Imaging bioluminescent reporter genes

Imaging Cellular and Molecular Processes in the Lung Using Bioluminescent Reporter Genes... 

Ray P, Wn A M, Gambhir S S (2003). Optical bioluminescence and positron emission tomography imaging of a novel fnsion reporter gene in tumor xenografts of living mice. Cancer Res. 63 1160-1165. 

Fig. 3 (A) Bioluminescent image of nude mouse 4 weeks after intratibial inoculation of osteosarcoma cells carrying a luciferase reporter gene. (B) Radiograph taken at 4 weeks shows the formation of osteolytic lesions in the corresponding region. Tc]MIBI images acquired at early (5 min) and delayed times (60 min) in the absence (C) and after treatment with PSC833 (D). The treatment with 50 mg/kg PSC833 increased both the uptake and the retention of [ Tc]MIBI in the tumor region...

Bioluminescence imaging of luciferase reporter genes is much more sensitive for in vivo imaging applications due to the lack of background bioluminescence signal [38]. Luciferases are photoenzymes isolated from a wide variety of insects. 

Optical imaging offers several key benefits over PET. PET radiopharmaceuticals generally need to be made on-site and require appropriate radiation safety precautions. In contrast, bioluminescence studies are simpler to conduct because the substrates are commercially available and readily prepared. Furthermore, multiple animals can be smdied at the same time, and they can be studied quickly because image acquisition times are typically short. The interval between smdies that involve repetitive imaging is also short, unlike radionuclide-based methods, which require time for radioactive decay. Finally, both the reporter gene products and substrates used in bioluminescence studies (e.g., luciferases and D-luciferin) appear to be nontoxic to mammalian cells. This is a theoretical advantage over radionuclide-based methods, which depend on the use of ionizing radiation (22). 

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