Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33980305›Full record

ArticleStem cell research & therapy2021

MRI detection of the malignant transformation of stem cells through reporter gene expression driven by a tumor-specific promoter.

Jun Sun, Jie Huang, Guangcheng Bao, Helin Zheng, Cui Wang, Jie Wei, Yuanqiao Fu, Jiawen Qiu, Yifan Liao, Jinhua Cai

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Stem cell research & therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. International journal of stem cells · 2023
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Cannot Target What Cannot Be Seen: Molecular Imaging of Cancer Stem Cells.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Jun SunDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Jie HuangDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Guangcheng BaoDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Helin ZhengDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Cui WangDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Jie WeiDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Yuanqiao FuDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Jiawen QiuDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
Yifan LiaoDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Xinqiao Hospital affiliated with Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
Jinhua CaiDepartment of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China. cai_jinhua@126.com.ORCID 0000-0001-7971-8936
China International Science and Technology Cooperation · CNChildren's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University · CNChongqing University · CNArmy Medical University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExisting evidence has shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can undergo malignant transformation, which is a serious limitation of MSC-based therapies. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor malignant transformation of MSCs via a noninvasive imaging method. Although reporter gene-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been successfully applied to longitudinally monitor MSCs, this technique cannot distinguish the cells before and after malignant transformation. Herein, we investigated the feasibility of using a tumor-specific promoter to drive reporter gene expression for MRI detection of the malignant transformation of MSCs.

methodsThe reporter gene ferritin heavy chain (FTH1) was modified by adding a promoter from the tumor-specific gene progression elevated gene-3 (PEG3) and transduced into MSCs to obtain MSCs-PEG3-FTH1. Cells were induced to undergo malignant transformation via indirect coculture with C6 glioma cells, and these transformed cells were named MTMSCs-PEG3-FTH1. Western blot analysis of FTH1 expression, Prussian blue staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to detect intracellular iron, and MRI to detect signal changes were performed before and after malignant transformation. Then, the cells before and after malignant transformation were inoculated subcutaneously into nude mice, and MRI was performed to observe the signal changes in the xenografts.

resultsAfter induction of malignant transformation, MTMSCs demonstrated tumor-like features in morphology, proliferation, migration, and invasion. FTH1 expression was significantly increased in MTMSCs-PEG3-FTH1 compared with MSCs-PEG3-FTH1. Prussian blue staining and TEM showed a large amount of iron particles in MTMSCs-PEG3-FTH1 but a minimal amount in MSCs-PEG3-FTH1. MRI demonstrated that the T2 value was significantly decreased in MTMSCs-PEG3-FTH1 compared with MSCs-PEG3-FTH1. In vivo, mass formation was observed in the MTMSCs-PEG3-FTH1 group but not the MSCs-PEG3-FTH1 group. T2-weighted MRI showed a significant signal decrease, which was correlated with iron accumulation in the tissue mass.

conclusionsWe developed a novel MRI model based on FTH1 reporter gene expression driven by the tumor-specific PEG3 promoter. This approach could be applied to sensitively detect the occurrence of MSC malignant transformation.

Indexed as

GliomaMesenchymal Stem CellsMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationAnimalsCarcinogensFerritinsGene ExpressionGenes, ReporterMagnetic Resonance ImagingMiceMice, NudeCarcinogensFerritinsFerritin heavy chainMagnetic resonance imagingMalignant transformationPromoter of progression elevated gene-3Stem cells

Identifiers

PMID33980305
PMCPMC8117323
OpenAlexW3162278541

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.