Generation of mice expressing liver-specific fluorescent genes and the optimal conditions for signal detection via in vivo imaging

Abstract

In vivo imaging enables real-time detection of excitation and emission signals and is useful for the noninvasive evaluation of temporal changes in biological tissues. The near-infrared fluorescent protein iRFP can be used for deep-tissue imaging because it emits light at wavelengths that are less attenuated by biological tissues. However, autofluorescence originating from diet, tissues, and the imaging environment can interfere with fluorescence detection; therefore, appropriate animal pretreatment and optimization of imaging conditions are essential. We generated two mouse strains: Alb^eGiR reporter mice, in which enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and iRFP713 genes were tandemly inserted downstream of the Albumin gene, and hairless mice (Hr^Δ164/Δ164), carrying a mutation in the hairless gene. Their offspring were used in in vivo imaging experiments to investigate: (i) the localization of eGFP and iRFP713 fluorescence, (ii) the influence of hair on fluorescence detection, and (iii) suitable filter combinations for fluorescence detection. In the resulting mice, liver-specific expression of both eGFP and iRFP713 was observed at the same anatomical location. Although autofluorescence was more prominent in hairless mice than in furred mice, signal detection was improved either by using longer-wavelength excitation/emission filters or by applying spectral unmixing to separate the target signal. These findings provide practical guidance for optimizing in vivo fluorescence imaging conditions using standard IVIS platforms.