title: Multi-Functional OCT Enables Longitudinal Study of Retinal Changes in a VLDLR Knockout Mouse Model.
abstract: We present a multi-functional optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging approach to study retinal changes in the very-low-density-lipoprotein-receptor (VLDLR) knockout mouse model with a threefold contrast. In the retinas of VLDLR knockout mice spontaneous retinal-chorodoidal neovascularizations form, having an appearance similar to choroidal and retinal neovascularizations (CNV and RNV) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). For this longitudinal study, the mice were imaged every 4 to 6 weeks starting with an age of 4 weeks and following up to the age of 11 months. Significant retinal changes were identified by the multi-functional imaging approach offering a threefold contrast: reflectivity, polarization sensitivity (PS) and motion contrast based OCT angiography (OCTA). By use of this intrinsic contrast, the long-term development of neovascularizations was studied and associated processes, such as the migration of melanin pigments or retinal-choroidal anastomosis, were assessed in vivo. Furthermore, the in vivo imaging results were validated with histological sections at the endpoint of the experiment. Multi-functional OCT proves as a powerful tool for longitudinal retinal studies in preclinical research of ophthalmic diseases. Intrinsic contrast offered by the functional extensions of OCT might help to describe regulative processes in genetic animal models and potentially deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of retinal diseases such as wet AMD.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1019-0907
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Augustin
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Stanislava
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fialová
authors.affiliation: Core Facility for Research and Technology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himmel
authors.affiliation: Core Facility for Research and Technology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glösmann
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Theresia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lengheimer
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Danielle J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: Division of Biomedical Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Plasenzotti
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pircher
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Hitzenberger
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baumann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D012160:Retina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
chemical_list: D011973:Receptors, LDL; C036053:VLDL receptor