MRI of the transplanted endothelial progenitor cells for prevent atherosclerotic plaque formation / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging system to depict and track in vivo of magnetically labeled endothelial progenitor cells(EPCs),and to study the possibility for preventing the atherosclerotic plaque formation in New Zealand rabbit model of carotid arterial injury after transplantation.Methods New Zealand rabbit EPCs were isolated,confirmed,expanded and then incubated with home synthesized Fe_2O_3-PLL,Prussian blue stain was performed for showing intracellular irons.The model of carotid arterial injury was performed by 2.5F balloons,the group A of 8 rabbits received magnetically labeled EPCs,group B of 3 rabbits received fluorescent-labeled EPCs and the group C of 5 rabbits were given same volume saline injection after endothelial injury of the carotid artery.MR imaging and histology were performed and compared 4 days later for randomly chosen three rabbit,each from one of the three group;all the other rabbits were fed with high lipid diet and examed using MR imaging and histology after 15 weeks.Results Epcs labeling efficiency was more than 95% by Prussian blue stain, 4 days after transplantation of EPCs,only in group A,the injured endothelium of carotid artery had signal intensity loss in T_2 * WI,which were correlated well with the area where the most Prussian blue staining positive cells were found in histopathology analyses.The rabbits of group A and B which received EPCs transplantation exhibited fewer plaques formation than those of the group C(P