Specific MR imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma with VEGF-C targeted USPIO probe in a rat model / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the potential value of VEGF-C targeted ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO)molecular probe in specific detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)in a rat model using MRI.Methods The targeted probe was synthesized by conjugating VEGF-C antibody with amino modified USPIO.Cell counting kit-8 assay was conducted to as-certain the probe’s effect on the growth of HepG2 cells.Rat models with HCC were divided into two groups (targeted group with VEGF-C-USPlO and a contrast with USPIO)with 3 rats for each group at random.Pre-and post-contrast enhanced MR imaging with different time points of 0.5,1 and 1.5h was performed with an injection into caudal vein.The signal intensities of the tumor on T2 WI and T2 * WI were measured,and the differences of the signal intensities between pre-and post-enhancements or between both groups were analyzed.The iron particles within the tumors in two groups were confirmed by Prussian blue iron staining.The ex-pression of VEGF-C in HCC was proved by immunohistochemistry.Results The signal intensities of HCC on T2 WI and T2 * WI af-ter VEGF-C-USPI0 injection were decreased obviously with a minimum value at 1 h ,indicating a significant difference (P 0.05).Statistical differences in signal inten-sity on T2 * WI after enhancement between both groups were also showed (P <0.05).Prussian blue staining results showed more iron particles within the tumor tissues in VEGF-C-USPI0 group,whereas less ones in USPIO group.Immunohistochemical results showed that VEGF-C was over expressed in cytoplasm and membrane.Conclusion VEGF-C-USPI0 molecular probes can initiatively target to the liver cancer in rat models with expressed VEGF-C,which may help to achieve the specific MR imaging of HCC,indica-ting a potential of the metastasis.