title: In vivo therapy monitoring of experimental rheumatoid arthritis in rats using near-infrared fluorescence imaging.
abstract: An in vivo near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging technique is described for therapy monitoring of ankle joints affected by collagen-induced arthritis, a model of human rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis was induced in rats by intradermal injections of collagen and Freund's incomplete adjuvant. For in vivo imaging, the nonspecific NIR dye tetrasulfocyanine (TSC) was used. Prior to and after treatment with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, meloxicam, or analgesic drug, tramadol hydrochloride (which served as no-therapy control), normalized fluorescence intensities of each ankle joint were measured. Additionally, each ankle joint was characterized by clinical arthritis scoring and histopathology. Over a 3-week treatment period, a significant difference in disease progression between animals treated with meloxicam and tramadol hydrochloride was detected. A statistically significant improvement in ankle joint pathology from high- or moderate-grade to moderate- or low-grade upon meloxicam therapy, as determined by clinical evaluation, translated into a significant decrease in fluorescence intensity. In contrast, all arthritic joints of the no-therapy control group deteriorated to high-grade arthritis with high-fluorescence intensities in NIRF imaging.
authors.affiliation: Bayer Pharma AG, Global Drug Discovery, Berlin 13353, Germany.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vollmer
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Radiology 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gemeinhardt
authors.affiliation: Bayer Pharma AG, Global Drug Discovery, Berlin 13353, GermanycNOXXON Pharma AG, Drug Discovery, Berlin 10589, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vater
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Radiology 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schnorr
authors.affiliation: Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Radiology 10117, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schnorr
authors.affiliation: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Department of Biomedical Optics, Berlin 10587, GermanyeMedical School Hannover, Department of Radiotherapy and Special Oncology, Hannover 30625, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.affiliation: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Department of Biomedical Optics, Berlin 10587, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ebert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007211:Indoles; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007211:Indoles; C028418:tetrasulfophthalocyanine