Miao Xiaoyu, Ma Rui, Li Jiayi, You Wenran, He Kaini, Meng Fan, He Fengbing, Li Zicong, Chen Xi, Lin Hui, Zhang Jian, Wang Xinhong
Department of Oral Mucosal Diseases, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Oral Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research of Oral Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2024 Jul 1;14(7):4333-4347. doi: 10.21037/qims-24-123. Epub 2024 Jun 4.
Dynamic surveillance of vasculature is essential for evaluating the healing of oral ulcer. Existing techniques used in vascular imaging face limitations, such as inadequate spatial resolution, restricted diagnostic depth, and the necessity of exogenous contrast agents. Therefore, this study aimed to use robust photoacoustic imaging (PAI) for the dynamic monitoring of vascular response during healing and the associated treatment process of oral ulcer.
Kunming mice (male, 8 weeks old, 31-41 g) were treated with 50% acetic acid for 90 s on the tongue mucosa for induction of oral traumatic ulcer. Mice were randomly divided into three groups (n=12): the control, compound chamomile and lidocaine hydrochloride gel (CCLH), and phycocyanin (PC) groups. PAI was then conducted on days 0, 2, 3, 5, and 7 to obtain vessel parameters of the ulcer area, including vessel intensity, density, mean diameter, maximum diameter, and curvature. Immunohistochemical and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining were performed on days 3 and 7 to assess microvessel density and inflammation score. The ulcer healing rate and body weight changes were evaluated for clinical observation.
Beginning on the second day after ulcer induction, there was a progressive increase over time in blood intensity and vessel parameters, including vascular density and diameter. On day 7, the CCLH and PC groups demonstrated significantly higher measures than did the control group in terms of blood intensity (P<0.05 and P<0.01), vascular density (both P values <0.05), mean diameter (both P values <0.01), and maximum diameter (P<0.01 and P<0.05). Vessel curvature in the two treatment groups exhibited no significant differences compared to that in the control group (both P values >0.05). The effects of vascular morphological changes were further supported by the histological and clinical outcomes. On day 7, compared to that of the control group, the level of microvessel density was significantly higher in both the CCLH (P<0.01) and PC (P<0.05) groups. The histopathological score in PC group was significantly lower than that of the control group on day 7 (P<0.05). Additionally, compared to that of the control group, the healing rates of the CCLH (P<0.01) and PC groups (P<0.05) were superior on day 7. On day 3, the control group showed more weight loss than did the CCLH (P<0.05) and PC (P<0.01) groups.
These findings indicate that PAI is a valuable strategy for the dynamic and quantitative analysis of vascular alterations in oral traumatic ulcers and support its prospective application in improving clinical treatment.
动态监测脉管系统对于评估口腔溃疡的愈合至关重要。现有的血管成像技术存在局限性，如空间分辨率不足、诊断深度受限以及需要外源性造影剂。因此，本研究旨在运用强大的光声成像（PAI）对口腔溃疡愈合及相关治疗过程中的血管反应进行动态监测。
将昆明小鼠（雄性，8周龄，体重31 - 41克）舌黏膜用50%乙酸处理90秒以诱导口腔创伤性溃疡。小鼠随机分为三组（n = 12）：对照组、复方洋甘菊利多卡因凝胶（CCLH）组和藻蓝蛋白（PC）组。然后在第0、2、3、5和7天进行PAI，以获取溃疡区域的血管参数，包括血管强度、密度、平均直径、最大直径和曲率。在第3天和第7天进行免疫组织化学和苏木精-伊红（HE）染色，以评估微血管密度和炎症评分。评估溃疡愈合率和体重变化以进行临床观察。
从溃疡诱导后的第二天开始，血液强度以及包括血管密度和直径在内的血管参数随时间逐渐增加。在第7天，CCLH组和PC组在血液强度（P < 0.05和P < 0.01）、血管密度（P值均< 0.05）、平均直径（P值均< 0.01）和最大直径（P < 0.01和P < 0.05）方面的测量值显著高于对照组。与对照组相比，两个治疗组的血管曲率无显著差异（P值均> 0.05）。组织学和临床结果进一步支持了血管形态变化的影响。在第7天，与对照组相比，CCLH组（P < 0.01）和PC组（P < 0.05）的微血管密度水平显著更高。在第7天，PC组的组织病理学评分显著低于对照组（P < 0.05）。此外，与对照组相比，CCLH组（P < 0.01）和PC组在第7天的愈合率更高（P < 0.05）。在第3天，对照组的体重减轻比CCLH组（P < 0.05）和PC组（P < 0.01）更多。
这些发现表明，PAI是对口腔创伤性溃疡血管改变进行动态和定量分析的有价值策略，并支持其在改善临床治疗中的前瞻性应用。
