In vivo tracking transplanted cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells using nuclear medicine imaging

INTRODUCTION: Transplantation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) is a promising treatment for heart failure. Information on long-term cell engraftment after transplantation is clinically important. However, clinically applicable evaluation methods have not yet been established. METHODS: In this study, to noninvasively assess transplanted cell engraftment, human SLC5A5, which encodes a sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) that transports radioactive tracers such as (125)I, (18)F-tetrafluoroborate (TFB), and (99m)Tc-pertechnetate ((99m)TcO(4)(−)), was transduced into human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and nuclear medicine imaging was used to track engrafted human iPSC-CMs. RESULTS: To evaluate the pluripotency of NIS-expressing human iPSCs, they were subcutaneously transplanted into immunodeficient rats. Teratomas were detected by (99m)TcO(4)(−) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging. NIS expression and the uptake ability of (125)I were maintained in purified human iPSC-CMs. NIS-expressing human iPSC-CMs transplanted into immunodeficient rats could be detected over time using (99m)TcO(4)(−) SPECT/CT imaging. Unexpectedly, NIS expression affected cell proliferation of human iPSCs and iPSC-derived cells. DISCUSSION: Such functionally designed iPSC-CMs have potential clinical applications as a noninvasive method of grafted cell evaluation, but further studies are needed to determine the effects of NIS transduction on cellular characteristics and functions.