Selective cell elimination in vitro and in vivo from tissues and tumors using near infrared photoimmunotherapy

FARE Award Winner

Authors

• K Sato
• T Nagaya
• Y Nakamura
• T Harada
• PL Choyke
• H Kobayashi

Abstract

Cell cultures and tissues often contain cellular subpopulations that potentially interfere with or contaminate other cells of interest. However, it is difficult to eliminate unwanted cells without damaging the very cell population one is seeking to protect, especially established tissue. Here, we present a method of eliminating a specific subpopulation of cells from a mixed 2D or 3D cell culture and a mixed-population in vivo tumor model by using the near infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) without damage to non-targeted cells. Using the optical reporters, RFP, GFP and luciferase, it could be demonstrated that the selected cell population could be eliminated by NIR-PIT. With this demonstration, we propose that NIR-PIT is a practical method for eliminating a selective set of cells from cell culture or tissue in vitro or local environment in vivo without damaging the remaining cells. Locally specific cell elimination by NIR-PIT has potential application in many fields, for instance, regenerative medicine, immunomodulation, and tumor immunity.

Scientific Focus Area: Biomedical Engineering and Biophysics

This page was last updated on Friday, March 26, 2021