J Biomed Transl Res.  2024 Mar;25(1):1-9. 10.12729/jbtr.2024.25.1.1.

Ex vivo culture conditions for bioluminescence imaging of porcine skin tissue

• Kim M
• Jin H
• Lee YJ
• Lee SM

• KMID: 2555000
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12729/jbtr.2024.25.1.1

Abstract

In response to the expanding landscape of the biotechnology industry and the increasing demand for comprehensive drug development as well as the conduct of preclinical and clinical trials, there is a growing need for employment of diverse animal models, including both small and large animals. The focus of this study was on refining ex vivo culture techniques for bioluminescence imaging following administration of intradermal injections in large animals. To examine the feasibility of our approach, varying concentrations of the rFluc protein were administered to rats and live imaging was employed to validate the corresponding levels of expression. Subsequently, following administration of rFluc to mini-pigs, ex vivo analyses were performed on sample tissues to assess the levels of protein expression across different concentrations. In particular, optimal culturing conditions that facilitated the sustained expres-sion of the protein in samples post-euthanasia were identified. Moreover, by employing small animal imaging devices, we were able to capture clear images of the sample plates, which provided evidence of the successful application of our experimental techniques. The findings from this research represent a significant effort toward refining bioluminescence imaging methods tailored for use with large animal models—an imperative facet of contemporary drug development and biomedical research.

Keyword

bioluminescence imaging; mini-pig; luciferase; injections, intradermal; multi-needle