Optical imaging of hydroxyapatite in the calcified vasculature of transgenic animals.
OBJECTIVE
To detect the hydroxyapatite component of vascular calcification in vivo so that the process of calcium deposition can be studied in transgenic model systems.


RESULTS
We have previously developed a near-infrared fluorescent bisphosphonate derivative that binds with high affinity and specificity to hydroxyapatite, and an intraoperative near-infrared fluorescence imaging system for small animals. Using these tools, and a transgenic mouse strain with homozygous deletion of the matrix GLA protein (Mgp(-/-)), we demonstrate that the hydroxyapatite component of vascular calcification can be detected in vivo with high sensitivity, specificity, and resolution.


CONCLUSIONS
The hydroxyapatite component of vascular calcification can be detected optically, in real-time, without sacrifice of the animal. It is now possible to study the earliest events associated with vascular mineralization, at the cell and organ level, and to monitor the process in living animals.
Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Atif
A
Zaheer
Monzur
M
Murshed
Alec M
AM
De Grand
Timothy G
TG
Morgan
Gerard
G
Karsenty
John V
JV
Frangioni
D000818:Animals; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D017886:Durapatite / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D017886:Durapatite; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein