Publication
Title
Evaluation of the specificity and sensitivity of ferritin as an MRI reporter gene in the mouse brain using lentiviral and adeno-associated viral vectors
Author
Abstract
The development of in vivo imaging protocols to reliably track transplanted cells or to report on gene expression is critical for treatment monitoring in (pre)clinical cell and gene therapy protocols. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of lentiviral vectors (LVs) and adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) to express the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reporter gene ferritin in the rodent brain. First, we compared the induction of background MRI contrast for both vector systems in immune-deficient and immune-competent mice. LV injection resulted in hypointense (that is, dark) changes of T2/T2* (spinspin relaxation time)-weighted MRI contrast at the injection site, which can be partially explained by an inflammatory response against the vector injection. In contrast to LVs, AAV injection resulted in reduced background contrast. Moreover, AAV-mediated ferritin overexpression resulted in significantly enhanced contrast to background on T2*-weighted MRI. Although sensitivity associated with the ferritin reporter remains modest, AAVs seem to be the most promising vector system for in vivo MRI reporter gene imaging.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Gene therapy. - Basingstoke
Publication
Basingstoke : 2011
ISSN
0969-7128
DOI
10.1038/GT.2011.2
Volume/pages
18 :6 (2011) , p. 594-605
ISI
000291438900009
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 20.04.2011
Last edited 15.11.2022
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