Human Umbilical Cord Wharton’s Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Labeled with Mn2+ and Gd3+ Co-Doped CuInS2–ZnS Nanocrystals for Multimodality Imaging in a Tumor Mice Model

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy has recently received profound interest as a targeting-platform in cancer-theranostics due to inherent tumor-homing abilities. However, the terminal tracking of MSCs-engraftment by fluorescent in situ hybridization, immuno-histochemistry and flow-cytometry techniques to translate into clinics are still challenging due to dearth of inherent MSC-specific markers and FDA-approval for genetic-modifications of MSCs. To address this challenge, a cost-effective non-invasive imaging technology based on multi-functional nanocrystals (NCs) with enhanced-detection sensitivity, spatial-temporal resolution, deep-tissue diagnosis is needed to be developed to track the transplanted stem cells. A hassle-free labeling of human umbilical-cord Wharton’s-Jelly (WJ)-derived MSCs with Mn2+ and Gd3+ co-doped CuInS2-ZnS (CIS-ZMGS) NCs has been demonstrated in 2 h without requiring electroporation process or transfection agents. It has been found that, WJ-MSCs labeling did not affect their mu...