title: Properties of a versatile nanoparticle platform contrast agent to image and characterize atherosclerotic plaques by magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: The need for more specific and selective contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging motivated us to prepare a new nanoparticle agent based on high-density lipoproteins (HDL). This second generation contrast agent can be prepared in three different ways. The HDL nanoparticles (rHDL) were fully characterized by FPLC and gel electrophoresis. The flexibility of the platform also allows us to incorporate optical probes into rHDL for localization ex vivo by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The contrast-agent-containing nanoparticles were injected into mice that develop atherosclerotic lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging of the animals showed clear enhancement of the atherosclerotic plaques.
authors.affiliation: Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute and the Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Cardiovascular Health Center, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Frias
authors.forename: Yanqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Kevin Jon
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Zahi A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Fayad
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000737:chemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL