MR imaging of the atherosclerosis and the expression of tenascin-C and CD68 in ApoE-/- mouse model / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the feasibility of 7.0T MR scanner in mouse aorta atherosclerosis models.Visualising the TN-C in atherosclerotic plaque by immunohistochemistry and its correlation with CD68 to provide experimental basis for the feasibility of TN-C in targeted MRI.Methods ApoE-/- mice and wild type C57 mice were fed on high fat diet to establish aorta atherosclerosis model (n=10),the aorta were observed by MRI after 14 weeks.The aorta specimens were taken to stain with HE to observe the pathological changes.The plaque was stained with oil red O,anti-TNC and TN-C antibody respectively to observe the fat,CD68 and TN-C in plaque.Results 7.0 MRI showed the aortic wall of the experimental group was thicker,high signal on T1 WI and PDWI,and low signal on T2 WI after 14 weeks.The histopathlogic examination showed the intima was obviously thicker,and the lumen was ir-regulary narrow.Both of CD68 and TN-C were highly expressed in plaque,and the distribution of TN-C correlated with CD68.In the control group,no case showed hyper-signal in the vessel wall of aorta or narrow lumen by MRI,and the histopathlogy showed no for-mation of atherosclerotic plaque in the aorta.Conclusion Aorta atherosclerotic plaque can be established through high fat diet on ApoE-/- mouse,and 7.0 MR can successfully detect it.TN-C is high expressed in AS plaque and the expression is correlated with CD68,which may suggest that they may collaborate in the development of AS.Detecting TN-C could be useful for the further study of atherosclerotic plaque.