Figure 1

ATCA can detect inflammatory plaque in vivo. ApoE−/− mice (23 wks; n=5/grp) were injected i.v. (100 μg/100 μl) with ATCA (top and middle) or non-targeted control (bottom) and images acquired at the indicated times. Bar = 1.0 mm. Arrows indicate contrast agent binding to the plaque. A. Representative images from two (ATCA) or one (control) different mice injected with ATCA. B, C. Quantification of signal enhancement of ATCA. In B, the brightest voxels (approximately >10 spots/section) in the aorta wall from 5 separate animals were measured excluding artifact. The ratio of the Signal Intensity (SI) of the brightest voxel in the aorta wall to the SI of the (non-affected) myocardium for each time point was calculated. In C, the ratio of SI of the whole region lining the aorta wall to the SI of the (non-affected) myocardium was measured and the average signal intensity was recorded for 5 separate slices from each time-point. The SI-enhanced/SI-myo ratio from each time point to its pre scan SI-enhanced/SI-myo ratio were normalized (prescan values = 1). Data is expressed as mean of 5 CMR slices ± SD (n = 5; animals/grp; * indicates significance (p<0.05). D. Plaque lesions express macrophages and CD36 receptors. Aortas were stained with H&E (left), rat anti-mouse CD36 (middle), rat anti-mouse CD68 (bottom) or non-specific rat IgG (nsIgG). Peroxidase-conjugated anti-rat Abs were added and developed using AEC. The brown staining represents CD36- or CD68-positive cells located in the plaque lesions. Results are representative of at least three separate aortas.