(19)F-perfluorocarbon-labeled human peripheral blood mononuclear cells can be detected in vivo using clinical MRI parameters in a therapeutic cell setting

A (19)Fluorine ((19)F) perfluorocarbon cell labeling agent, when employed with an appropriate cellular MRI protocol, allows for in vivo cell tracking. (19)F cellular MRI can be used to non-invasively assess the location and persistence of cell-based cancer vaccines and other cell-based therapies. This study was designed to determine the feasibility of labeling and tracking peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), a heterogeneous cell population. Under GMP-compliant conditions human PBMC were labeled with a (19)F-based MRI cell-labeling agent in a manner safe for autologous re-injection. Greater than 99% of PBMC labeled with the (19)F cell-labeling agent without affecting functionality or affecting viability. The (19)F-labeled PBMC were detected in vivo in a mouse model at the injection site and in a draining lymph node. A clinical cellular MR protocol was optimized for the detection of PBMC injected both at the surface of a porcine shank and at a depth of 1.2 cm, equivalent to depth of a human lymph node, using a dual (1)H/(19)F dual switchable surface radio frequency coil. This study demonstrates it is feasible to label and track (19)F-labeled PBMC using clinical MRI protocols. Thus, (19)F cellular MRI represents a non-invasive imaging technique suitable to assess the effectiveness of cell-based cancer vaccines.