Specific in vitro labeling of cells with a fluorine-19 probe encapsulated in antibody-targeted liposomes: a F-19 NMR spectroscopy study.

Liposomes containing dexamethasone phosphate (DMp) were covalently coupled to protein A and then incubated with murine L929 fibroblast and RDM4 thymoma cells in the presence of monoclonal antibodies specific for the major histocompatibility complex. The detection of the specific F-19 labeling of cells is rapid (minutes). Such a strategy might be useful to study the kinetics of internalization processes of bound liposomes on cultured living cells.