Aims
Dendritic cells (DC) are increasingly being used as cellular vaccines to treat cancer and infectious diseases. While there have been some promising
Conclusions
This study is the first application of PFPE cell labeling and MRI cell tracking using human immunotherapeutic cells. These techniques may have significant potential for tracking therapeutic cells in future clinical trials.
Methods
Monocyte-derived DC were labeled with PFPE and then assessed. Cell viability was determined by examining cell membrane integrity and mitochondrial lipid content. Immunostaining and flow cytometry were used to measure surface antigen expression of DC maturation markers. Functional tests included bioassays for interleukin (IL)-12p70 production, T-cell stimulatory function and chemotaxis. MRI efficacy was demonstrated by inoculation of PFPE-labeled human DC into NOD-SCID mice.
Results
DC were effectively labeled with PFPE without significant impact on cell viability, phenotype or function. The PFPE-labeled DC were clearly detected in vivo by (19)F MRI, with mature DC being shown to migrate selectively towards draining lymph node regions within 18 h. Conclusions: This study is the first application of PFPE cell labeling and MRI cell tracking using human immunotherapeutic cells. These techniques may have significant potential for tracking therapeutic cells in future clinical trials.