Dorota A. Kedziorek1, Piotr Walczak1, Yingli Fu1, Tina Ehtiati2, Alexander B. Brost3, Nicole Azene1, Gary Huang1, Jeff W.M. Bulte1, Steven M. Shea2, Robert Krieg4, Ronald Ouwerkerk1, Frank K. Wacker1, Dara L. Kraitchman1
1Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; 2Imaging and Visualization, Siemens Corporate Research Inc., Baltimore, MD, USA; 3Department of Computer Science, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg , Erlangen, Germany; 4Siemens AG Healthcare Sector, Erlangen, Germany
The major problems with stem cell therapies are the poor cell survival and engraftment; both could be optimized with the use of non invasive imaging. In the present study, mesenchymal stem cells were engineered to express firefly luciferase (bioluminescence (BL) reporter gene) to monitor their survival and microencapsulated in perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB) alginate capsules. Bioluminescent, microencapsulated MSCs were transplanted into a rabbit model of peripheral arterial disease. C-arm CT was used to localize the radiopaque PFOB microcapsules for accurate injections of the BL probe directly into the injection sites. 19F MRI was used to demonstrate the PFOB capsules locations.