322. hNIS-IRES-GFP Dual Reporter Gene Imaging

The human and rodent sodium iodide symporters ( NIS) have recently been cloned and are being investigated as potential therapeutic and reporter genes. We have extended this effort by constructing an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-linked human NIS (hNIS)-enhanced green fluorescent protein ( eGFP) hybrid reporter gene for both nuclear and optical imaging. A self-inactivating retroviral vector, termed pQCNIG, containing hNIS-IRES-eGFP dual reporter gene, driven by a constitutive CMV promoter, was constructed and used to generate RG2-pQCNIG cells and RG2-pQCNIG tumors. 131I-iodide and 99mTcO4-pertechnetate accumulation studies plus fluorescence microscopy and intensity assays were performed in vitro, and gamma camera imaging studies in RG2-pQCNIG and RG2 tumor-bearing athymic rats were performed. RG2-pQCNIG cells expressed high levels of hNIS protein and showed high intensity of eGFP fluorescence compared with RG2 wild-type cells. RG2-pQCNIG cells accumulated Na131I and 99mTcO4– to a 50:1 and a 170:1 tissue/medium ratio at 10 min, compared with 0.8:1.2 tissue/medium ratio in wild-type RG2 cells. A significant correlation between radiotracer accumulation and eGFP fluorescence intensity was demonstrated. RG2-pQCNIG and RG2 tumors were readily differentiated by in vivo gamma camera imaging; radiotracer uptake increased in RG2-pQCNIG but declined in RG2 tumors over the 50-min imaging period. Stomach and thyroid were the major organs of radionuclide accumulation. The IRES-linked hNIS-eGFP dual reporter gene is functional and stable in transduced RG2-pQCNIG cells. Optical and nuclear imaging of tumors produced from these cell lines provides the opportunity to monitor tumor growth and response to therapy. These studies indicate the potential for a wider application of hNIS reporter imaging and translation into patient studies using radioisotopes that are currently available for human use for both SPECT and PET imaging.

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Application of MRI and Bioluminescence Dual Reporter Gene Imaging for In Vivo Monitoring of Tumor Growth

Journal of Medical Imaging and Health Informatics ◽

10.1166/jmihi.2019.2853 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 1808-1814

Author(s):

Mengling Xu ◽

Yifan Wang ◽

Hua He ◽

Fabao Gao ◽

Yulin Guo

Keyword(s):

Tumor Growth ◽

Reporter Gene ◽

Reporter Gene Imaging ◽

In Vivo Monitoring ◽

Dual Reporter

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Noninvasive Visualization of MicroRNA-16 in the Chemoresistance of Gastric Cancer Using a Dual Reporter Gene Imaging System

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0061792 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. e61792 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Fu Wang ◽

Xinxing Song ◽

Xiujuan Li ◽

Jing Xin ◽

Shenxu Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gastric Cancer ◽

Reporter Gene ◽

Imaging System ◽

Reporter Gene Imaging ◽

Dual Reporter

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GATA-targeted compounds modulate cardiac subtype cell differentiation in dual reporter stem cell line

Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.1186/s13287-021-02259-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mika J. Välimäki ◽

Robert S. Leigh ◽

Sini M. Kinnunen ◽

Alexander R. March ◽

Ana Hernández de Sande ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Progenitor Cells ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Reporter Gene ◽

Gene Regulatory Networks ◽

Regulatory Networks ◽

Cell Fate Decisions ◽

Dual Reporter ◽

Gene Regulatory ◽

Reporter Gene Assays

AbstractBackgroundPharmacological modulation of cell fate decisions and developmental gene regulatory networks holds promise for the treatment of heart failure. Compounds that target tissue-specific transcription factors could overcome non-specific effects of small molecules and lead to the regeneration of heart muscle following myocardial infarction. Due to cellular heterogeneity in the heart, the activation of gene programs representing specific atrial and ventricular cardiomyocyte subtypes would be highly desirable. Chemical compounds that modulate atrial and ventricular cell fate could be used to improve subtype-specific differentiation of endogenous or exogenously delivered progenitor cells in order to promote cardiac regeneration.MethodsTranscription factor GATA4-targeted compounds that have previously shown in vivo efficacy in cardiac injury models were tested for stage-specific activation of atrial and ventricular reporter genes in differentiating pluripotent stem cells using a dual reporter assay. Chemically induced gene expression changes were characterized by qRT-PCR, global run-on sequencing (GRO-seq) and immunoblotting, and the network of cooperative proteins of GATA4 and NKX2-5 were further explored by the examination of the GATA4 and NKX2-5 interactome by BioID. Reporter gene assays were conducted to examine combinatorial effects of GATA-targeted compounds and bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) inhibition on chamber-specific gene expression.ResultsGATA4-targeted compounds 3i-1000 and 3i-1103 were identified as differential modulators of atrial and ventricular gene expression. More detailed structure-function analysis revealed a distinct subclass of GATA4/NKX2-5 inhibitory compounds with an acetyl lysine-like domain that contributed to ventricular cells (%Myl2-eGFP+). Additionally, BioID analysis indicated broad interaction between GATA4 and BET family of proteins, such as BRD4. This indicated the involvement of epigenetic modulators in the regulation of GATA-dependent transcription. In this line, reporter gene assays with combinatorial treatment of 3i-1000 and the BET bromodomain inhibitor (+)-JQ1 demonstrated the cooperative role of GATA4 and BRD4 in the modulation of chamber-specific cardiac gene expression.ConclusionsCollectively, these results indicate the potential for therapeutic alteration of cell fate decisions and pathological gene regulatory networks by GATA4-targeted compounds modulating chamber-specific transcriptional programs in multipotent cardiac progenitor cells and cardiomyocytes. The compound scaffolds described within this study could be used to develop regenerative strategies for myocardial regeneration.

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