Comparison of labeling efficiency of different magnetic nanoparticles into stem cell

The cell trafficking in vivo is a crucial element in the development of successful cell-based therapies and it is important to develop methods that can assess the fate and distribution of cells non-invasively. Because of its high spatial resolution, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging appears ideally suited for imaging the biodistribution of magnetically labeled cells. Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles have been used to label these cells to provide future possibilities to monitor the cell migration and proliferation by MRI non-invasively. In this study, we investigate the cell labeling efficiencies of two different SPIO nanoparticles using adipose tissue derived stem cells (ADSCs). Cellular labeling was evaluated with Prussian blue staining for iron assessment. The iron content of the labeled cells was assessed by using MR relaxometry and ICP atomic emission spectrometer. Proliferation and viability of ADSCs labeled with a combination of TA and two different SPIO nanoparticles were evaluated. The results showed that when Feridex–Lipofectamine or Resovist–Lipofectamine was used, intracytoplasmic particles stained with Prussian blue stain were detected for all cell lines with a labeling efficiency of nearly 100%. However, iron concentrations varied with SPIO nanoparticle–TA combinations for labeled ADSCs. In addition, while cell proliferation was not affected by incorporation of two SPIO nanoparticles, cell viability varied depending on the type of SPIO nanoparticle used.