title: Enhanced ultrasonography using a nano/microbubble contrast agent for islet transplantation.
abstract: Recent basic and clinical studies have assessed the use of highly sensitive imaging modalities for visualizing transplanted islets. We investigated the utility of enhanced ultrasonography, combined with fluorescent acoustic liposome nano/microbubbles (FALs), for evaluating angiogenesis and the endocrine function of transplanted islets. BALB/c mice were classified into three groups: Diabetic mice that underwent syngeneic islet transplantation into the subrenal capsule and achieved normoglycemia (Tx group); those that failed to achieve normoglycemia (Tx-DM group); and those not receiving any treatment (DM group). Mice were examined by FAL-enhanced high frequency ultrasonography. The echogenicity of the islets increased rapidly within the first minute after injection of FALs and remained at a higher level in the Tx group, while small increases were observed in the other two groups. In histological assessments, fluorescently stained erythrocytes could be seen in and around the transplanted islets, indicating that the transplanted islets were enhanced by infusion of FALs via vessel networks between the engrafted islets and tissue. Furthermore, the echogenicity correlated significantly with endocrine parameters, including blood glucose (BG), serum insulin, and the BG change in the glucose tolerance test. In conclusion, the echogenicity of the islets under FAS-enhanced ultrasonosonography correlated with the endocrine status of transplanted islets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sax
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.|Division of Integrated Surgery and Oncology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katayose
authors.affiliation: Division of International Cooperation for Disaster Medicine, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Egawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003287:Contrast Media; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D045423:Microbubbles; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D003287:Contrast Media; D007328:Insulin; D013311:Streptozocin