Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking
The study of growth and possible metastasis in animal models of tumors would benefit from reliable cell labels for noninvasive whole-organism imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. Genetically encoded cell-tracking reporters have the advantage that they are contrast-selective for via...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Pharmaceutics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/3/397 |
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| author | Maria V. Efremova Silviu-Vasile Bodea Felix Sigmund Alevtina Semkina Gil G. Westmeyer Maxim A. Abakumov |
| author_facet | Maria V. Efremova Silviu-Vasile Bodea Felix Sigmund Alevtina Semkina Gil G. Westmeyer Maxim A. Abakumov |
| author_sort | Maria V. Efremova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study of growth and possible metastasis in animal models of tumors would benefit from reliable cell labels for noninvasive whole-organism imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. Genetically encoded cell-tracking reporters have the advantage that they are contrast-selective for viable cells with intact protein expression machinery. Besides, these reporters do not suffer from dilution during cell division. Encapsulins, which are bacterial protein nanocompartments, can serve as genetically controlled labels for multimodal detection of cells. Such nanocompartments can host various guest molecules inside their lumen. These include, for example, fluorescent proteins or enzymes with ferroxidase activity leading to biomineralization of iron oxide inside the encapsulin nanoshell. The aim of this work was to implement heterologous expression of encapsulin systems from <i>Quasibacillus thermotolerans</i> using the fluorescent reporter protein mScarlet-I and ferroxidase IMEF in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. The successful expression of self-assembled encapsulin nanocompartments with functional cargo proteins was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Also, coexpression of encapsulin nanoshells, ferroxidase cargo, and iron transporter led to an increase in T<sub>2</sub>-weighted contrast in magnetic resonance imaging of HepG2 cells. The results demonstrate that the encapsulin cargo system from <i>Q. thermotolerans</i> may be suitable for multimodal imaging of cancer cells and could contribute to further in vitro and in vivo studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:10:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44fc3e1ae67045e0a80699b141029cc4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4923 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:10:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmaceutics |
| spelling | doaj.art-44fc3e1ae67045e0a80699b141029cc42023-11-21T10:46:27ZengMDPI AGPharmaceutics1999-49232021-03-0113339710.3390/pharmaceutics13030397Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell TrackingMaria V. Efremova0Silviu-Vasile Bodea1Felix Sigmund2Alevtina Semkina3Gil G. Westmeyer4Maxim A. Abakumov5Department of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, RussiaDepartment of Chemistry & TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 81675 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, RussiaThe study of growth and possible metastasis in animal models of tumors would benefit from reliable cell labels for noninvasive whole-organism imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. Genetically encoded cell-tracking reporters have the advantage that they are contrast-selective for viable cells with intact protein expression machinery. Besides, these reporters do not suffer from dilution during cell division. Encapsulins, which are bacterial protein nanocompartments, can serve as genetically controlled labels for multimodal detection of cells. Such nanocompartments can host various guest molecules inside their lumen. These include, for example, fluorescent proteins or enzymes with ferroxidase activity leading to biomineralization of iron oxide inside the encapsulin nanoshell. The aim of this work was to implement heterologous expression of encapsulin systems from <i>Quasibacillus thermotolerans</i> using the fluorescent reporter protein mScarlet-I and ferroxidase IMEF in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. The successful expression of self-assembled encapsulin nanocompartments with functional cargo proteins was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Also, coexpression of encapsulin nanoshells, ferroxidase cargo, and iron transporter led to an increase in T<sub>2</sub>-weighted contrast in magnetic resonance imaging of HepG2 cells. The results demonstrate that the encapsulin cargo system from <i>Q. thermotolerans</i> may be suitable for multimodal imaging of cancer cells and could contribute to further in vitro and in vivo studies.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/3/397genetically controlled imaging reportersbiogenic iron oxide nanoparticlesvisualization of cancer cellsencapsulinsmagnetic resonance imagingfluorescence |
| spellingShingle | Maria V. Efremova Silviu-Vasile Bodea Felix Sigmund Alevtina Semkina Gil G. Westmeyer Maxim A. Abakumov Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking Pharmaceutics genetically controlled imaging reporters biogenic iron oxide nanoparticles visualization of cancer cells encapsulins magnetic resonance imaging fluorescence |
| title | Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking |
| title_full | Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking |
| title_fullStr | Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking |
| title_short | Genetically Encoded Self-Assembling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Possible Platform for Cancer-Cell Tracking |
| title_sort | genetically encoded self assembling iron oxide nanoparticles as a possible platform for cancer cell tracking |
| topic | genetically controlled imaging reporters biogenic iron oxide nanoparticles visualization of cancer cells encapsulins magnetic resonance imaging fluorescence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/3/397 |
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