title: CT imaging of myocardial scars with collagen-targeting gold nanoparticles.
abstract: In the setting of myocardial ischemia, recovery of myocardial function by revascularization procedures depends on the extent of coronary disease and myocardial scar burden. Currently, computed tomographic (CT) imaging offers superior evaluation of coronary lesions but lacks the capability to measure the transmural extent of myocardial scar. Our work focuses on determining if collagen-targeting gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can effectively target myocardial scar and provide adequate contrast for CT imaging. AuNPs were coated with a collagen-homing peptide, collagen adhesin (CNA35). Myocardial scar was created in mice by occlusion/reperfusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Thirty days later, un-gated CT imaging was performed. Over 6h, CNA35-AuNPs provided uniform and prolonged opacification of the vascular structures (100-130 HU). In mice with larger scar burden, focal contrast enhancement was detected in the myocardium, which was not apparent within that of control mice. Histological staining confirmed myocardial scar formation and accumulation of AuNPs.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This team of investigators presents a collagen-targeting gold nanoparticle-based approach that enables the imaging of myocardial scars via CT scans in a rodent model. This information would enable clinicians to judge the recovery potential of myocardium more accurately than the current CT-scan based approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: Delia.Danila@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Danila
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold; D003094:Collagen
keywords: CT imaging; Gold nanoparticles; Molecular imaging; Myocardial scars