Baeten Kurt, Hendriks Jerome Ja, Hellings Niels, Theunissen Evi, Vanderlocht Joris, Ryck Leen De, Gelan Jan, Stinissen Piet, Adriaensens Peter
Hasselt University, Biomedical Research Institute and School of Life Sciences, Transnational University Limburg, Belgium.
J Neuroimmunol. 2008 Mar;195(1-2):1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2007.11.008. Epub 2008 Jan 14.
Macrophages are considered to be the predominant effector cells in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Ultra small particles of iron oxide (USPIO) can be used to detect macrophage infiltrates in the CNS with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we investigated whether the kinetics of lesion formation in EAE can be visualised by altering the time point of USPIO injection and the time interval between particle injection and MRI. When USPIO are systemically injected 24 h before MRI, hypo intense regions are detected in different brain regions depending on the disease stage. These regions correspond to sites of macrophage infiltration. A more complete visualisation of sites of inflammation is accomplished by USPIO injection at disease onset and postponing MRI to top of disease. This study demonstrates that the distribution pattern and amount of inflammatory lesions detected with USPIO, depends on timing of USPIO administration and subsequent MRI. These findings are important for a correct application and interpretation of USPIO dependent contrast imaging of CNS inflammation.
巨噬细胞被认为是多发性硬化症（MS）及其动物模型实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎（EAE）中的主要效应细胞。超小氧化铁颗粒（USPIO）可用于通过磁共振成像（MRI）检测中枢神经系统中的巨噬细胞浸润。在此，我们研究了通过改变USPIO注射时间点以及颗粒注射与MRI之间的时间间隔，是否可以观察到EAE中病变形成的动力学过程。当在MRI前24小时全身注射USPIO时，根据疾病阶段，在不同脑区可检测到低信号区域。这些区域对应于巨噬细胞浸润部位。在疾病发作时注射USPIO并将MRI推迟到疾病高峰期，可以更完整地观察到炎症部位。本研究表明，用USPIO检测到的炎症病变的分布模式和数量取决于USPIO给药时间和随后的MRI时间。这些发现对于正确应用和解释依赖USPIO的中枢神经系统炎症对比成像具有重要意义。
