In Vivo MRI Tracking of Cell Invasion and Migration in a Rat Glioma Model

Abstract

Purpose Malignant brain tumors are characterized by extensive infiltration into the normal brain tissue. Tumor migration is a complicated process which results from the interplay of a number of mechanisms, and the extent to which anatomic structure determined the migration pattern has not been extensively addressed. In the present study, we labeled C6 glioma cells with iron oxide nanoparticles and monitored the fate of the cells in vivo with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Procedures C6 glioma cells were labeled with ferumoxide–poly-L-lysine complexes and their migration in the brains of rats tracked by T2-weighted MRI. The same amount of iron-laden cells were implanted into the caudate nucleus (CN) and at the vicinity of anterior commissure (AC), respectively, and MRI was performed during the course of 20-day monitoring period to track tumor growth and migration. Results A clear tendency of tumor migration along the white matter fiber tracts was observed in the AC group, which is consistent with the previous reports; by contrast, tumor expanded to but remained confined within the boundary of right hemisphere in the CN group. Conclusion We successfully demonstrated the ability of MRI to investigate the impact of anatomical structure on the glioma migration pathway in vivo.

Diffusion tensor imaging suggests extrapontine extension of pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas

“…Glioma cells have a preferential extension and invasion pathway along white matter tracts: many of them cross the corpus callosum to form butterfly lesions, while other gliomas remain confined to the white matter, stopping abruptly at the gray-white-matter junction [20]. In a rat glioma model, iron-laden cells implanted close to the anterior commissure showed a clear tendency to migrate along white matter fiber tracts as detected by in vivo MRI [21]. Decrease in FA and AD and increase in RD in the PLIC, however, may also be explained by a secondary (Wallerian) degeneration of the CST due to tract disruption at the level of the primary site of the tumor within the pons [11].…”

In vivo magnetic resonance imaging tracking of C6 glioma cells labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

“…At 21 days after C6 cell implantation ( Figures 2 and 3), radical diffusion was observed from the location where the cells were first grafted, along with a concomitant decrease in hypointensity. This result was likely attributed to iron dilution due to cell proliferation (18) and potential degradation of the aminosilane coating of a fraction of the SPIONs, which could have modified the superparamagnetic properties of the particles due to changes in crystalline structure. Another potential explanation for the observed signal intensity decrease was the presence of a hemoglobin residue, which may have been present in hemorrhage areas.…”

Development of individualized anti-metastasis strategies by engineering nanomedicines

“…In addition, the intratumoural localization of nanomedicines can be monitored using MRI as SPION is an excellent contrast agent for in vivo MRI tracking of cell invasion and migration. 137 …”