Successful in vivo MRI tracking of MSCs labeled with Gadoteridol in a Spinal Cord Injury experimental model

Experimental Neurology , August 2016

Successful in vivo MRI tracking of MSCs labeled with Gadoteridol in a Spinal Cord Injury experimental model

Filippi M ^1* , Boido M ^2* , Pasquino C ³ , Garello F ¹ , Boffa C ¹ , Terreno E ¹

In this study, murine Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) labeled with the clinically approved MRI agent Gadoteridol through a procedure based on the hypo-osmotic shock were successfully tracked in vivo in a murine model of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). With respect to iso-osmotic incubations, the hypo-osmotic labeling significantly increased the Gd ^3 + cellular uptake, and enhanced both the longitudinal relaxivity ( r ₁ ) of the intracellular Gadoteridol and the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) measured on cell pellets, without altering the biological and functional profile of cells.

A substantial T ₁ Contrast Enhancement after local transplantation of 3.0 × 10 ⁵ labeled cells in SCI mice enabled to follow their migratory dynamics in vivo for about 10 days, and treated animals recovered from the motor impairment caused by the injury, indicating unaltered therapeutic efficacy.

Finally, analytical and histological data corroborated the imaging results, highlighting the opportunity to perform a precise and reliable monitoring of the cell-based therapy.

¹ Centro di Imaging Molecolare e Preclinico, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Molecolari e Scienze della Salute, Università di Torino, Torino, 10126, Italia.
² Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Department of Neuroscience, Università di Torino, Orbassano (Torino), 10043, Italia.
³ Molecular Biotechnology Center, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Università di Torino, Torino, 10126, Italia.
^* These two authors equally contribute to this article.

Diagram of the labeling procedure based on the hypo-osmotic shock.

In vivo MRI tracking of mesenchymal stem cell migration

Characterization of the migratory stream: spinal cord MRI and cell microscopy of a representative sample, 7 days after transplantation with mesenchymal stem cells.