In vivo MRI tracking of exogenous monocytes/macrophages targeting brain tumors in a rat model of glioma

• Published in: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 973 - 983
• Main Authors: Valable, Samuel, Barbier, Emmanuel L., Bernaudin, Myriam, Roussel, Simon, Segebarth, Christoph, Petit, Edwige, Rémy, Chantal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.04.2008; Elsevier Limited; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Bioengineering; Brain cancer; Brain Neoplasms; Brain Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer; Cell culture; Contrast agents; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Ferric Compounds; Genetic engineering; Glioma; Glioma - pathology; Histology; Injections, Intravenous; Labeling; Life Sciences; Macrophages; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Monocytes; Nuclear medicine; Particle Size; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Stem cells; Tumors
• ISSN: 1053-8119; 1095-9572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.01.005

This study has shown that murine monocytes/macrophages (Mo/Ma) can be labeled simply and efficiently with large, green-fluorescent, micrometer-sized particles of iron-oxide (MPIO). Neither size nor proliferation rate of the Mo/Ma is significantly affected by this labeling. The labeled Mo/Ma have been administered intravenously to rats that had developed a glioma following stereotactic injection of C6 cells. The labeled Mo/Ma were shown to target the brain tumors, a process that could be monitored non-invasively using T2⁎-weighted MRI. MRI observations were confirmed by Prussian blue staining, lectin staining and fluorescence histology. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the use of Mo/Ma may be envisaged in the clinic for vectorizing therapeutic agents toward gliomas.