Membrane radiolabelling of exosomes for comparative biodistribution analysis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice – a novel and universal approach

Article


Faruqu, Farid N., Wang, Julie Tzu-Wen, Xu, Lizhou, McNickle, Luke, Chong, Eden Ming-Yiu, Walters, Adam, Gurney, Mark, Clayton, Aled, Smyth, L., Hider, Robert, Sosabowski, Jane and Al-Jamal, Khuloud T. 2019. Membrane radiolabelling of exosomes for comparative biodistribution analysis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice – a novel and universal approach. Theranostics. 9 (6), pp. 1666-1682. https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.27891
AuthorsFaruqu, Farid N., Wang, Julie Tzu-Wen, Xu, Lizhou, McNickle, Luke, Chong, Eden Ming-Yiu, Walters, Adam, Gurney, Mark, Clayton, Aled, Smyth, L., Hider, Robert, Sosabowski, Jane and Al-Jamal, Khuloud T.
Abstract

Extracellular vesicles, in particular exosomes, have recently gained interest as novel drug delivery vectors due to their biological origin and inherent intercellular biomolecule delivery capability. An in-depth knowledge of their in vivo biodistribution is therefore essential. This work aimed to develop a novel, reliable and universal method to radiolabel exosomes to study their in vivo biodistribution.

Methods: Melanoma (B16F10) cells were cultured in bioreactor flasks to increase exosome yield. B16F10-derived exosomes (ExoB₁₆) were isolated using ultracentrfugation onto a single sucrose cushion, and were characterised for size, yield, purity, exosomal markers and morphology using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), protein measurements, flow cytometry and electron microscopy. ExoB₁₆ were radiolabelled using 2 different approaches – intraluminal labelling (entrapment of ¹¹¹Indium via tropolone shuttling); and membrane labelling (chelation of ¹¹¹Indium via covalently attached bifunctional chelator DTPA-anhydride). Labelling efficiency and stability was assessed using gel filtration and thin layer chromatography. Melanoma-bearing immunocompetent (C57BL/6) and immunodeficient (NSG) mice were injected intravenously with radiolabelled ExoB₁₆ (1x10¹¹ particles/mouse) followed by metabolic cages study, whole body SPECT-CT imaging and ex vivo gamma counting at 1, 4 and 24 h post-injection.

Results: Membrane-labelled ExoB₁₆ showed superior radiolabelling efficiency and radiochemical stability (19.2 ± 4.53 % and 80.4 ± 1.6 % respectively) compared to the intraluminal-labelled exosomes (4.73 ± 0.39 % and 14.21 ± 2.76 % respectively). Using the membrane-labelling approach, the in vivo biodistribution of ExoB₁₆ in melanoma-bearing C57Bl/6 mice was carried out, and was found to accumulate primarily in the liver and spleen (~56% and ~38% ID/gT respectively), followed by the kidneys (~3% ID/gT). ExoB₁₆ showed minimal tumour i.e. self-tissue accumulation (~0.7% ID/gT). The membrane-labelling approach was also used to study ExoB₁₆ biodistribution in melanoma-bearing immunocompromised (NSG) mice, to compare with that in the immunocompetent C57Bl/6 mice. Similar biodistribution profile was observed in both C57BL/6 and NSG mice, where prominent accumulation was seen in liver and spleen, apart from the significantly lower tumour accumulation observed in the NSG mice (~0.3% ID/gT).

Conclusion: Membrane radiolabelling of exosomes is a reliable approach that allows for accurate live imaging and quantitative biodistribution studies to be performed on potentially all exosome types without engineering parent cells.

JournalTheranostics
Journal citation9 (6), pp. 1666-1682
ISSN1838-7640
Year2019
PublisherIvyspring International Publisher
Accepted author manuscript
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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.27891
Web address (URL)https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.27891
Publication dates
Online23 Dec 2018
Print28 Feb 2019
Publication process dates
Deposited11 Feb 2019
Accepted08 Nov 2018
Accepted08 Nov 2018
FunderMajlis Amanah Rakyat
Horizon 2020
British Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Wellcome Trust
Majlis Amanah Rakyat
European Commission
British Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Wellcome Trust
Copyright information© 2019 The authors
LicenseCC BY 4.0
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