Title |
αVβ3 integrin-targeted microSPECT/CT imaging of inflamed atherosclerotic plaques in mice
|
---|---|
Published in |
EJNMMI Research, March 2016
|
DOI | 10.1186/s13550-016-0184-9 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
David Vancraeynest, Véronique Roelants, Caroline Bouzin, François-Xavier Hanin, Stephan Walrand, Vanesa Bol, Anne Bol, Anne-Catherine Pouleur, Agnès Pasquet, Bernhard Gerber, Philippe Lesnik, Thierry Huby, François Jamar, Jean-Louis Vanoverschelde |
Abstract |
αVβ3-integrin is expressed by activated endothelial cells and macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques and may represent a valuable marker of high-risk plaques. We evaluated (99m)Tc-maraciclatide, an integrin-specific tracer, for imaging vascular inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions in mice. Apolipoprotein E-negative (ApoE(-/-)) mice on a Western diet (n = 10) and normally fed adult C57BL/6 control mice (n = 4) were injected with (99m)Tc-maraciclatide (51.8 ± 3.7 MBq). A blocking peptide was infused in three ApoE(-/-) mice; this condition served as another control. After 90 min, the animals were imaged via single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). While maintained in the same position, the mice were transferred to computed tomography (CT) to obtain contrast-enhanced images of the aortic arch. Images from both modalities were fused, and signal was quantified in the aortic arch and in the vena cava for subtraction of blood-pool activity. The aorta was carefully dissected after imaging for gamma counting, autoradiography, and histology. Tracer uptake was significantly higher in ApoE(-/-) mice than in both groups of control mice (1.56 ± 0.33 vs. 0.82 ± 0.24 vs. 0.98 ± 0.11, respectively; P = 0.006). Furthermore, higher tracer activity was detected via gamma counting in the aorta of hypercholesterolemic mice than in both groups of control mice (1.52 ± 0.43 vs. 0.78 ± 0.19 vs. 0.47 ± 0.31 (99m)Tc-maraciclatide %ID/g, respectively; P = 0.018). Autoradiography showed significantly higher tracer uptake in the atherosclerotic aorta than in the control aorta (P = 0.026). Finally, in the atherosclerotic aorta, immunostaining indicated that the integrin signal came predominantly from macrophages and was correlated with the macrophage CD68 immunomarker (r = 0.73). (99m)Tc-maraciclatide allows in vivo detection of inflamed atherosclerotic plaques in mice and may represent a non-invasive approach for identifying high-risk plaques in patients. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
France | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 23 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 6 | 26% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 5 | 22% |
Other | 4 | 17% |
Professor | 2 | 9% |
Student > Bachelor | 1 | 4% |
Other | 4 | 17% |
Unknown | 1 | 4% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 8 | 35% |
Chemistry | 5 | 22% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 3 | 13% |
Physics and Astronomy | 1 | 4% |
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 1 | 4% |
Other | 2 | 9% |
Unknown | 3 | 13% |