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Abstract #0682

Mitochondrial Ferritin with Cytoplasmic Localization as an MRI Reporter in Olfactory Sensory Neurons

SUMMA25Bistra Iordanova1, 2, T K. Hitchens2, C S. Robison, L K. Pusateri, 2, Eric T. Ahrens, 2

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; 2Pittsburgh NMR Center for Biomedical Research, Pittsburgh, PA, United States

The blood-brain barrier presents a unique challenge for introducing therapeutic molecules. The olfactory epithelium in mammals circumvents this barrier and is a suitable target for therapeutic agents. Here, we report the design of improved MRI reporter gene. We modify mitochondrial ferritin to localize to the cell cytoplasm. We demonstrate its high iron loading efficiency in mammalian cells. We use this new reporter to image gene expression in native olfactory sensory neurons in the mouse epithelium. This MRI reporter can facilitate the study of molecular mechanisms of olfaction as well as monitoring the success of intranasal gene therapy in live animals.

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acid acknowledgments addition administration adult anesthetized animal animals anti antibodies antibody appears approved arrows asterisk atomic axial biological biomedical biotechnology blue bottom brain capacity care cell cells chem chimera cloned cocktail committee content contrast control coronal coupled cytoplasm cytoplasmic defective deleted delivery design determined directed displays donkey efficacy efficiency elmer engineered epithelium expressed expressing expression extent feasible female ferric fixed forms funded gained gene generates goat gradient greater green heat heavy hours human improved improvement in vivo incremental inductively inoculated insert inserted instillation institutional intensity intranasal iron isotropic least loading loads localization magnification marker materials mechanisms medicine mice minutes molecular monitoring morphology mouse native neuron neurons nuclei nucleic olfactory optima overall perfused peripheral placed plasma position post potential potentially protein rabbit received recently remained replication report reported reporter represent resisting robust sensory sheep side similarity site situ spectrometer stable stained storage success supine supplementation technology tissues tools truncated type upon weeks white wild