Monitoring Therapeutic Responses to Silicified Cancer Cell Immunotherapy Using PET/MRI in a Mouse Model of Disseminated Ovarian Cancer

Erik N. Taylor, Colin M. Wilson, Stefan Franco, Henning De May, Lorél Y. Medina, Yirong Yang, Erica B. Flores, Eric Bartee, Reed G. Selwyn, Rita E. Serda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Current imaging approaches used to monitor tumor progression can lack the ability to distinguish true progression from pseudoprogression. Simultaneous metabolic 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers new opportunities to overcome this challenge by refining tumor identification and monitoring therapeutic responses to cancer immunotherapy. In the current work, spatial and quantitative analysis of tumor burden were performed using simultaneous [18F]FDG-PET/MRI to monitor therapeutic responses to a novel silicified cancer cell immunotherapy in a mouse model of disseminated serous epithelial ovarian cancer. Tumor progression was validated by bioluminescence imaging of luciferase expressing tumor cells, flow cytometric analysis of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and histopathology. While PET demonstrated the presence of metabolically active cancer cells through [18F]FDG uptake, MRI confirmed cancer-related accumulation of ascites and tissue anatomy. This approach provides complementary information on disease status without a confounding signal from treatment-induced inflammation. This work provides a possible roadmap to facilitate accurate monitoring of therapeutic responses to cancer immunotherapies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number10525
JournalInternational journal of molecular sciences
Volume23
Issue number18
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2022

Keywords

  • MRI
  • PET
  • bioluminescence
  • cancer vaccine
  • cell silicification
  • fluorodeoxyglucose
  • immunotherapy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • Molecular Biology
  • Spectroscopy
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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