Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled Probe

Mona Ahmed,1,2 Tetyana Tegnebratt,3,4 Thuy A Tran,3,4 Li Lu,3,4 Peter Damberg,3 Anton Gisterå,5 Laura Tarnawski,5 Dianna Bone,1,6 Ulf Hedin,1,7 Per Eriksson,5 Staffan Holmin,3,8 Björn Gustafsson,1,* Kenneth Caidahl1,6,9,10,* 1Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center fo...

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Main Authors: Ahmed M, Tegnebratt T, Tran TA, Lu L, Damberg P, Gisterå A, Tarnawski L, Bone D, Hedin U, Eriksson P, Holmin S, Gustafsson B, Caidahl K
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-08-01
Series:International Journal of Nanomedicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/molecular-imaging-of-inflammation-in-a-mouse-model-of-atherosclerosis--peer-reviewed-article-IJN
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author Ahmed M
Tegnebratt T
Tran TA
Lu L
Damberg P
Gisterå A
Tarnawski L
Bone D
Hedin U
Eriksson P
Holmin S
Gustafsson B
Caidahl K
author_facet Ahmed M
Tegnebratt T
Tran TA
Lu L
Damberg P
Gisterå A
Tarnawski L
Bone D
Hedin U
Eriksson P
Holmin S
Gustafsson B
Caidahl K
author_sort Ahmed M
collection DOAJ
description Mona Ahmed,1,2 Tetyana Tegnebratt,3,4 Thuy A Tran,3,4 Li Lu,3,4 Peter Damberg,3 Anton Gisterå,5 Laura Tarnawski,5 Dianna Bone,1,6 Ulf Hedin,1,7 Per Eriksson,5 Staffan Holmin,3,8 Björn Gustafsson,1,* Kenneth Caidahl1,6,9,10,* 1Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 2Department of Cardiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 3Department of Clinical Neuroscience, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 4Department of Radiopharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 5Department of Medicine Solna, Center for Molecular Medicine, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 6Department of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 7Department of Vascular Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 8Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 9Department of Clinical Physiology, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, SE 41345, Sweden; 10Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE 41345, Sweden*These authors contributed equally to this work.Correspondence: Mona Ahmed Email mona.ahmed@ki.seBackground: Beyond clinical atherosclerosis imaging of vessel stenosis and plaque morphology, early detection of inflamed atherosclerotic lesions by molecular imaging could improve risk assessment and clinical management in high-risk patients. To identify inflamed atherosclerotic lesions by molecular imaging in vivo, we studied the specificity of our radiotracer based on maleylated (Mal) human serum albumin (HSA), which targets key features of unstable atherosclerotic lesions.Materials and Methods: Mal-HSA was radiolabeled with a positron-emitting metal ion, zirconium-89 (89Zr4+). The targeting potential of this probe was compared with unspecific 89Zr-HSA and 18F-FDG in an experimental model of atherosclerosis (Apoe–/– mice, n=22), and compared with wild-type (WT) mice (C57BL/6J, n=21) as controls.Results: PET/MRI, gamma counter measurements, and autoradiography showed the accumulation of 89Zr-Mal-HSA in the atherosclerotic lesions of Apoe–/– mice. The maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) for 89Zr-Mal-HSA at 16 and 20 weeks were 26% and 20% higher (P< 0.05) in Apoe–/– mice than in control WT mice, whereas no difference in SUVmax was observed for 18F-FDG in the same animals. 89Zr-Mal-HSA uptake in the aorta, as evaluated by a gamma counter 48 h postinjection, was 32% higher (P< 0.01) for Apoe–/– mice than in WT mice, and the aorta-to-blood ratio was 8-fold higher (P< 0.001) for 89Zr-Mal-HSA compared with unspecific 89Zr-HSA. HSA-based probes were mainly distributed to the liver, spleen, kidneys, bone, and lymph nodes. The phosphor imaging autoradiography (PI-ARG) results corroborated the PET and gamma counter measurements, showing higher accumulation of 89Zr-Mal-HSA in the aortas of Apoe–/– mice than in WT mice (9.4± 1.4 vs 0.8± 0.3%; P< 0.001).Conclusion: 89Zr radiolabeling of Mal-HSA probes resulted in detectable activity in atherosclerotic lesions in aortas of Apoe–/– mice, as demonstrated by quantitative in vivo PET/MRI. 89Zr-Mal-HSA appears to be a promising diagnostic tool for the early identification of macrophage-rich areas of inflammation in atherosclerosis.Keywords: positron emission tomography, molecular imaging, zirconium, human serum albumin, atherosclerosis, macrophages
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spelling doaj.art-3e3accf9e3d04b2bae489f420832c56d2022-12-21T19:27:13ZengDove Medical PressInternational Journal of Nanomedicine1178-20132020-08-01Volume 156137615256250Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled ProbeAhmed MTegnebratt TTran TALu LDamberg PGisterå ATarnawski LBone DHedin UEriksson PHolmin SGustafsson BCaidahl KMona Ahmed,1,2 Tetyana Tegnebratt,3,4 Thuy A Tran,3,4 Li Lu,3,4 Peter Damberg,3 Anton Gisterå,5 Laura Tarnawski,5 Dianna Bone,1,6 Ulf Hedin,1,7 Per Eriksson,5 Staffan Holmin,3,8 Björn Gustafsson,1,* Kenneth Caidahl1,6,9,10,* 1Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Center for Molecular Medicine, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 2Department of Cardiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 3Department of Clinical Neuroscience, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 4Department of Radiopharmacy, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 5Department of Medicine Solna, Center for Molecular Medicine, BioClinicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 6Department of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 7Department of Vascular Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 8Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE 17176, Sweden; 9Department of Clinical Physiology, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, SE 41345, Sweden; 10Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE 41345, Sweden*These authors contributed equally to this work.Correspondence: Mona Ahmed Email mona.ahmed@ki.seBackground: Beyond clinical atherosclerosis imaging of vessel stenosis and plaque morphology, early detection of inflamed atherosclerotic lesions by molecular imaging could improve risk assessment and clinical management in high-risk patients. To identify inflamed atherosclerotic lesions by molecular imaging in vivo, we studied the specificity of our radiotracer based on maleylated (Mal) human serum albumin (HSA), which targets key features of unstable atherosclerotic lesions.Materials and Methods: Mal-HSA was radiolabeled with a positron-emitting metal ion, zirconium-89 (89Zr4+). The targeting potential of this probe was compared with unspecific 89Zr-HSA and 18F-FDG in an experimental model of atherosclerosis (Apoe–/– mice, n=22), and compared with wild-type (WT) mice (C57BL/6J, n=21) as controls.Results: PET/MRI, gamma counter measurements, and autoradiography showed the accumulation of 89Zr-Mal-HSA in the atherosclerotic lesions of Apoe–/– mice. The maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) for 89Zr-Mal-HSA at 16 and 20 weeks were 26% and 20% higher (P< 0.05) in Apoe–/– mice than in control WT mice, whereas no difference in SUVmax was observed for 18F-FDG in the same animals. 89Zr-Mal-HSA uptake in the aorta, as evaluated by a gamma counter 48 h postinjection, was 32% higher (P< 0.01) for Apoe–/– mice than in WT mice, and the aorta-to-blood ratio was 8-fold higher (P< 0.001) for 89Zr-Mal-HSA compared with unspecific 89Zr-HSA. HSA-based probes were mainly distributed to the liver, spleen, kidneys, bone, and lymph nodes. The phosphor imaging autoradiography (PI-ARG) results corroborated the PET and gamma counter measurements, showing higher accumulation of 89Zr-Mal-HSA in the aortas of Apoe–/– mice than in WT mice (9.4± 1.4 vs 0.8± 0.3%; P< 0.001).Conclusion: 89Zr radiolabeling of Mal-HSA probes resulted in detectable activity in atherosclerotic lesions in aortas of Apoe–/– mice, as demonstrated by quantitative in vivo PET/MRI. 89Zr-Mal-HSA appears to be a promising diagnostic tool for the early identification of macrophage-rich areas of inflammation in atherosclerosis.Keywords: positron emission tomography, molecular imaging, zirconium, human serum albumin, atherosclerosis, macrophageshttps://www.dovepress.com/molecular-imaging-of-inflammation-in-a-mouse-model-of-atherosclerosis--peer-reviewed-article-IJNpositron emission tomographymolecular imagingzirconiumhuman serum albuminatherosclerosismacrophages
spellingShingle Ahmed M
Tegnebratt T
Tran TA
Lu L
Damberg P
Gisterå A
Tarnawski L
Bone D
Hedin U
Eriksson P
Holmin S
Gustafsson B
Caidahl K
Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled Probe
International Journal of Nanomedicine
positron emission tomography
molecular imaging
zirconium
human serum albumin
atherosclerosis
macrophages
title Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled Probe
title_full Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled Probe
title_fullStr Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled Probe
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled Probe
title_short Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis Using a Zirconium-89-Labeled Probe
title_sort molecular imaging of inflammation in a mouse model of atherosclerosis using a zirconium 89 labeled probe
topic positron emission tomography
molecular imaging
zirconium
human serum albumin
atherosclerosis
macrophages
url https://www.dovepress.com/molecular-imaging-of-inflammation-in-a-mouse-model-of-atherosclerosis--peer-reviewed-article-IJN
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