title: Nitric oxide pretreatment enhances atheroma component highlighting in vivo with intercellular adhesion molecule-1-targeted echogenic liposomes.
abstract: We present an ultrasound technique for the detection of inflammatory changes in developing atheromas. We used contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging with (i) microbubbles targeted to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), a molecule of adhesion involved in inflammatory processes in lesions of atheromas in New Zealand White rabbits, and (ii) pretreatment with nitric oxide-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound activation at the site of the endothelium to enhance the permeability of the arterial wall and the penetration of ICAM-1-targeted microbubbles. This procedure increases acoustic enhancement 1.2-fold. Pretreatment with nitric oxide-loaded echogenic liposomes and ultrasound activation can potentially facilitate the subsequent penetration of targeted echogenic liposomes into the arterial wall, thus allowing improved detection of inflammatory changes in developing atheromas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA. Electronic address: patrick.kee@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Patrick H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Hyunggun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Shaoling
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Susan T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Laing
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Melanie R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moody
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Pathology, The Texas Heart Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vela
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Melvin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Klegerman
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: McPherson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D045423:Microbubbles; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D008081:Liposomes; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Echogenic liposomes; Intravascular ultrasound imaging; Molecular imaging; Nitric oxide