PET-based tracking of CAR T cells and viral gene transfer using a cell surface reporter that binds to lanthanide complexes.

ABSTRACT: The clinical translation of cell- and gene-based therapies is limited by the lack of non-invasive, quantitative and specific whole-body imaging tools. Here we present a positron emission tomography reporter system based on a membrane-anchored anticalin protein that binds a fluorine-18-labelled lanthanide complex with picomolar affinity via a bio-orthogonal interaction. The reporter was introduced into therapeutic cells, including CAR T cells and adeno-associated virus-transduced cells. In vitro, reporter expression conferred >800-fold higher radioligand binding versus controls. In mice, the radioligand demonstrated rapid renal clearance, showed no off-target accumulation and enabled high-contrast detection of as few as 1,200 CAR T cells in the bone marrow. Longitudinal positron emission to

SUBMITTER: Morath V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12623248 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature