In Vivo Multimodal Imaging of Stem Cells Using Nanohybrid Particles Incorporating Quantum Dots and Magnetic Nanoparticles

The diagnosis of the dynamics, accumulation, and engraftment of transplanted stem cells in vivo is essential for ensuring the safety and the maximum therapeutic effect of regenerative medicine. However, in vivo imaging technologies for detecting transplanted stem cells are not sufficient at present. We developed nanohybrid particles composed of dendron-baring lipids having two unsaturated bonds (DLU2) molecules, quantum dots (QDs), and magnetic nanoparticles in order to diagnose the dynamics, accumulation, and engraftment of transplanted stem cells, and then addressed the labeling and in vivo fluorescence and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of stem cells using the nanohybrid particles (DLU2-NPs). Five kinds of DLU2-NPs (DLU2-NPs-1-5) composed of different concentrations of DLU2 molecules, QDs525, QDs605, QDs705, and ATDM were prepared. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) were labeled with DLU2-NPs for 4 h incubation, no cytotoxicity or marked effect on the proliferation ability was observed in ASCs labeled with DLU2-NPs (640- or 320-fold diluted). ASCs labeled with DLU2-NPs (640-fold diluted) were transplanted subcutaneously onto the backs of mice, and the labeled ASCs could be imaged with good contrast using in vivo fluorescence and an MR imaging system. DLU2-NPs may be useful for in vivo multimodal imaging of transplanted stem cells.