Magnetic resonance imaging of immune cells in inflammation of central nervous system.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a novel, magnetic resonance-based method for in vivo cell localization in the central nervous system (CNS) of the animals without sacrificing them.


METHODS
Cells were labeled in vivo by intravenous injection of cell marker-specific antibodies covalently bound to ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (USPIO). This enabled the visualization of specific cell types by magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM).


RESULTS
USPIOs covalently attached to antibodies affected the contrast in MRM scan, and their accumulation on cells manifested as signal weakening in T2*-weighted images or signal enhancement in T1-weighted images. With this method applied in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) murine multiple sclerosis (MS) model, CNS-infiltrating CD4+ T cells were easily visualized with cell-specific MRM.


CONCLUSIONS
MRM with targeted contrast materials can be used to localize CNS-infiltrating lymphocytes of interest. Due to its noninvasive character, this method could potentially be used in human MR imaging as well.
Pirko
Istvan
I
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Ciric
Bogoljub
B
Johnson
Aaron J
AJ
Gamez
Jeff
J
Rodriguez
Moses
M
Macura
Slobodan
S
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media