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Cell radiolabeling with acoustophoresis cell washing
Stephen S Adler1, Emmanuel C Nyong2, Raisa A Glabman2
1Clinical Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 10, Room B3B51, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. stephen.adler@nih.gov.
Scientific Reports
|June 1, 2022
Summary
Acoustophoresis cell washing offers a promising alternative to manual methods for zirconium-89 (89Zr)-oxine labeling of immune cells. This technique maintains cell properties, paving the way for automated radiolabeling systems.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Medicine
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Zirconium-89 (89Zr)-oxine labeling enables in vivo tracking of immune cells via PET imaging.
- Current manual labeling is labor-intensive, requires specialized personnel, and is susceptible to human error.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate acoustophoresis cell washing as a replacement for centrifugal washing in 89Zr-oxine cell radiolabeling.
- To lay the groundwork for a fully automated radiolabeling system.
Main Methods:
- Developed a radiolabeling procedure replacing two centrifuge steps with acoustophoresis cell washing.
- Tested the method using murine EL4 lymphoma and T cells, comparing against a standard centrifugal procedure.
Main Results:
- Acoustophoresis yielded radiolabeled cells with comparable labeling efficiency and specific activity to the centrifugal method.
- Unbound 89Zr-oxine removal, cell viability (Annexin V/propidium iodide staining), and activation function were similar between methods.
Conclusions:
- Acoustophoresis cell washing is a viable alternative to centrifugation for 89Zr-oxine cell radiolabeling.
- This method supports the development of automated, GMP-qualified radiolabeling devices.
