Haosen Zhang1, Chih-Lung Chen2, Wen-Yuan Hsieh2, Hsiu-Hua Huang2, Yi-Shan Lin2, Hsin-Hsin Shen2, Mu-Jen Young2, Wei-Lin Yu2, Ying-Ting Huang2, Qing Ye1, Kevin Hitchens1, Lesley Foley1, Yijen Wu3, Jassy Wang2, Chien Ho1
1Pittsburgh NMR Center for Biomedical Research, Department of Biological Science , Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 2Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan; 3Pittsburgh NMR Center for Biomedical Research, Department of Biological Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
This study was to investigate the labeling efficiency and MRI signal sensitivity of a novel, biodegradable, nano-sized iron oxide particle (ITRI-IOP) with high relaxivity in labeling macrophage, compared with other commercially available iron oxide particles. After being labeled ex vivo with the same amount of iron, Perls Pussian Blue staining and MRI show that the nano-sized ITRI-IOP demonstrates comparable labeling efficiency and similar pattern of MRI hypointensity as the commercially available micron-sized particles, and more effective than Feridex. ITRI-IOP could be an effective contrast agent for sensitive cellular MRI.