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Preparation of Tumor Antigen-loaded Mature Dendritic Cells for Immunotherapy
Published on: August 1, 2013
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Quantification and tracking of genetically engineered dendritic cells for studying immunotherapy
Amnon Bar-Shir1,2, Lina Alon1,2, Michael J Korrer1,2,3
1The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|May 9, 2017
Summary
This study introduces a novel method for tracking genetically engineered cells using a nucleoside analog probe and chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI. This technique allows for sensitive, noninvasive in vivo monitoring and quantification of therapeutic cells.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Tracking
Background:
- Genetically encoded reporters are crucial for visualizing biological processes and tracking therapeutic cells noninvasively.
- A key challenge is identifying cells that actively express reporter genes for accurate monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel imaging probe and method for identifying and quantifying genetically engineered cells in vivo.
- To enable longitudinal, noninvasive tracking of therapeutic cells in deep tissues.
Main Methods:
- Utilized pyrrolo-2'-deoxycytidine, a nucleoside analog, as an imaging probe for Drosophila melanogaster 2'-deoxynucleoside kinase reporter gene.
- Employed chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI for in vivo imaging of bioengineered cells in brain tumor and immunotherapy models.
- Quantified transduced cells using flow cytometry based on the probe's optical properties.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated utility across six cell lines and in a mouse immunotherapy model.
- Successfully quantified labeled cells in specific regions, detecting fewer than 10,000 cells.
- Validated the sensitivity and accuracy of the proposed cell tracking technology.
Conclusions:
- The developed technology enables efficient selection and in vivo monitoring of labeled cells.
- Combines optical and MRI techniques for comprehensive cell tracking and quantification.
- Offers a significant advancement for noninvasive monitoring of therapeutic cells in deep tissues.
