Molecular MRI Images of the Transplanted Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Liver, Kidney, Bladder and Penile Cavernosum of Rats / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Molecular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocrystals (SPIO) have been developed for noninvasively monitoring stem cells. This study was performed to investigate if the presence of transplanted human mesenchymal stem cells in the liver, kidney, bladder and penile cavernosum can be evaluated noninvasively with using molecular MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SPIO (Feridex; AMI, Cambridge, USA) were transferred to the human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) using GenePORTER. The labeling viability, efficiency and differentiation of the SPIO transferred hMSCs were examined with Tripan blue, Von Kossa, alkaline phosphatase, toluidine blue, oil red O and Prussian blue staining. The SPIO labelled hMSCs were transplanted to the liver, kidney, bladder and penile cavernosum of rats, and the MR images were examined in vitro or in vivo using 1.5 T MR. RESULTS: The viability and efficiency of the SPIO transferred hMSCs were good. Osteogenic, chondrogenic or adipogenic differentiation from the SPIO transferred hMSCs was observed. A decrease of the MR signal intensity of the SPIO transferred hMSCs with using GenePORTER was found in vitro. A decrease of the MR signal intensity was found at concentrations that were more than 1x10(5) hMSCs in vitro. The MR signal intensity at the areas of the SPIO transferred hMSCs decreased in the liver, kidney, bladder and penile cavernosum. The intracellular SPIOs were confirmed in the SPIO labelled hMSCs that were transplanted in the liver, kidney, bladder and penile cavernosum with Prussian blue staining. CONCLUSIONS: The SPIO labelled hMSCs in the liver, kidney, bladder and penis can be evaluated noninvasively by using molecular MRI.