Labeled Vγ9Vδ2 T Cells to Mouse Xenograft Breast Tumors Activated with Liposomal Alendronate. Mol Ther 2019; 27:219-229. [PMID: 30429045 PMCID: PMC6318719 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gammadelta T (γδ-T) cells are strong candidates for adoptive immunotherapy in oncology due to their cytotoxicity, ease of expansion, and favorable safety profile. The development of γδ-T cell therapies would benefit from non-invasive cell-tracking methods and increased targeting to tumor sites. Here we report the use of [89Zr]Zr(oxinate)4 to track Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET). In vitro, we showed that 89Zr-labeled Vγ9Vδ2 T cells retained their viability, proliferative capacity, and anti-cancer cytotoxicity with minimal DNA damage for amounts of 89Zr ≤20 mBq/cell. Using a mouse xenograft model of human breast cancer, 89Zr-labeled γδ-T cells were tracked by PET imaging over 1 week. To increase tumor antigen expression, the mice were pre-treated with PEGylated liposomal alendronate. Liposomal alendronate, but not placebo liposomes or non-liposomal alendronate, significantly increased the 89Zr signal in the tumors, suggesting increased homing of γδ-T cells to the tumors. γδ-T cell trafficking to tumors occurred within 48 hr of administration. The presence of γδ-T cells in tumors, liver, and spleen was confirmed by histology. Our results demonstrate the suitability of [89Zr]Zr(oxinate)4 as a cell-labeling agent for therapeutic T cells and the potential benefits of liposomal bisphosphonate treatment before γδ-T cell administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Man
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Lindsay Lim
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Alessia Volpe
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Alberto Gabizon
- Oncology Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hebrew University-School of Medicine, Jerusalem 9103102, Israel
| | - Hilary Shmeeda
- Oncology Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hebrew University-School of Medicine, Jerusalem 9103102, Israel
| | - Benjamin Draper
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Ana C Parente-Pereira
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - John Maher
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Philip J Blower
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Rafael T M de Rosales
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK.
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18
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Volpe A, Kurtys E, Fruhwirth GO. Cousins at work: How combining medical with optical imaging enhances in vivo cell tracking. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 102:40-50. [PMID: 29960079 PMCID: PMC6593261 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Microscopy and medical imaging are related in their exploitation of electromagnetic waves, but were developed to satisfy differing needs, namely to observe small objects or to look inside subjects/objects, respectively. Together, these techniques can help elucidate complex biological processes and better understand health and disease. A current major challenge is to delineate mechanisms governing cell migration and tissue invasion in organismal development, the immune system and in human diseases such as cancer where the spatiotemporal tracking of small cell numbers in live animal models is extremely challenging. Multi-modal multi-scale in vivo cell tracking integrates medical and optical imaging. Fuelled by basic research in cancer biology and cell-based therapeutics, it has been enabled by technological advances providing enhanced resolution, sensitivity and multiplexing capabilities. Here, we review which imaging modalities have been successfully used for in vivo cell tracking and how this challenging task has benefitted from combining macroscopic with microscopic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Volpe
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, SE1 7EH, London, UK
| | - Ewelina Kurtys
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, SE1 7EH, London, UK
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, SE1 7EH, London, UK.
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19
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Jiang H, DeGrado TR. [ 18F]Tetrafluoroborate ([ 18F]TFB) and its analogs for PET imaging of the sodium/iodide symporter. Theranostics 2018; 8:3918-3931. [PMID: 30083270 PMCID: PMC6071519 DOI: 10.7150/thno.24997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sodium/iodide symporter (NIS)-mediated iodide uptake in thyroid follicular cells is the basis of clinical utilization of radioiodines. The cloning of the NIS gene enabled applications of NIS as a reporter gene in both preclinical and translational research. Non-invasive NIS imaging with radioactive iodides and iodide analogs has gained much interest in recent years for evaluation of thyroid cancer and NIS reporter expression. Although radioiodines and [99mTc]pertechnetate ([99mTc]TcO4-) have been utilized in positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), they may suffer from limitations of availability, undesirable decay properties or imaging sensitivity (SPECT versus PET). Recently, [18F]tetrafluoroborate ([18F]TFB or [18F]BF4-) and other fluorine-18 labeled iodide analogs have emerged as a promising iodide analog for PET imaging. These fluorine-18 labeled probes have practical radiosyntheses and biochemical properties that allow them to closely mimic iodide transport by NIS in thyroid, as well as in other NIS-expressing tissues. Unlike radioiodides, they do not undergo organification in thyroid cells, which results in an advantage of relatively lower uptake in normal thyroid tissue. Initial clinical trials of [18F]TFB have been completed in healthy human subjects and thyroid cancer patients. The excellent imaging properties of [18F]TFB for evaluation of NIS-expressing tissues indicate its bright future in PET NIS imaging. This review focuses on the recent evolution of [18F]TFB and other iodide analogs and their potential value in research and clinical practice.
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