scholarly journals Minimally invasive method for determining the effective lymphatic pumping pressure in rats using near-infrared imaging

2014 ◽  
Vol 306 (5) ◽  
pp. R281-R290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler S. Nelson ◽  
Ryan E. Akin ◽  
Michael J. Weiler ◽  
Timothy Kassis ◽  
Jeffrey A. Kornuta ◽  
...  

The ability to quantify collecting vessel function in a minimally invasive fashion is crucial to the study of lymphatic physiology and the role of lymphatic pump function in disease progression. Therefore, we developed a highly sensitive, minimally invasive research platform for quantifying the pumping capacity of collecting lymphatic vessels in the rodent tail and forelimb. To achieve this, we have integrated a near-infrared lymphatic imaging system with a feedback-controlled pressure cuff to modulate lymph flow. After occluding lymphatic flow by inflating a pressure cuff on the limb or tail, we gradually deflate the cuff while imaging flow restoration proximal to the cuff. Using prescribed pressure applications and automated image processing of fluorescence intensity levels in the vessels, we were able to noninvasively quantify the effective pumping pressure (Peff, pressure at which flow is restored after occlusion) and vessel emptying rate (rate of fluorescence clearance during flow occlusion) of lymphatics in the rat. To demonstrate the sensitivity of this system to changes in lymphatic function, a nitric oxide (NO) donor cream, glyceryl trinitrate ointment (GTNO), was applied to the tails. GTNO decreased Peff of the vessels by nearly 50% and the average emptying rate by more than 60%. We also demonstrate the suitability of this approach for acquiring measurements on the rat forelimb. Thus, this novel research platform provides the first minimally invasive measurements of Peff and emptying rate in rodents. This experimental platform holds strong potential for future in vivo studies that seek to evaluate changes in lymphatic health and disease.

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 1113-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moritz Stolla ◽  
Lucia Stefanini ◽  
Pierrette André ◽  
Timothy D. Ouellette ◽  
Michael P. Reilly ◽  
...  

AbstractPlatelet activation via Fcγ receptor IIA (FcγRIIA) is a critical event in immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and thrombosis syndromes (ITT). We recently identified signaling by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor CalDAG-GEFI and the adenosine diphosphate receptor P2Y12 as independent pathways leading to Rap1 small GTPase activation and platelet aggregation. Here, we evaluated the contribution of CalDAG-GEFI and P2Y12 signaling to platelet activation in ITT. Mice transgenic for the human FcγRIIA (hFcR) and deficient in CalDAG-GEFI−/− (hFcR/CDGI−/−) were generated. Compared with controls, aggregation of hFcR/CDGI−/− platelets or P2Y12 inhibitor-treated hFcR platelets required more than 5-fold and approximately 2-fold higher concentrations of a FcγRIIA stimulating antibody against CD9, respectively. Aggregation and Rap1 activation were abolished in P2Y12 inhibitor-treated hFcR/CDGI−/− platelets. For in vivo studies, a novel model for antibody-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis was established. FcγRIIA-dependent platelet thrombosis was induced by infusion of Alexa750-labeled antibodies to glycoprotein IX (CD42a), and pulmonary thrombi were detected by near-infrared imaging technology. Anti-GPIX antibodies dose-dependently caused thrombocytopenia and pulmonary thrombosis in hFcR-transgenic but not wild-type mice. CalDAG-GEFI-deficient but not clopidogrel-treated hFcR-transgenic mice were completely protected from ITT. In summary, we established a novel mouse model for ITT, which was used to identify CalDAG-GEFI as a potential new target in the treatment of ITT.


2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 7290.2007.00019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moinuddin Hassan ◽  
Jason Riley ◽  
Victor Chernomordik ◽  
Paul Smith ◽  
Randall Pursley ◽  
...  

In this article, a fluorescence lifetime imaging system for small animals is presented. Data were collected by scanning a region of interest with a measurement head, a linear fiber array with fixed separations between a single source fiber and several detection fibers. The goal was to localize tumors and monitor their progression using specific fluorescent markers. We chose a near-infrared contrast agent, Alexa Fluor 750 (Invitrogen Corp., Carlsbad, CA). Preliminary results show that the fluorescence lifetime for this dye was sensitive to the immediate environment of the fluorophore (in particular, pH), making it a promising candidate for reporting physiologic changes around a fluorophore. To quantify the intrinsic lifetime of deeply embedded fluorophores, we performed phantom experiments to investigate the contribution of photon migration effects on observed lifetime by calculating the fluorescence intensity decay time. A previously proposed theoretical model of migration, based on random walk theory, is also substantiated by new experimental data. The developed experimental system has been used for in vivo mouse imaging with Alexa Fluor 750 contrast agent conjugated to tumor-specific antibodies (trastuzumab [Herceptin]). Three-dimensional mapping of the fluorescence lifetime indicates lower lifetime values in superficial breast cancer tumors in mice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Depeng Wang ◽  
Huijuan Zhang ◽  
Tri Vu ◽  
Ye Zhan ◽  
Akash Malhotra ◽  
...  

AbstractFunctional intestinal imaging holds importance for the diagnosis and evaluation of treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Currently, preclinical imaging of intestinal motility in animal models is performed either invasively with excised intestines or noninvasively under anesthesia, and cannot reveal intestinal dynamics in the awake condition. Capitalizing on near-infrared optics and a high-absorbing contrast agent, we report the Trans-illumination Intestine Projection (TIP) imaging system for free-moving mice. After a complete system evaluation, we performed in vivo studies, and obtained peristalsis and segmentation motor patterns of free-moving mice. We show the in vivo typical segmentation motor pattern, that was previously shown in ex vivo studies to be controlled by intestinal pacemaker cells. We also show the effects of anesthesia on motor patterns, highlighting the possibility to study the role of the extrinsic nervous system in controlling motor patterns, which requires unanesthetized live animals. Combining with light-field technologies, we further demonstrated 3D imaging of intestine in vivo (3D-TIP). Importantly, the added depth information allows us to extract intestines located away from the abdominal wall, and to quantify intestinal motor patterns along different directions. The TIP system should open up avenues for functional imaging of the GI tract in conscious animals in natural physiological states.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Huang ◽  
Yiyi Zhang ◽  
Yanan Li ◽  
Fanling Meng ◽  
Hongyu Li ◽  
...  

AbstractThe highly immunosuppressive microenvironment after surgery has a crucial impact on the recurrence and metastasis in breast cancer patients. Programmable delivery of immunotherapy-involving combinations through a single drug delivery system is highly promising, yet greatly challenging, to reverse postoperative immunosuppression. Here, an injectable hierarchical gel matrix, composed of dual lipid gel (DLG) layers with different soybean phosphatidylcholine/glycerol dioleate mass ratios, was developed to achieve the time-programmed sequential delivery of combined cancer immunotherapy. The outer layer of the DLG matrix was thermally responsive and loaded with sorafenib-adsorbed graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles. GO under manually controlled near-infrared irradiation generated mild heat and provoked the release of sorafenib first to reeducate tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and promote an immunogenic tumor microenvironment. The inner layer, loaded with anti-CD47 antibody (aCD47), could maintain the gel state for a much longer time, enabling the sustained release of aCD47 afterward to block the CD47-signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) pathway for a long-term antitumor effect. In vivo studies on 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model demonstrated that the DLG-based strategy efficiently prevented tumor recurrence and metastasis by locally reversing the immunosuppression and synergistically blocking the CD47-dependent immune escape, thereby boosting the systemic immune responses.


2017 ◽  
Vol T170 ◽  
pp. 014027 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Huber ◽  
D Kinna ◽  
V Huber ◽  
G Arnoux ◽  
I Balboa ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. 199-208
Author(s):  
ZHIQIU LI ◽  
SHUDONG JIANG ◽  
VENKATARAMANAN KRISHNASWAMY ◽  
SCOTT C. DAVIS ◽  
SUBHADRA SRINIVASAN ◽  
...  

A near-infrared (NIR) tomography system with spectrally-encoded sources in two wavelength bands was built to quantify the temporal oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin contrast in breast tissue at a 20 Hz bandwidth. The system was integrated into a 3 T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system through a customized breast coil interface for simultaneous optical and MRI acquisition. In this configuration, the MR images provide breast tissue structural information for NIR spectroscopy of adipose and fibro-glandular tissue in breast. Spectral characterization performance of the NIR system was verified through dynamic phantom experiments. Normal human subjects were imaged with finger pulse oximeter (PO) plethysmogram synchronized to the NIR system to provide a frequency-locked reference. Both the raw data from the NIR system and the recovered absorption coefficients of the breast at two wavelengths showed the same frequency of about 1.3 Hz as the PO output. The frequency lock-in approach provided a practical platform for MR-localized recovery of small pulsatile variations of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin in the breast, which are related to the heartbeat and vascular resistance of the tissue.


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