Abstract #3174

Longitudinal MRI Tracking of Transplanted Neural Progenitor Cells in the Spinal Cord Utilizing the Bright Ferritin Mechanism

Keyu Zhuang^1,2, Zixiang Luo^3,4,5, Seong Jun Kim^3,5, Kyle D.W. Vollett^1,2, Hai-Ying Mary Cheng^6,7, Mohamad Khazaei³, Michael G. Fehlings^3,5,8, and Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng ^1,2,9

¹Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, ²Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, ON, Canada, ³Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada, ⁴Department of Spine Surgery and Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China, ⁵Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, ⁶Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Toronto, ON, Canada, ⁷Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, ⁸Department of Surgery and Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, ⁹The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Synopsis

Keywords: Molecular Imaging, Cell Tracking & Reporter Genes

Motivation: A non-invasive imaging technology for monitoring cell survival and in-vivo migration after transplantation is critical to optimizing and translating stem cell-based therapies.

Goal(s): To extend our previously reported bright-ferritin cell tracking platform to monitoring stem cell therapy, we investigated tracking human neural progenitor cells transplanted in the rat spinal cord.

Approach: In-vitro assays of proliferation and differentiation, and imaging both in vitro on cell pellets and in vivo in rats were performed.

Results: Monitoring rats on MRI over seven weeks confirmed the ability to assess cell retention and distribution in the rat spinal cord.

Impact: Our bright-ferritin platform demonstrated no adverse effects on human neural progenitor cells. Stem cells injected in the rat spinal cord could be tracked longitudinally and on-demand via a bright T1-contrast on MRI.

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