Ferritin as a reporter gene of in vivo stem cell tracking by 9.4-T cardiac MR in a rat model of myocardial infarction

Eun-Ah Park,Panki Kim,Whal Lee,Hoe Suk Kim

doi:10.1186/1532-429x-15-s1-p31

Abstract

Methods We tested human ferritin heavy chain (hFTH) tagged with both myc and green fluorescence protein (GFP) as a reporter gene for in vivo tracking of stem cells by cardiac MR. Rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) were transduced with lentiviurs to overexpress hFTH. Myocardia infarction was induced by cryoinjury in rats, and the animals were immediately subjected to intramyocardial injection of 100 µl of 106 rMSCs (experiment group) or buffe rs olution (control group) in the border zone. In vivo cine and in vivo and ex vivo multiecho T2 weighted images were obtained by 9.4T cardiac MR. Results Four-week follow-up cine MR showed that marked left ventricular remodeling developed in the control group. T2 relaxation time of in vivo and ex vivo images was significantly decreased in the infarct area compared to remote normal myocardium in the experiment group, but not in the control group. GFP and myc immunestaining confirmed the presence of differentiated rMSCs around infarct area in the experiment group. Conclusions hFTH can be used as a MR reporter gene to track dividing and differentiating stem cells in the beating

Highlights

The current methods utilized to track stem cells by cardiac MR are affected by important limitations, and new solutions are needed
Myocardia infarction was induced by cryoinjury in rats, and the animals were immediately subjected to intramyocardial injection of 100 μl of 106 Rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) or buffer solution in the border zone
Four-week follow-up cine MR showed that marked left ventricular remodeling developed in the control group

Summary

Introduction

The current methods utilized to track stem cells by cardiac MR are affected by important limitations, and new solutions are needed. Ferritin as a reporter gene of in vivo stem cell tracking by 9.4-T cardiac MR in a rat model of myocardial infarction Eun-Ah Park*, Whal Lee, Panki Kim, Hoe Suk Kim From 16th Annual SCMR Scientific Sessions San Francisco, CA, USA.

Results

Conclusion