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To assess the therapeutic potential of cell-based strategies, it is of paramount importance to elaborate and validate new tools for monitoring the behavior of injected cells in terms of intra-tissular dissemination and engraftment properties.

Here, we apply Bismuth Ferrite harmonic nanoparticles (BFO HNPs) to in vitro expanded human MuStem cells. We first demonstrate the possibility of identifying isolated HNPs in depth of untreated tissue at more than 1 mm from the surface, taking full advantage of the extended imaging penetration depth allowed by multiphoton microscopy in the second near infrared window. We also show that the simultaneous acquisition of Second and Third Harmonic Generation (SHG and THG) from BFO HNPs help separating their response from tissue background, with a net increase in imaging selectivity which could be particularly important in pathologic context. Based on this successful assessment, we monitor over 14 days any modification on proliferation and morphology features of hMuStem cells upon exposure to PEG- coated BFO HNPs at different concentrations, revealing their high biocompatibility. Successively, we succeed in detecting individual HNPs-labeled hMuStem cells in skeletal muscle tissue after their intramuscular injection.

Partners:

• Group for Functionalized Biomaterials, EPFL, Lausanne;
• GAP-Biophotonics, Université de Genève, Genève.

Associated publication:

• Dubreil L, Leroux I, Ledevin M, Schleder C, Lagalice L, Lovo C, Fleurisson R, Passemard S, Kilin V, Gerber-Lemaire S, Colle MA, Bonacina L, Rouger K. Multi-harmonic Imaging in the Second Near-Infrared Window of Nanoparticle-Labeled Stem Cells as a Monitoring Tool in Tissue Depth. ACS Nano. 2017 Jul 25;11(7):6672-6681. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.7b00773.

2015-2017