MR imaging of inflammation during myelin-specific T cell-mediated autoimmune attack in the EAE mouse spinal cord.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to detect myelin-specific T cells, key pathological mediators in early multiple sclerosis, and the corresponding animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), in the mouse spinal cord.


METHODS
T cells were labeled with the iron-based, magnetic resonance (MR) contrast reagent, Feridex, and the transfection reagent, protamine sulfate, resulting in approximately 100% iron-labeling efficiency. Feridex-labeling did not alter the induction of EAE by T cells, and recipients were imaged by a 12-T MR instrument.


RESULTS
Focal hypointense lesions were resolvable to gray or white matter of the lumbar spinal cord in T(2)-weighted images of the recipients of Feridex-labeled T cells. Lesions corresponded to histological evidence of inflammatory lesions and iron-labeled cells in eight-of-eight mice. In contrast, hypointense lesions were not observed eight-of-eight recipients of unlabeled T cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate and provide methodologies for labeling, detecting, and extracting MRI-detectable foci of iron-labeled cells.
Robinson
Kristine M
KM
V.A. Medical Center, VA R&D 23, Bldg 101, 3710 SW US Veteran's Hospital Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
Njus
Jeffrey M
JM
Phillips
Daniel A
DA
Proctor
Thomas M
TM
Rooney
William D
WD
Jones
Richard E
RE
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011479:Protamines / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D011479:Protamines; D007501:Iron