Figure 1.

Fluorescently-labeled AdMSCs migrate deep into the olfactory system and into the brains of prion-infected mice. AdMSCs were stimulated for 24 h with TNFα, labeled with DiD lipophilic dye and delivered intranasally into mice with RML exposure at 18 weeks post infection (wpi). Control mice received unlabeled AdMSCs. Live animal imaging was performed (A) 48 h and (B) 7 days post-delivery. Both time points showed significant maximum radiance from cells in the olfactory region, determined using a T-test with Welch’s corrections, **p < 0.01, error bars = SEM. (C) At each timepoint, brains were removed and imaged. Areas of labeled cells were visible in some brains at 48 h and 7 days post-delivery (shown by red arrows). Radiance scale used for degree of fluorescent dye positivity in brains. (D) Representative images of DiD+ cells in the cortex, hippocampus and thalamus at 48 h and 7 days post-delivery, compared to brains from animals that received mock-labeled AdMSCs. Arrows indicate DiD+ cells. Cell nuclei are stained with DAPI. (E) Hippocampus of animals that received mock-labeled or DiD-labeled AdMSCs at 48 h post-delivery. Tissue was co-stained for AdMSC markers Vimentin and Oct3/4, which co-localizes with DiD staining. 20x representative images, scale bar = 50 μm.