Detection of Gd2O3 Nanoparticles in Hematopoietic Cells for MRI Contrast Enhancement

• As the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) broadens, the importance of having specific and efficient contrast agents increases and there has been a huge development in the fields of molecular imaging and intracellular markers. Previous studies have shown that gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3 ) nanoparticles generate higher relaxivity than currently available Gd chelates. The Gd2O3 nanoparticles are also promising for MRI cell tracking. The aim of the present work was to study cell labeling with Gd2O3 nanoparticles and to improve techniques for monitoring hematopoietic stem cell migration by MRI. We studied particle uptake in two cell lines; the hematopoietic progenitor cell line Ba/F3 and the monocytic cell line THP-1. Cells were incubated with Gd2O3 nanoparticles as well as superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIOs) for comparison. In addition, it was investigated whether the transfection agent protamine sulfate increased the particle uptake. Treated cells were examined by microscopic techniques, MRI and analyzed for particle content. Results showed that particles were intracellular, however in Ba/F3 only sparsely. The relaxation times were shortened with increasing particle concentration. Overall relaxivities, r1 and r2 for Gd2O3 nanoparticles in all cell samples measured were 5.1 ± 0.3 and 14.9 ± 0.7 (s-1mM-1) respectively. Goodness of fit was 0.97 in both cases. Protamine sulfate treatment increased the uptake in both Ba/F3 cells and THP-1 cells. Viability of treated cells was not significantly decreased and thus, we conclude that the use of Gd2O3 nanoparticles is suitable for this type of cell labeling by means of detecting and monitoring hematopoietic cells.

Keyword

Gadolinium oxide; nanoparticles; magnetic resonance imaging; Ba/F3 cells

THP-1 cells.

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)