1. Self-assembling nanocomplexes by combining ferumoxytol, heparin and protamine for cell tracking by magnetic resonance imaging.
- Author
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Thu, Mya S, Bryant, L Henry, Coppola, Tiziana, Jordan, E Kay, Budde, Matthew D, Lewis, Bobbi K, Chaudhry, Aneeka, Ren, Jiaqiang, Varma, Nadimpalli Ravi S, Arbab, Ali S, and Frank, Joseph A
- Subjects
MOLECULAR self-assembly ,HEPARIN ,PROTAMINES ,MAGNETIC resonance imaging - Abstract
We report on a new straightforward magnetic cell-labeling approach that combines three US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs-ferumoxytol, heparin and protamine-in serum-free medium to form self-assembling nanocomplexes that effectively label cells for in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We observed that the ferumoxytol-heparin-protamine (HPF) nanocomplexes were stable in serum-free cell culture medium. HPF nanocomplexes show a threefold increase in T2 relaxivity compared to ferumoxytol. Electron microscopy showed internalized HPF in endosomes, which we confirmed by Prussian blue staining of labeled cells. There was no long-term effect or toxicity on cellular physiology or function of HPF-labeled hematopoietic stem cells, bone marrow stromal cells, neural stem cells or T cells when compared to controls. In vivo MRI detected 1,000 HPF-labeled cells implanted in rat brains. This HPF labeling method should facilitate the monitoring by MRI of infused or implanted cells in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
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