Imaging inflammation in acute brain ischemia.
Brain inflammation holds promise as a therapeutic target in subacute stages of ischemic stroke. At the cellular level, postischemic inflammation is dominated by cells of the innate immune system with resident microglia/brain macrophages and blood-derived monocytes/macrophages being the most important cell types involved. Iron oxide nanoparticles such as ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) are novel cell-specific contrast agents for MRI. After intravenous injection USPIO is taken up by circulating phagocytic cells. USPIO-laden macrophages cause typical signal changes in MRI of infarcted brain parenchyma, which has been demonstrated in studies of both experimental ischemia and human stroke. USPIO-enhanced MRI may therefore represent an important tool to address the role of macrophages for ischemic lesion development both in basic science and clinical studies.
Jander
Sebastian
S
Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. jander@uni-duesseldorf.de
Schroeter
Michael
M
Saleh
Andreas
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003911:Dextrans; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D007501:Iron; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides
D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; C097921:ferumoxtran-10; D007501:Iron; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide