实验动物与比较医学 ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (5): 716-726.DOI: 10.12300/j.issn.1674-5817.2025.199

• 动物实验技术与方法 • 上一篇    下一篇

稀土下转换纳米颗粒标记脂肪间充质干细胞治疗亚急性肝损伤的活体示踪研究

练荣贵, 廖乃顺()()   

  1. 福建医科大学孟超肝胆医院实验动物中心, 福州 350025
  • 收稿日期:2025-12-03 修回日期:2026-04-20 出版日期:2026-10-25 发布日期:2026-10-16
  • 通讯作者: 廖乃顺(1988—),男,博士,副研究员,硕士生导师,研究方向:细胞治疗、细胞功能活体成像。E-mail:liaons046@163.com。ORCID:0000-0002-2781-4229
  • 作者简介:
    练荣贵(2000—),男,硕士,研究方向:稀土医学成像。E-mail:lianrg2022@163.com
  • 基金资助:
    福建省自然科学基金项目“个性化过继性NK细胞的光声活体成像研究”(2024J011219)

In Vivo Tracking of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Subacute Liver Injury Using Rare-Earth Down-Conversion Nanoparticles

LIAN Ronggui, LIAO Naishun()()   

  1. Laboratory Animal Center, Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, China
  • Received:2025-12-03 Revised:2026-04-20 Published:2026-10-25 Online:2026-10-16
  • Correspondence to:
    LIAO Naishun (ORCID: 0000-0002-2781-4229), E-mail:

摘要:

目的 评估近红外二区(near-infrared-Ⅱ,NIR-Ⅱ)稀土下转换纳米颗粒(down-conversion nanoparticles,DCNPs)作为新型造影剂用于标记脂肪来源间充质干细胞(adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells,ADSCs)的可行性,并探讨其在亚急性肝损伤小鼠模型中进行活体示踪的潜在应用价值。 方法 采用高温热分解法合成核壳结构下转换纳米颗粒NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺@NaYF₄,经二硬脂酰磷脂酰乙醇胺-聚乙二醇2000(DSPE-PEG2000)表面修饰后制备水溶性DCNPs,并进一步偶联异硫氰酸荧光素(fluorescein isothiocyanate,FITC)以观察ADSCs对DCNPs的摄取情况。采用CCK-8实验检测DCNPs和ADSCs共孵育24 h、48 h的细胞活力;用激光共聚焦显微镜评估不同探针浓度和培养时间下DCNPs对ADSCs的标记效率;采用NIR-Ⅱ荧光成像检测DCNPs标记的ADSCs在体外连续培养过程中荧光信号随培养时间的动态变化;通过流式细胞术及分化实验分别评估DCNPs标记对ADSCs表面抗原表型及多向分化功能的影响。将DCNPs标记的ADSCs通过尾静脉一次性移植进SPF级雄性SD大鼠体内,1个月后采用血常规、血清生化分析以及多器官病理学检查评估其长期毒性反应。采用四氯化碳(CCl4)诱导法构建SPF级雄性BALB/c小鼠亚急性肝损伤模型,通过尾静脉回输DCNPs标记的ADSCs后,使用NIR-Ⅱ荧光成像系统示踪ADSCs在动物体内的归巢情况,并采用肝功能指标生化分析和HE染色法检测DCNPs示踪对ADSCs治疗的影响。 结果 本研究合成的NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺纳米颗粒为球形晶体结构,粒径约20~30 nm,具有较好的水分散稳定性。选用0~500 μg/mL DCNPs标记24 h和48 h均对ADSCs不产生细胞毒性。DCNPs的细胞标记效率随着剂量增加而提高,16 h内细胞摄取量基本稳定。DCNPs的NIR-Ⅱ荧光信号在ADSCs体外培养早期可维持稳定,培养第3天时荧光强度出现下降(P=0.003),但第8天时细胞内仍可检测到明显的荧光信号。DCNPs标记对ADSCs的干细胞表型及多向分化功能无明显影响。标记有DCNPs的ADSCs移植至正常SD大鼠体内1个月后,血常规、血清生化分析和多器官组织病理学检查结果均显示无明显的体内毒性反应。将DCNPs标记的ADSCs通过尾静脉回输给亚急性肝损伤模型小鼠后,血清肝功能指标丙氨酸氨基转移酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)和天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(aspartate aminotransferase,AST)水平明显降低(均P<0.05),肝组织中炎症细胞浸润明显减少;而且活体示踪结果显示其1 h内可归巢、迁移至肝脏,并且随着时间推移,荧光信号逐渐减弱,24 h后富集在肝脏的荧光信号明显减弱。 结论 DCNPs具有良好的生物相容性,可用于ADSCs标记,且不影响干细胞治疗,有望实现亚急性肝损伤治疗过程中干细胞归巢与迁移的实时、高信噪比活体示踪。

关键词: 间充质干细胞, 稀土下转换纳米颗粒, 活体示踪, 亚急性肝损伤, SD大鼠, BALB/c小鼠

Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of using near-infrared-Ⅱ (NIR-Ⅱ) rare-earth down-conversion nanoparticles (DCNPs) as a novel contrast agent for labeling adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs), and to explore their potential application for in vivo tracking in a mouse model of subacute liver injury. Methods Core-shell DCNPs (NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺@NaYF₄) were synthesized via a high-temperature thermal decomposition method. Water-soluble DCNPs were prepared through surface modification with DSPE-PEG2000, and further conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to observe cellular uptake. The CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell viability after co-incubation of ADSCs with DCNPs at 24 h and 48 h. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was employed to evaluate the labeling efficiency of DCNPs in ADSCs across various probe concentrations and incubation periods. Flow cytometry and differentiation assays were employed to evaluate the effects of DCNPs labeling on ADSCs surface antigen phenotype and multidirectional differentiation potential. NIR-Ⅱ fluorescence imaging was adopted to evaluate the dynamic changes of NIR‑Ⅱ fluorescence signals of labeled ADSCs during continuous in vitro culture. The in vivo toxicity of DCNP-labeled ADSCs transplanted via a single tail vein injection into SPF-grade male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats was evaluated one month after transplantation through complete blood count, serum biochemical analysis, and multi-organ histopathological examination. A subacute liver injury model was induced in SPF-grade male BALB/c mice using carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) administration. DCNP-labeled ADSCs were administered via tail vein injection, and the homing of ADSCs in vivo was monitored using NIR-Ⅱ fluorescence imaging. The effects of tracking on ADSC therapy were assessed using biochemical analysis of liver function indicators and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Results The NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ nanoparticles synthesized in this study exhibited a spherical crystal structure with particle sizes ranging from approximately 20 to 30 nm, and demonstrated good dispersion stability in water. CCK-8 results showed that DCNPs labeling exerted no cytotoxic effect on ADSCs viability after 24 and 48 h of labeling within the concentration range of 0 to 500 μg/mL used in this study. The cell labeling efficiency of DCNPs increased with dosage, while the cellular uptake remained essentially stable within 16 h. The NIR-Ⅱ fluorescence signal of DCNPs remained stable during the early stage of in vitro ADSCs culture. Although the fluorescence intensity decreased on day 3 of culture (P=0.003), detectable fluorescence signals were still observed in the cells on day 8. Flow cytometry and differentiation assays confirmed that DCNPs labeling had no significant adverse effects on the phenotype and differentiation capacity of ADSCs. One month after the transplantation of DCNP-labeled ADSCs into normal SD rats, blood routine tests, serum biochemical analysis, and multi-organ histopathological examination all revealed no obvious toxic reactions in the body. After the DCNP-labeled ADSCs were injected via the tail vein into mice with subacute liver injury, the serum levels of the liver function indicators alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly reduced (both P<0.05), and the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the liver tissue was markedly decreased. Moreover, in vivo tracing results showed that the labeled ADSCs could home and migrate to the liver within 1 h, with the fluorescence signal gradually weakening over time. By 24 h, the fluorescence signal enriched in the liver had significantly decreased. Conclusion DCNPs possess good biocompatibility for ADSC labeling without affecting stem cell therapy. They may enable real-time, high signal-to-noise ratio in vivo tracking of stem cell homing and migration in ADSC therapy for subacute liver injury.

Key words: Mesenchymal stem cells, Rare-earth down-conversion nanoparticles, In vivo tracking, Subacute liver injury, SD rats, BALB/c mice

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