title: Detection of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques in Experimental Atherosclerosis with the USPIO-Enhanced MRI.
abstract: This study's goal was to assess the diagnostic value of the USPIO-(ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detection of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in abdominal aorta in experimental atherosclerosis. Thirty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, Group A and Group B. Each group comprised 15 animals which were fed with high cholesterol diet for 8 weeks and then subjected to balloon-induced endothelial injury of the abdominal aorta. After another 8 weeks, animals in Group B received adenovirus carrying p53 gene that was injected through a catheter into the aortic segments rich in plaques. Two weeks later, all rabbits were challenged with the injection of Chinese Russell's viper venom and histamine. Pre-contrast images and USPIO-enhanced MRI images were obtained after pharmacological triggering with injection of USPIO for 5 days. Blood specimens were taken for biochemical and serological tests at 0 and 18 weeks. Abdominal aorta was histologically studied. The levels of serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were quantified by ELISA. Vulnerable plaques appeared as a local hypo-intense signal on the USPIO-enhanced MRI, especially on T2*-weighted sequences. The signal strength of plaques reached the peak at 96 h. Lipid levels were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in both Group A and B compared with the levels before the high cholesterol diet. The ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Group B compared with Group A. The USPIO-enhanced MRI efficiently identifies vulnerable plaques due to accumulation of USPIO within macrophages in abdominal aorta plaques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, 32 Meijian Road, Xuzhou, 221000, Jiangsu, China. qichunmei@medmail.com.cn.
authors.forename: Chun-Mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, 32 Meijian Road, Xuzhou, 221000, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Heng
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Ye
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, 32 Meijian Road, Xuzhou, 221000, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, 32 Meijian Road, Xuzhou, 221000, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Liangrong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Biomolecular Electronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000737:chemistry; D003911:Dextrans / Q000737:chemistry; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C065507:ferumoxides
keywords: Atherosclerosis; MRI; USPIO; Vulnerable plague; p53