In vivo MPI tracking of ICV-injected mesenchymal stem cells in an EAE mouse model of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) provide therapeutic benefits through their immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects. This study investigated the biodistribution of magnetically labeled hMSCs following intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection in the chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS in vivo using magnetic particle imaging (MPI) in combination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). Our imaging analyses revealed increased MPI signal in both the cerebellum and spinal cord by day 7 post-injection, suggesting distribution of hMSCs via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. These findings highlight the value of MPI as a quantitative and specific non-invasive tool for longitudinal cell tracking in vivo and provide important insights into the optimization of stem cell–based therapies for MS.