Dr. Domann's Center-related research focuses on the development of non-invasive radiological imaging for gene transfer expression. The method being investigated is based on the transfer and expression of the sodium iodide symporter gene, which is responsible for iodine uptake by the thyroid. Cells expressing this gene can then be detected using radiographic methods by their ability to sequester radioisotopes of iodine or technetium similar to thyroid imaging by nuclear medicine techniques. When co-expressed with a therapeutic gene of interest, such as CFTR, the detection of iodine uptake indicates where expression of the therapeutic gene is occurring. This strategy will provide a novel, non-invasive method to determine the location and duration of expression of transgenes. Furthermore, these studies may lead to sensitive methods for detecting halide transport by CFTR in vivo using radiography, which could provide a direct measurement of correction following gene therapy of CF. Areas of interest outside this project include redox-regulated signal transduction and epigenetic control of transcription
Selected Publications:
Niu, G., Gaut, A.W., Ponto, L.L., Hichwa, R.D., Madsen, M.T., Graham, M.M., and Domann, F.E. 2004. Multimodality noninvasive imaging of gene transfer using the human sodium iodide symporter. J Nucl Med 45:445-449.
Niu, G., Krager, K.J., Graham, M.M., Hichwa, R.D., and Domann, F.E. 2005. Noninvasive radiological imaging of pulmonary gene transfer and expression using the human sodium iodide symporter. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 32:534-540.
Niu, G., Anderson, R.D., Madsen, M.T., Graham, M.M., Oberley, L.W., and Domann, F.E. 2006. Dual-expressing adenoviral vectors encoding the sodium iodide symporter for use in noninvasive radiological imaging of therapeutic gene transfer. Nucl Med Biol 33:391-398.
