Molecular imaging of cell-based cancer immunotherapy

Abstract

Cell-based cancer immunotherapy represents a new and powerful weapon in the arsenal of anticancer treatments. Non-invasive monitoring of the disposition, migration and destination of therapeutic cells will facilitate the development of cell based therapy. The therapeutic cells can be modified intrinsically by a reporter gene or labeled extrinsically by introducing imaging probes into the cells or on the cell surface before transplant. Various advanced non-invasive molecular imaging techniques are playing important roles in optimizing cellular therapy by tracking cells and monitoring the therapeutic effects of transplanted cells in vivo. This review will summarize the application of multiple molecular imaging modalities in cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents for Non-invasive Stem Cell Labeling and Tracking

“…Accordingly, the tracking and monitoring of these stem cells after delivery into human body is very important for a comprehensive understanding of their proliferation dynamics, differentiation process and migration dynamics in vivo . Currently, several imaging methodologies have been applied for this purpose, including positron emission tomography (PET) 9-11, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) 12, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) 13, 14, fluorescence imaging 15-21, X-ray based computed tomography (CT) 22 and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 5, 23-27. Among them, MRI shows advantages over the others owing to its high spatial resolution (∼100 μm), long effective imaging window, rapid in vivo acquisition of images, and the absence of exposure to ionizing radiation 28-31.…”

Theranostic nanoplatforms for simultaneous cancer imaging and therapy: current approaches and future perspectives

“…Magnetic nanoparticles, especially iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), are an important class of biomaterials and are used for various purposes, such as imaging, 79 cell labeling, 28,30,80 drug delivery, 81 gene delivery 21 and hyperthermia. 26 IONPs, possessing substantial saturation magnetization values at room temperature, are nanocrystals made from magnetite or hematite.…”

Catalytic Transfer of Chiral Information from an Organic Compound to a Coordination Complex

“…This application is driven by the emergence of regenerative cellular therapy and the non‐invasive and dynamic imaging tracking has been demonstrated as a very informative method to understand the fate of transplanted cells in hosts. Unfortunately most of the commercial magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, originally designed for in vivo imaging purposes via injection, are slightly negatively charged, which is not favorable for cell labeling 80, 81…”

“…One general disadvantage of cell MRI labeling is that iron oxide nanoparticles can be diluted with cell division, and after a few cycles of division, the remained iron oxide nanoparticles in cells may not be strong enough to generate detectable signals 80. Moreover, iron oxide nanoparticles can be detached from targeted cell surface if they are not internalized during labeling or leaked out after labeled cell dies, leading to uptake by neighbored cells or left in extracellular matrix.…”