Gadolinium(III)-gold nanorods for MRI and photoacoustic imaging dual-modality detection of macrophages in atherosclerotic inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
One of the features of high-risk atherosclerotic plaques is the preponderance of macrophages. Gadolinium(III)-gold nanorods (Gd(III)-GNRs) have been developed as a dual-modality probe for MRI and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) to trace macrophages for determining the degree of inflammation.


METHODS
Gd(III)-GNRs were utilized for MRI and PAI dual-modality detection of macrophages in living mice and ex vivo simulated macrophage-rich plaque.


RESULTS
Gd(III)-GNRs were shown to be endocytosed by macrophages in vitro. Macrophages labeled with Gd(III)-GNRs were detected by both PAI and MRI. With Gd(III)-GNRs, it is possible to institute a multiscale complementary imaging protocol: MRI can screen to identify the location of the probe-phagocytosed macrophages, and intravascular PAI provides a subsequent precise morphology to quantify the infiltration area and invasion depth of macrophages in the arterial wall.


CONCLUSIONS
This new dual-modality nanoparticle approach has promise for enabling quantitative detection of macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques.
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
Huan
H
Qin
Ting
T
Zhou
Sihua
S
Yang
Qun
Q
Chen
Da
D
Xing
D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis; D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry; D011859:Radiography
D003287:Contrast Media; D006046:Gold; D005682:Gadolinium