title: Biomarkers of in vivo fluorescence imaging in allergic airway inflammation.
abstract: Airway inflammation is a central component of the manifestation of asthma but is relatively inaccessible to study. Current imaging techniques such as X-ray CT, MRI, and PET, have advanced noninvasive research on pulmonary diseases. However, these techniques mainly facilitate the anatomical or structural assessment of the diseased lung and/or typically use radioactive agents. In vivo fluorescence imaging is a novel method for noninvasive, real-time, and specific monitoring of lung airway inflammation, which is particularly important to gain a further understanding asthma. Compared to conventional techniques, fluorescent imaging has the advantages of rapid feedback, as well as high sensitivity and resolution. Recently, there has been an increase in the identification of biomarkers, including matrix metalloproteinases, cathepsins, selectins, folate receptor-beta, nanoparticles, as well as sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-F to assess the level of airway inflammation in asthma. Recent advances in our understanding of these biomarkers as molecular probes for in vivo imaging are discussed in this review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Fa-Ping
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Qi
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
authors.forename: Su-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. Electronic address: merrymh@126.com.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Airway inflammation; Asthma; Biomarkers; Fluorescence imaging