Assessment of Thrombotic Risk in Atrial Fibrillation with Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of P-Selectin

Abstract

Molecular imaging of inflammatory mediators in atria may contribute to thrombotic risk assessment of atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the feasibility of ultrasound molecular imaging (UMI) targeted to P-selectin to assess thrombotic risk in AF. Rat AF models were established with rapid atrial pacing. Microbubbles targeted to P-selectin were injected into the rats, followed by left atrial (LA) UMI examination. Furthermore, P-selectin, platelets (PLTs), fibrin and tissue factor (TF) of LA were detected by histopathology and scanning electron microscopy. Plasma levels of P-selectin, thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The data showed that P-selectin in LA was correlated with PLT, fibrin and TF (r = 0.735, p < 0.05; r = 0.827, p < 0.05; r = 0.785, p < 0.05, respectively). The plasma level of P-selectin was correlated with the expression of TAT and F1 + 2 (r = 0.866, p < 0.05; r = 0.916, p < 0.05, respectively). The contrast video intensity of adhered microbubbles targeted to P-selectin was correlated with the levels of P-selectin, PLT and fibrin in LA (r = 0.768, p < 0.05; r = 0.798, p < 0.05; r = 0.745, p < 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, P-selectin may serve as a biomarker for thrombotic risk in AF and can be quantified by UMI to assess thrombotic risk.

Keywords

P-selectin - ultrasound molecular imaging - atrial fibrillation - thrombotic risk

Financial Support

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 81571698, 81227801 and 81271640), National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (no. 2013CB733804), and the Team Program of Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (S2011030003134).

Authors' Contributions

Yuanwen Jing and Yinlan Hu wrote the article, performed the experiments and analysed the data; Hairui Li, Xiaoyun Si and Hao Zheng performed the experiments and analysed the data, Junfen Wang and Jian Liu wrote the article; Wangjun Liao, Yulin Liao designed the research; Jianping Bin designed the research and wrote the article.

^* These authors contributed equally to this work.

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