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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Thromb Haemost 2023; 123(05): 545-554
DOI: 10.1055/a-2005-8784
Atherosclerosis and Ischaemic Disease

Longitudinal In Vivo Monitoring of Atheroprogression in Hypercholesterolemic Mice Using Photoacoustic Imaging

Bartolo Ferraro
1   Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
2   DZHK, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
3   Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Biomedical Center, Ludwig- Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
,
Pierangela Giustetto
4   Fujifilm VisualSonics Consultant, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
5   Section of Physiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
,
Olga Schengel
6   Institute for Experimental Pathology (ExPat), Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
,
Ludwig T. Weckbach
2   DZHK, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
3   Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Biomedical Center, Ludwig- Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
7   Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
8   Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, University Hospital, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
,
Lars Maegdefessel
2   DZHK, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
9   Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
10   Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
,
Oliver Soehnlein
1   Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
2   DZHK, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
6   Institute for Experimental Pathology (ExPat), Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
11   Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (FyFa), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
› Author Affiliations Funding The authors' research is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB914 TP B08, SFB1123 A6 and B5, SFB1009 A13, CRC TRR332 A2 and Z1), the Leducq Foundation, the 448 Else Kröner Fresenius Stiftung, and FUJIFILM VisualSonics, Inc.
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Abstract

Background and Aim The ability to recognize and monitor atherosclerotic lesion development using noninvasive imaging is crucial in preventive cardiology. The aim of the present study was to establish a protocol for longitudinal monitoring of plaque lipid, collagen, and macrophage burden as well as of endothelial permeability.

Methods and Results Photoacoustic signals derived from endogenous or exogenous dyes assessed in vivo, in plaques of albino Apoe −/− mice, correlated with lesion characteristics obtained after histomorphometric and immunofluorescence analyses, thus supporting the validity of our protocol. Using models of atheroprogression and regression, we could apply our imaging protocol to the longitudinal observation of atherosclerotic lesion characteristics in mice.

Conclusions The present study shows an innovative approach to assess arterial inflammation in a non-invasive fashion, applicable to longitudinal analyses of changes of atherosclerotic lesion composition. Such approach could prove important in the preclinical testing of therapeutic interventions in mice carrying pre-established lesions.

Keywords

atherosclerosis - inflammation - photoacoustic imaging

Authors' Contribution

B.F. acquired and analyzed all data and wrote the manuscript; P.G. and O.Sch. contributed to data acquisition; L.T.W. and L.M. provided intellectual input; O.S. conceived and supervised the study, provided funding, and wrote the manuscript.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 08 February 2022

Accepted: 27 October 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
03 January 2023

Article published online:
30 January 2023

© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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