Multispectral optoacoustic tomography is more sensitive than micro-computed tomography for tracking gold nanorod labelled mesenchymal stromal cells

Tracking the fate of therapeutic cell types is important for assessing their safety and efficacy. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is an effective cell tracking technique, but poor spatial resolution means it has limited ability to precisely map cells in vivo in 3D. This can be overcome by using a bimodal imaging approach that combines BLI with a technique capable of generating high-resolution images. Here we compared the effectiveness of combining either multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) or micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) with BLI for tracking the fate of luciferase(+) human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) labelled with gold nanorods. Following subcutaneous administration in mice, the MSCs could be readily detected with MSOT but not with micro-CT. We conclude that MSOT is more sensitive than micro-CT for tracking gold nanorod-labelled cells in vivo and depending on the route of administration, can be used effectively with BLI to track MSC fate in mice.

Automated summary

Tracking the fate of therapeutic cell types is crucial for evaluating their safety and effectiveness. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is effective but lacks spatial resolution, so a bimodal imaging approach that combines BLI with high-resolution techniques is necessary. In this study, the effectiveness of combining multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) or micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) with BLI was compared for tracking gold nanorod-labeled human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). MSOT was found to be more sensitive than micro-CT in tracking the labeled cells in vivo, and when combined with BLI, it effectively tracked the fate of MSCs in mice depending on the route of administration.