Amnon Bar-Shir1,
Guanshu Liu2, Kannie W.Y. Chan2, Michael T. McMahon2,
Peter C.M. van Zijl2, Jeff W.M. Bulte1, 3,
Assaf A. Gilad1, 4
1Radiology,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States; 2Kennedy
Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States; 3Institute
for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,,
Baltimore, MD, United States; 4Institute for Cell Engineering,
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
We have developed a novel CEST-MRI reporter gene based on human protamine-1, and demonstrated its expression and detection in mammalian cells, as well as in a three-dimensional cell culture model of immune-isolated cells. Due to its biocompatibility, this humanized reporter gene is expected to have higher cellular tolerance with minimal immune response.