Molecular imaging of endothelial progenitor cell engraftment using contrast-enhanced ultrasound and targeted microbubbles.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Imaging methods to track the fate of progenitor cells after their delivery would be useful in assessing the efficacy of cell-based therapies. We hypothesized that contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) using microbubbles targeted to a genetically engineered cell-surface marker on endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) would allow the targeted imaging of vascular engraftment.

Methods and results

Rodent bone marrow-derived EPCs were isolated, cultured, and transfected to express the marker protein, H-2Kk, on the cell surface. Non-transfected EPCs and EPCs transfected with either null plasmid or Firefly luciferase served as controls. Control microbubbles (MB(C)) and microbubbles targeted to H-2Kk expressed on EPCs (MB(H-2Kk)) were constructed. Binding of targeted microbubbles to

SUBMITTER: Kuliszewski MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2725779 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature