title: Noninvasive detection of endotoxin-induced mucus hypersecretion in rat lung by MRI.
abstract: Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we detected a signal in the lungs of Brown Norway rats after intratracheal administration of endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]. The signal had two components: one, of diffuse appearance and higher intensity, was particularly prominent up to 48 h after LPS; the second, showing an irregular appearance and weaker intensity, was predominant later. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis indicated that generalized granulocytic (especially neutrophilic) inflammation was a major contributor to the signal at the early time points, with mucus being a major factor contributing at the later time points. The facts that animals can breathe freely during data acquisition and that neither respiration nor cardiac triggering is applied render this MRI approach attractive for the routine testing of anti-inflammatory drugs. In particular, the prospect of noninvasively detecting a sustained mucus hypersecretory phenotype in the lung brings an important new perspective to models of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in animals.
authors.affiliation: Central Technologies, Novartis Pharma, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland. nicolau.beckmann@pharma.novartis.com
authors.forename: Nicolau
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tigani
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sugar
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Lazzaro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzoni
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fozard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides