title: Non-invasive dual fluorescence in vivo imaging for detection of macrophage infiltration and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in inflammatory arthritic joints.
abstract: Detection and intervention at an early stage is a critical factor to impede arthritis progress. Here we present a non-invasive method to detect inflammatory changes in joints of arthritic mice. Inflammation was monitored by dual fluorescence optical imaging for near-infrared fluorescent (750F) matrix-metalloproteinase activatable agent and allophycocyanin-conjugated anti-mouse CD11b. Increased intensity of allophycocyanin (indication of macrophage accumulation) and 750F (indication of matrix-metalloproteinase activity) showed a biological relationship with the arthritis severity score and the histopathology score of arthritic joints. Our results demonstrate that this method can be used to detect early stages of arthritis with minimum intervention in small animal models.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Orthopedics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee Health Science Center-Campbell Clinic, Memphis, 38104, USA; Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Memphis, TN, 38104, USA.
authors.forename: Hongsik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Departments of Orthopedics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee Health Science Center-Campbell Clinic, Memphis, 38104, USA.
authors.forename: Fazal-Ur-Rehman
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, 38104, USA.
authors.forename: Tae Won
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Departments of Orthopedics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee Health Science Center-Campbell Clinic, Memphis, 38104, USA; Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Memphis, TN, 38104, USA.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hasty
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center-Memphis, TN, 38104, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Stuart
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA.
authors.forename: Ae-Kyung
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yi
keywords: (170.0170) Medical optics and biotechnology; (170.2655) Functional monitoring and imaging