Meng Zihui, Guo Lei, Li Qiong
Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, P.R. China.
Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for, Tumor Markers, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong, 276000, P.R. China.
Chemistry. 2017 May 17;23(28):6836-6844. doi: 10.1002/chem.201700002. Epub 2017 May 2.
Stem cell therapy is rapidly moving toward translation to clinical application. To elucidate the therapeutic effect, a robust method that allows tracking of the stem cells over an extended period of time is required. Herein, semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) are demonstrated for their use in bright labeling and tracking of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro and in vivo. The Pdots coated with a cell-penetrating peptide (R8) showed remarkable endocytic uptake efficiency that was 15 times higher than that of carboxyl Pdots and more than 200 times than that of bare Pdots. The Pdot-labeled MSCs can be traced for 15 generations in vitro and tracked over 2 weeks in vivo after subcutaneous transplantation. The labeled MSCs administered through the tail vein were preferentially accumulated in the lung; this was distinctive from the distribution of free Pdots, which were primarily distributed in the liver. Based on the properties of bright labeling, excellent tracking capability, and great biocompatibility, the Pdots will be valuable in the applications of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
干细胞疗法正迅速朝着转化为临床应用的方向发展。为了阐明其治疗效果，需要一种强大的方法来长时间追踪干细胞。在此，展示了半导体聚合物点（Pdots）在体外和体内对人骨髓间充质干细胞（MSCs）进行明亮标记和追踪的用途。涂有细胞穿透肽（R8）的Pdots表现出显著的内吞摄取效率，比羧基Pdots高15倍，比裸Pdots高200多倍。用Pdot标记的MSCs在体外可追踪15代，皮下移植后在体内可追踪2周以上。通过尾静脉给药的标记MSCs优先聚集在肺部；这与主要分布在肝脏的游离Pdots的分布不同。基于明亮标记、出色的追踪能力和良好的生物相容性等特性，Pdots在干细胞生物学和再生医学应用中将具有重要价值。
