title: Monitoring of macrophage accumulation in statin-treated atherosclerotic mouse model using sodium iodide symporter imaging system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Macrophages play a key role in atherosclerotic plaque formation in atherosclerosis, but its detailed understanding has poorly investigated until now. Thus, we sought to demonstrate a noninvasive technique for macrophage tracking to atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E-/-(ApoE-/-) mice with an imaging system based on sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene coupled with99mTc-single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Macrophage cells (RAW264.7) were stably transduced with retrovirus expressing NIS gene (RAW-NIS). In RAW-NIS cells, uptake of125I was higher than the parental cells. [18F]FDG signals in the aorta at 30weeks on an ApoE-/-mice with high cholesterol diet were higher (1.7±0.12% injected dose (ID)) than those in control group (0.84±0.06% ID). Through99mTc-SPECT/computed tomography (CT), in the RAW-NIS cell injected group, the99mTc-pertechnetate uptake in aorta was higher than control groups. However, according to atorvastatin treatment, RAW-NIS cell recruitment reduced to the aorta. Area of99mTc-pertechnetate uptake was positively correlated with immunostaining results against macrophage antigen (CD68). Cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels of atorvastatin-treated group showed lower than those of atorvastatin-untreated group, but did not reach statistical difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel approach to tracking macrophages to atherosclerotic plaques in vivo can be applied for studies of arterosclerotic vascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ran Ji
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Hwan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Keun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang Il
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Sup
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yang-Kyu
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Moo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Division of RI-Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yjlee@kirams.re.kr.
authors.forename: Yong Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D000072098:Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Computed Tomography; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D027981:Symporters / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D027981:Symporters; D000099209:Sodium-Iodide Symporters
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Atorvastatin treatment; Macrophages; Reporter gene; SPECT imaging