title: Label-free and depth resolved optical sectioning of iron-complex deposits in sickle cell disease splenic tissue by multiphoton microscopy.
abstract: Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) imaging of intrinsic two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) is performed on humanized sickle cell disease (SCD) mouse model splenic tissue. Distinct morphological and spectral features associated with SCD are identified and discussed in terms of diagnostic relevance. Specifically, spectrally unique splenic iron-complex deposits are identified by MPM; this finding is supported by TPEF spectroscopy and object size to standard histopathological methods. Further, iron deposits are found at higher concentrations in diseased tissue than in healthy tissue by all imaging methods employed here including MPM, and therefore, may provide a useful biomarker related to the disease state. These newly characterized biomarkers allow for further investigations of SCD in live animals as a means to gain insight into the mechanisms impacting immune dysregulation and organ malfunction, which are currently not well understood.
authors.affiliation: University of Notre Dame, Department of Electrical Engineering, 275 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States.
authors.forename: Genevieve D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Vigil
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Immunology, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3710, United States.
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Adami
authors.affiliation: University of Notre Dame, Department of Electrical Engineering, 275 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States.
authors.forename: Tahsin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: University of Notre Dame, Department of Electrical Engineering, 275 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States.
authors.forename: Aamir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility Histology Core, 400 D Friemann Life Science Center, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3710, United States.
authors.forename: Biree
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andemariam
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Immunology, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3710, United States.
authors.forename: Roger S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Thrall
authors.affiliation: University of Notre Dame, Department of Electrical Engineering, 275 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States.
authors.forename: Scott S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D036641:Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton / Q000379:methods*; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007501:Iron