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Quantum dots labelling allows detection of the homing of mesenchymal stem cells administered as immunomodulatory therapy in an experimental model of pancreatic islets transplantation
Author(s) -
Mannucci Silvia,
Calderan Laura,
Quaranta Paola,
Antonini Sara,
Mosca Franco,
Longoni Biancamaria,
Marzola Pasquina,
Boschi Federico
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1111/joa.12563
Subject(s) - homing (biology) , mesenchymal stem cell , transplantation , pancreatic islets , immunogenicity , immune system , medicine , stem cell , cancer research , pathology , immunology , biology , islet , microbiology and biotechnology , insulin , ecology
Cell transplantation is considered a promising therapeutic approach in several pathologies but still needs innovative and non‐invasive imaging technologies to be validated. The use of mesenchymal stem cells ( MSC s) attracts major interest in clinical transplantation thanks to their regenerative properties, low immunogenicity and ability to regulate immune responses. In several animal models, MSC s are used in co‐transplantation with pancreatic islets ( PI s) for the treatment of type I diabetes, supporting graft survival and prolonging normal glycaemia levels. In this study we investigated the homing of systemically administered MSC s in a rat model of pancreatic portal vein transplantation. MSC s labelled with quantum dots (Qdots) were systemically injected by tail vein and monitored by optical fluorescence imaging. The fluorescence signal of the liver in animals co‐transplanted with MSC s and PI s was significantly higher than in control animals in which MSC s alone were transplanted. By using magnetic labelling of PI s, the homing of PI s into liver was independently confirmed. These results demonstrate that MSC s injected in peripheral blood vessels preferentially accumulate into liver when PI s are transplanted in the same organ. Moreover, we prove that bimodal MRI ‐fluorescence imaging allows specific monitoring of the fate of two types of cells.