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Llontop P, Lopez-Fernandez D, Clavo B, Afonso Martín JL, Fiuza-Pérez MD, García Arranz M, Calatayud J, Molins López-Rodó L, Alshehri K, Ayub A, Raad W, Bhora F, Santana-Rodríguez N. Airway transplantation of adipose stem cells protects against bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. J Investig Med 2017; 66:739-746. [PMID: 29167193 DOI: 10.1136/jim-2017-000494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial lung disease with poor prognosis. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) have demonstrated regenerative properties in several tissues. The hypothesis of this study was that airway transplantation of ADSC could protect against bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Fifty-eight lungs from 29 male Sprague-Dawley rats were analyzed. Animals were randomly divided into five groups: a) control (n=3); b) sham (n=6); c) BLM (n=6); d) BLM+ADSC-2d (n=6); and e) BLM+ADSC-14d (n=8). Animals received 500 µL saline (sham), 2.5 UI/kg BLM in 500 µL saline (BLM), and 2×106 ADSC in 100 µL saline intratracheally at 2 (BLM+ADSC-2d) and 14 days (BLM+ADSC-14d) after BLM. Animals were sacrificed at 28 days. Blinded Ashcroft score was used to determine pulmonary fibrosis extent on histology. Hsp27, Vegf, Nfkβ, IL-1, IL-6, Col4, and Tgfβ1 mRNA gene expression were determined using real-time quantitative-PCR. Ashcroft index was: control=0; sham=0.37±0.07; BLM=6.55±0.34 vs sham (P=0.006). BLM vs BLM+ADSC-2d=4.63±0.38 (P=0.005) and BLM+ADSC-14d=3.77±0.46 (P=0.005). BLM vs sham significantly increased Hsp27 (P=0.018), Nfkβ (P=0.009), Col4 (P=0.004), Tgfβ1 (P=0.006) and decreased IL-1 (P=0.006). BLM+ADSC-2d vs BLM significantly decreased Hsp27 (P=0.009) and increased Vegf (P=0.006), Nfkβ (P=0.009). BLM+ADSC-14d vs BLM significantly decreased Hsp27 (P=0.028), IL-6 (P=0.013), Col4 (P=0.002), and increased Nfkβ (P=0.040) and Tgfβ1 (P=0.002). Airway transplantation of ADSC significantly decreased the fibrosis rate in both early and established pulmonary fibrosis, modulating the expression of Hsp27, Vegfa, Nfkβ, IL-6, Col4, and Tgfβ1. From a translational perspective, this technique could become a new adjuvant treatment for patients with IPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Llontop
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS)-BioPharm Group, Universidadde Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.,Experimental Surgery Group, Research Unit, Hospital Dr Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.,Experimental Surgery and Medicine Unit, Hospital General Gregorio Marañon. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Lopez-Fernandez
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS)-BioPharm Group, Universidadde Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.,Experimental Surgery Group, Research Unit, Hospital Dr Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Bernardino Clavo
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS)-BioPharm Group, Universidadde Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.,Experimental Surgery Group, Research Unit, Hospital Dr Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Afonso Martín
- Pathology Service, Complejo Hospitalario Materno Infantil, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - María D Fiuza-Pérez
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS)-BioPharm Group, Universidadde Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.,Experimental Surgery Group, Research Unit, Hospital Dr Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Mariano García Arranz
- Department of Surgery, Laboratorio de Nuevas Tecnologías, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joaquín Calatayud
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Khalid Alshehri
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, USA
| | - Adil Ayub
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, USA
| | - Wissam Raad
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, USA
| | - Faiz Bhora
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, USA
| | - Norberto Santana-Rodríguez
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS)-BioPharm Group, Universidadde Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, USA.,Section of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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52
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Ford NL, McCaig L, Jeklin A, Lewis JF, Veldhuizen RAW, Holdsworth DW, Drangova M. A respiratory-gated micro-CT comparison of respiratory patterns in free-breathing and mechanically ventilated rats. Physiol Rep 2017; 5:5/2/e13074. [PMID: 28100723 PMCID: PMC5269405 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aim to quantify the differences in lung metrics measured in free-breathing and mechanically ventilated rodents using respiratory-gated micro-computed tomography. Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with ketamine/xylazine and scanned with a retrospective respiratory gating protocol on a GE Locus Ultra micro-CT scanner. Each animal was scanned while free-breathing, then intubated and mechanically ventilated (MV) and rescanned with a standard ventilation protocol (56 bpm, 8 mL/kg and PEEP of 5 cm H2O) and again with a ventilation protocol that approximates the free-breathing parameters (88 bpm, 2.14 mL/kg and PEEP of 2.5 cm H2O). Images were reconstructed representing inspiration and end expiration with 0.15 mm voxel spacing. Image-based measurements of the lung lengths, airway diameters, lung volume, and air content were compared and used to calculate the functional residual capacity (FRC) and tidal volume. Images acquired during MV appeared darker in the airspaces and the airways appeared larger. Image-based measurements showed an increase in lung volume and air content during standard MV, for both respiratory phases, compared with matched MV and free-breathing. Comparisons of the functional metrics showed an increase in FRC for mechanically ventilated rats, but only the standard MV exhibited a significantly higher tidal volume than free-breathing or matched MV Although standard mechanical ventilation protocols may be useful in promoting consistent respiratory patterns, the amount of air in the lungs is higher than in free-breathing animals. Matching the respiratory patterns with the free-breathing case allowed similar lung morphology and physiology measurements while reducing the variability in the measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy L Ford
- Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada .,Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lynda McCaig
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Jeklin
- Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - James F Lewis
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruud A W Veldhuizen
- Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David W Holdsworth
- Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Medical Imaging, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria Drangova
- Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Medical Imaging, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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53
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Jayawardena UA, Angunawela P, Wickramasinghe DD, Ratnasooriya WD, Udagama PV. Heavy metal-induced toxicity in the Indian green frog: Biochemical and histopathological alterations. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2017; 36:2855-2867. [PMID: 28474750 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal contamination may have adverse effects on wetland biota, particularly on amphibians. Severe immunotoxic effects elicited in Euphlyctis hexadactylus (Indian green frog) because of metal exposure (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in the Bellanwila-Attidiya Sanctuary, a polluted urban wetland in Sri Lanka, provided the rationale for the present study. We evaluated the biochemical and histopathological effects of this metal contamination with a reference E. hexadactylus population and a laboratory exposure group that was subjected to 28 d of exposure to a mixture of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn (5 ppm in each mixture). A histopathological scoring for the semiquantification of tissue damage was established. Results of the biochemical and histopathological markers were remarkably consistent between the 2 exposure scenarios, providing validation for the heavy metal exposure hypothesis. Damage to liver, kidney, lung, and skin of metal-exposed E. hexadactylus quantified multiple impairments absent in the reference frogs. Liver injuries complemented significantly elevated aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), and alkaline phosphatases in frog liver homogenate, indicating hepatocellular leakage and loss of functional and structural integrity of the hepatocyte membrane in both field- and laboratory-exposed frogs. Significant elevation of Kupffer cell hypertrophy, pigmentation, inflammatory cell infiltrates and hepatic inflammation, extramedullary hematopoiesis, karyocytomegaly of hepatocytes (p < 0.05) of the liver, and degeneration of epithelia and necrosis of the lung, manifested as impairments in both metal exposure scenarios. Significantly reduced serum total protein and albumin and significantly elevated urea and creatinine in metal-exposed frogs were indicative of hepatic and renal dysfunction, respectively. The present study affirms histopathology-related biochemical alterations as potential biomarkers for heavy metal toxicity in amphibians. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2855-2867. © 2017 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Preethika Angunawela
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | | | | | - Preethi Vidya Udagama
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
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54
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Jenkins RG, Moore BB, Chambers RC, Eickelberg O, Königshoff M, Kolb M, Laurent GJ, Nanthakumar CB, Olman MA, Pardo A, Selman M, Sheppard D, Sime PJ, Tager AM, Tatler AL, Thannickal VJ, White ES. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report: Use of Animal Models for the Preclinical Assessment of Potential Therapies for Pulmonary Fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2017; 56:667-679. [PMID: 28459387 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2017-0096st] [Citation(s) in RCA: 240] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous compounds have shown efficacy in limiting development of pulmonary fibrosis using animal models, yet few of these compounds have replicated these beneficial effects in clinical trials. Given the challenges associated with performing clinical trials in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), it is imperative that preclinical data packages be robust in their analyses and interpretations to have the best chance of selecting promising drug candidates to advance to clinical trials. The American Thoracic Society has convened a group of experts in lung fibrosis to discuss and formalize recommendations for preclinical assessment of antifibrotic compounds. The panel considered three major themes (choice of animal, practical considerations of fibrosis modeling, and fibrotic endpoints for evaluation). Recognizing the need for practical considerations, we have taken a pragmatic approach. The consensus view is that use of the murine intratracheal bleomycin model in animals of both genders, using hydroxyproline measurements for collagen accumulation along with histologic assessments, is the best-characterized animal model available for preclinical testing. Testing of antifibrotic compounds in this model is recommended to occur after the acute inflammatory phase has subsided (generally after Day 7). Robust analyses may also include confirmatory studies in human IPF specimens and validation of results in a second system using in vivo or in vitro approaches. The panel also strongly encourages the publication of negative results to inform the lung fibrosis community. These recommendations are for preclinical therapeutic evaluation only and are not intended to dissuade development of emerging technologies to better understand IPF pathogenesis.
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55
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Devos FC, Maaske A, Robichaud A, Pollaris L, Seys S, Lopez CA, Verbeken E, Tenbusch M, Lories R, Nemery B, Hoet PH, Vanoirbeek JA. Forced expiration measurements in mouse models of obstructive and restrictive lung diseases. Respir Res 2017. [PMID: 28629359 PMCID: PMC5477381 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-017-0610-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pulmonary function measurements are important when studying respiratory disease models. Both resistance and compliance have been used to assess lung function in mice. Yet, it is not always clear how these parameters relate to forced expiration (FE)-related parameters, most commonly used in humans. We aimed to characterize FE measurements in four well-established mouse models of lung diseases. Method Detailed respiratory mechanics and FE measurements were assessed concurrently in Balb/c mice, using the forced oscillation and negative pressure-driven forced expiration techniques, respectively. Measurements were performed at baseline and following increasing methacholine challenges in control Balb/c mice as well as in four disease models: bleomycin-induced fibrosis, elastase-induced emphysema, LPS-induced acute lung injury and house dust mite-induced asthma. Results Respiratory mechanics parameters (airway resistance, tissue damping and tissue elastance) confirmed disease-specific phenotypes either at baseline or following methacholine challenge. Similarly, lung function defects could be detected in each disease model by at least one FE-related parameter (FEV0.1, FEF0.1, FVC, FEV0.1/FVC ratio and PEF) at baseline or during the methacholine provocation assay. Conclusions FE-derived outcomes in four mouse disease models behaved similarly to changes found in human spirometry. Routine combined lung function assessments could increase the translational utility of mouse models. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12931-017-0610-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fien C Devos
- Center for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - André Maaske
- Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Lore Pollaris
- Center for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sven Seys
- Clinical Immunology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Erik Verbeken
- Translational Cell and Tissue Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthias Tenbusch
- Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany.,Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Rik Lories
- Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benoit Nemery
- Center for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Hm Hoet
- Center for Environment and Health, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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56
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Hutchinson JC, Shelmerdine SC, Simcock IC, Sebire NJ, Arthurs OJ. Early clinical applications for imaging at microscopic detail: microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT). Br J Radiol 2017; 90:20170113. [PMID: 28368658 DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20170113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfocus CT (micro-CT) has traditionally been used in industry and preclinical studies, although it may find new applicability in the routine clinical setting. It can provide high-resolution three-dimensional digital imaging data sets to the same level of detail as microscopic examination without the need for tissue dissection. Micro-CT is already enabling non-invasive detailed internal assessment of various tissue specimens, particularly in breast imaging and early gestational fetal autopsy, not previously possible from more conventional modalities such as MRI or CT. In this review, we discuss the technical aspects behind micro-CT image acquisition, how early work with small animal studies have informed our knowledge of human disease and the imaging performed so far on human tissue specimens. We conclude with potential future clinical applications of this novel and emerging technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Ciaran Hutchinson
- 1 Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,2 UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Susan C Shelmerdine
- 2 UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,3 Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Ian C Simcock
- 2 UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,3 Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Neil J Sebire
- 1 Department of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,2 UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Owen J Arthurs
- 2 UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.,3 Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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57
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Chang HW, Lin ZM, Wu MJ, Wang LY, Chow YH, Jiang SS, Ch’ang HJ, Chang VHS. Characterization of a transgenic mouse model exhibiting spontaneous lung adenocarcinomas with a metastatic phenotype. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175586. [PMID: 28419107 PMCID: PMC5395147 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing lung cancer in mouse models that display similarities of both phenotype and genotype will undoubtedly provide further and better insights into lung tumor biology. Moreover, a high degree of pathophysiological similarity between lung tumors from mouse models and their human counterparts will make it possible to use these mouse models for preclinical tests. Ovine pulmonary adenocarcinomas (OPAs) present the same symptoms as adenocarcinomas in humans and are caused by a betaretrovirus. OPAs have served as an exquisite model of carcinogenesis for human lung adenocarcinomas. In this study, we characterized the histopathology and transcriptome profiles of a jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV)-envelope protein (Env) transgenic mouse model with spontaneous lung tumors, and associations of the transcriptome profiles with tumor invasion/metastasis, especially the phenomenon of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Genetic information obtained from an expression array was analyzed using an ingenuity pathways analysis (IPA) and human disease database (MalaCards). By careful examination, several novel EMT-related genes were identified from tumor cells using RT-qPCR, and these genes also scored high in MalaCards. We concluded that the JSRV-Env mouse model could serve as a spontaneous lung adenocarcinoma model with a metastatic phenotype, which will benefit the study of early-onset and progression of lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, it can also be a valuable tool for biomarkers and drug screening, which will be helpful in developing intervention therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsuen-Wen Chang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Office of Research and Development, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Zih-Miao Lin
- The PhD Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Min-Ju Wu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Office of Research and Development, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Yu Wang
- The PhD Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Hung Chow
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli County, Taiwan
| | - Shih Sheng Jiang
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli County, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Ju Ch’ang
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli County, Taiwan
| | - Vincent HS Chang
- The PhD Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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58
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Ruscitti F, Ravanetti F, Essers J, Ridwan Y, Belenkov S, Vos W, Ferreira F, KleinJan A, van Heijningen P, Van Holsbeke C, Cacchioli A, Villetti G, Stellari FF. Longitudinal assessment of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis by Micro-CT correlates with histological evaluation in mice. Multidiscip Respir Med 2017; 12:8. [PMID: 28400960 PMCID: PMC5387277 DOI: 10.1186/s40248-017-0089-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The intratracheal instillation of bleomycin in mice induces early damage to alveolar epithelial cells and development of inflammation followed by fibrotic tissue changes and represents the most widely used model of pulmonary fibrosis to investigate human IPF. Histopathology is the gold standard for assessing lung fibrosis in rodents, however it precludes repeated and longitudinal measurements of disease progression and does not provide information on spatial and temporal distribution of tissue damage. Here we investigated the use of the Micro-CT technique to allow the evaluation of disease onset and progression at different time-points in the mouse bleomycin model of lung fibrosis. Micro-CT was throughout coupled with histological analysis for the validation of the imaging results. Methods In bleomycin-instilled and control mice, airways and lung morphology changes were assessed and reconstructed at baseline, 7, 14 and 21 days post-treatment based on Micro-CT images. Ashcroft score, percentage of collagen content and percentage of alveolar air area were detected on lung slides processed by histology and subsequently compared with Micro-CT parameters. Results Extent (%) of fibrosis measured by Micro-CT correlated with Ashcroft score, the percentage of collagen content and the percentage of alveolar air area (r2 = 0.91; 0.77; 0.94, respectively). Distal airway radius also correlated with the Ashcroft score, the collagen content and alveolar air area percentage (r2 = 0.89; 0.78; 0.98, respectively). Conclusions Micro-CT data were in good agreement with histological read-outs as micro-CT was able to quantify effectively and non-invasively disease progression longitudinally and to reduce the variability and number of animals used to assess the damage. This suggests that this technique is a powerful tool for understanding experimental pulmonary fibrosis and that its use could translate into a more efficient drug discovery process, also helping to fill the gap between preclinical setting and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesca Ravanetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Medico Veterinarie, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Jeroen Essers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Vascular Surgery, and Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yanto Ridwan
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Vascular Surgery, and Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Wim Vos
- Fluidda NV, Kontich, Belgium
| | | | - Alex KleinJan
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paula van Heijningen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Vascular Surgery, and Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Antonio Cacchioli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Medico Veterinarie, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Franco Fabio Stellari
- Chiesi S.p.A., Pre-Clinical R & D, Parma, Italy.,Chiesi Farmaceutici, Pharmacology & Toxicology Department Corporate Pre-Clinical R & D, Largo Belloli, 11/A, Parma, 43122 Italy
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59
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Gilhodes JC, Julé Y, Kreuz S, Stierstorfer B, Stiller D, Wollin L. Quantification of Pulmonary Fibrosis in a Bleomycin Mouse Model Using Automated Histological Image Analysis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170561. [PMID: 28107543 PMCID: PMC5249201 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Current literature on pulmonary fibrosis induced in animal models highlights the need of an accurate, reliable and reproducible histological quantitative analysis. One of the major limits of histological scoring concerns the fact that it is observer-dependent and consequently subject to variability, which may preclude comparative studies between different laboratories. To achieve a reliable and observer-independent quantification of lung fibrosis we developed an automated software histological image analysis performed from digital image of entire lung sections. This automated analysis was compared to standard evaluation methods with regard to its validation as an end-point measure of fibrosis. Lung fibrosis was induced in mice by intratracheal administration of bleomycin (BLM) at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 mg/kg. A detailed characterization of BLM-induced fibrosis was performed 14 days after BLM administration using lung function testing, micro-computed tomography and Ashcroft scoring analysis. Quantification of fibrosis by automated analysis was assessed based on pulmonary tissue density measured from thousands of micro-tiles processed from digital images of entire lung sections. Prior to analysis, large bronchi and vessels were manually excluded from the original images. Measurement of fibrosis has been expressed by two indexes: the mean pulmonary tissue density and the high pulmonary tissue density frequency. We showed that tissue density indexes gave access to a very accurate and reliable quantification of morphological changes induced by BLM even for the lowest concentration used (0.25 mg/kg). A reconstructed 2D-image of the entire lung section at high resolution (3.6 μm/pixel) has been performed from tissue density values allowing the visualization of their distribution throughout fibrotic and non-fibrotic regions. A significant correlation (p<0.0001) was found between automated analysis and the above standard evaluation methods. This correlation establishes automated analysis as a novel end-point measure of BLM-induced lung fibrosis in mice, which will be very valuable for future preclinical drug explorations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sebastian Kreuz
- Immunology and Respiratory, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Birgit Stierstorfer
- Immunology and Respiratory, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Detlef Stiller
- Immunology and Respiratory, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
| | - Lutz Wollin
- Immunology and Respiratory, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany
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Longitudinal microcomputed tomography-derived biomarkers for lung metastasis detection in a syngeneic mouse model: added value to bioluminescence imaging. J Transl Med 2017; 97:24-33. [PMID: 27869796 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2016.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
With more patients dying from metastasis than from primary cancers, metastasis is a very important area in cancer research. Investigators thereby heavily rely on animal models of metastasis to common organs such as the lung to improve our insight into the pathogenesis and to research novel therapeutic approaches to combat metastasis. In this experimental context, novel tools that allow longitudinal monitoring of lung metastasis in individual animals are highly needed. We have therefore evaluated for the first time microcomputed tomography (μCT) as a very efficient and crossvalidated means to noninvasively and repeatedly monitor metastasis to the lung in individual, free-breathing syngeneic mice. Two individual clones of KLN205 cancer cells were intravenously injected in syngeneic DBA/2 mice and lung metastasis was monitored weekly during 3 weeks using μCT, and was compared with the current gold standard histology and bioluminescence imaging (BLI). μCT enabled us to visualize diffuse tumor morphology and also to extract four different biomarkers that quantify not only tumor load but also aerated space in the lung as a marker of vital lung capacity and potential compensatory mechanisms. Complementary to BLI, applying this novel μCT-based approach enabled us to unravel sensitively and efficiently differences in metastatic potential between two cellular clones. In conclusion, μCT and BLI offer biomarkers that describe different and complementary aspects of lung metastasis, underlining the importance of multimodality follow-up. The added value of μCT findings is important to better assess lung metastasis and host/lung response in preclinical studies, which will be valuable for translational applications.
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Yang J, Wang T, Li Y, Yao W, Ji X, Wu Q, Han L, Han R, Yan W, Yuan J, Ni C. Earthworm extract attenuates silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis through Nrf2-dependent mechanisms. J Transl Med 2016; 96:1279-1300. [PMID: 27775689 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2016.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Silicosis is an occupational pulmonary fibrosis caused by inhalation of silica (SiO2) and there are no ideal drugs to treat this disease. Earthworm extract (EE), a natural nutrient, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptosis effects. The purpose of the current study was to test the protective effects of EE against SiO2-induced pulmonary fibrosis and to explore the underlying mechanisms using both in vivo and in vitro models. We found that treatment with EE significantly reduced lung inflammation and fibrosis and improved lung structure and function in SiO2-instilled mice. Further mechanistic investigations revealed that EE administration markedly inhibited SiO2-induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HBE and A549 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Nrf2 activation partly mediates the interventional effects of EE against SiO2-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Our study has identified EE to be a potential anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic drug for silicosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjin Yang
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenxi Yao
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoming Ji
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiuyun Wu
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Han
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruhui Han
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiwen Yan
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiali Yuan
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chunhui Ni
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health and Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Tam A, Bates JHT, Churg A, Wright JL, Man SFP, Sin DD. Sex-Related Differences in Pulmonary Function following 6 Months of Cigarette Exposure: Implications for Sexual Dimorphism in Mild COPD. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0164835. [PMID: 27788167 PMCID: PMC5082824 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Female smokers have increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with male smokers who have a similar history of cigarette smoke exposure. We have shown previously that chronic smoke exposure for 6 months leads to increased airway wall remodeling in female C57BL/6 mice compared with male C57BL/6 mice. These differences, however, were not evident in female ovariectomized mice exposed to cigarette smoke. Herein, we report on the pulmonary function test results from the flexiVent system, which was used to determine the potential functional consequences of the histologic changes observed in these mice. We found that tissue damping (G) was increased in female compared to male or ovariectomized female mice after smoke exposure. At low oscillating frequencies, complex input resistance (Zrs) and impedance (Xrs) of the respiratory system was increased and decreased, respectively, in female but not in male or ovariectomized female mice after smoke exposure. Quasistatic pressure-volume curves revealed a reduction in inspiratory capacity in female mice but not in male or ovariectomized female mice after smoke exposure. The remaining lung function measurements including quasistatic compliance were similar amongst all groups. This is the first study characterizing a sexual dimorphism in respiratory functional properties in a mouse model of COPD. These findings demonstrate that increased airway remodeling in female mice following chronic smoke exposure is associated with increased tissue resistance in the peripheral airways. These data may explain the importance of female sex hormones and the increased risk of airway disease in female smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Tam
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (St. Paul's Hospital), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jason H. T. Bates
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Andrew Churg
- Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Joanne L. Wright
- Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - S. F. Paul Man
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (St. Paul's Hospital), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Don D. Sin
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (St. Paul's Hospital), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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63
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Longitudinal, in vivo assessment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in mice by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. J Transl Med 2016; 96:692-704. [PMID: 27019389 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2016.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive aspergillosis is an emerging threat to public health due to the increasing use of immune suppressive drugs and the emergence of resistance against antifungal drugs. To deal with this threat, research on experimental disease models provides insight into the pathogenesis of infections caused by susceptible and resistant Aspergillus strains and by assessing their response to antifungal drugs. However, standard techniques used to evaluate infection in a preclinical setting are severely limited by their invasive character, thereby precluding evaluation of disease extent and therapy effects in the same animal. To enable non-invasive, longitudinal monitoring of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in mice, we optimized computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for daily follow-up of neutropenic BALB/c mice intranasally infected with A. fumigatus spores. Based on the images, lung parameters (signal intensity, lung tissue volume and total lung volume) were quantified to obtain objective information on disease onset, progression and extent for each animal individually. Fungal lung lesions present in infected animals were successfully visualized and quantified by both CT and MRI. By using an advanced MR pulse sequence with ultrashort echo times, pathological changes within the infected lung became visually and quantitatively detectable at earlier disease stages, thereby providing valuable information on disease onset and progression with high sensitivity. In conclusion, these non-invasive imaging techniques prove to be valuable tools for the longitudinal evaluation of dynamic disease-related changes and differences in disease severity in individual animals that might be readily applied for rapid and cost-efficient drug screening in preclinical models in vivo.
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64
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Zhang Y, Li X, Grailer JJ, Wang N, Wang M, Yao J, Zhong R, Gao GF, Ward PA, Tan DX, Li X. Melatonin alleviates acute lung injury through inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome. J Pineal Res 2016; 60:405-14. [PMID: 26888116 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are clinically severe respiratory disorders, and there are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved drug therapies. Melatonin is a well-known anti-inflammatory molecule, which has proven to be effective in ALI induced by many conditions. Emerging studies suggest that the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role during ALI. How melatonin directly blocks activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in ALI remains unclear. In this study, using an LPS-induced ALI mouse model, we found intratracheal (i.t.) administration of melatonin markedly reduced the pulmonary injury and decreased the infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils into lung. During ALI, the NLRP3 inflammasome is significantly activated with a large amount of IL-1β and the activated caspase-1 occurring in the lung. Melatonin inhibits the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by both suppressing the release of extracellular histones and directly blocking histone-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Notably, i.t. route of melatonin administration opens a more efficient therapeutic approach for treating ALI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of the Agro-Biotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiru Li
- Department of General Surgery, The 301th Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Jamison J Grailer
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Na Wang
- State Key Laboratory of the Agro-Biotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of the Agro-Biotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianfei Yao
- State Key Laboratory of the Agro-Biotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of the Agro-Biotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - George F Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Peter A Ward
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dun-Xian Tan
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Xiangdong Li
- State Key Laboratory of the Agro-Biotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Jones MG, Fabre A, Schneider P, Cinetto F, Sgalla G, Mavrogordato M, Jogai S, Alzetani A, Marshall BG, O'Reilly KMA, Warner JA, Lackie PM, Davies DE, Hansell DM, Nicholson AG, Sinclair I, Brown KK, Richeldi L. Three-dimensional characterization of fibroblast foci in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. JCI Insight 2016; 1. [PMID: 27275013 PMCID: PMC4889020 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.86375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the fibroblast focus is a key histological feature representing active fibroproliferation. On standard 2D pathologic examination, fibroblast foci are considered small, distinct lesions, although they have been proposed to form a highly interconnected reticulum as the leading edge of a “wave” of fibrosis. Here, we characterized fibroblast focus morphology and interrelationships in 3D using an integrated micro-CT and histological methodology. In 3D, fibroblast foci were morphologically complex structures, with large variations in shape and volume (range, 1.3 × 104 to 9.9 × 107 μm3). Within each tissue sample numerous multiform foci were present, ranging from a minimum of 0.9 per mm3 of lung tissue to a maximum of 11.1 per mm3 of lung tissue. Each focus was an independent structure, and no interconnections were observed. Together, our data indicate that in 3D fibroblast foci form a constellation of heterogeneous structures with large variations in shape and volume, suggesting previously unrecognized plasticity. No evidence of interconnectivity was identified, consistent with the concept that foci represent discrete sites of lung injury and repair. Integrated histological and microCT analyses reveal that 3D fibroblast foci are discrete structures with marked variations in shape and volume, suggesting previously unrecognized plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G Jones
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Aurélie Fabre
- Department of Histopathology, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Philipp Schneider
- μ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Cinetto
- Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Padua University, Padua, Italy
| | - Giacomo Sgalla
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Mavrogordato
- μ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sanjay Jogai
- Department of Cellular Pathology, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Aiman Alzetani
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ben G Marshall
- National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine M A O'Reilly
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jane A Warner
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Peter M Lackie
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Donna E Davies
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - David M Hansell
- Department of Radiology, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew G Nicholson
- Department of Histopathology, Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Sinclair
- μ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin K Brown
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Luca Richeldi
- Academic Unit of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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66
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Russo FM, Toelen J, Eastwood MP, Jimenez J, Miyague AH, Vande Velde G, DeKoninck P, Himmelreich U, Vergani P, Allegaert K, Deprest J. Transplacental sildenafil rescues lung abnormalities in the rabbit model of diaphragmatic hernia. Thorax 2016; 71:517-25. [PMID: 26987998 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2015-207949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (DH) would benefit from an antenatal medical therapy, which addresses both lung hypoplasia and persistent pulmonary hypertension. We aimed at evaluating the pulmonary effects of sildenafil in the fetal rabbit model for DH. METHODS We performed a dose-finding study to achieve therapeutic fetal plasmatic concentrations without toxicity following maternal sildenafil administration. Subsequently, DH fetuses were randomly exposed to transplacental placebo or sildenafil 10 mg/kg/day from gestational day 24 until examination at term (day 30). Efficacy measures were ipsilateral pulmonary vascular and airway morphometry, micro-CT-based branching analysis, Doppler flow in the main pulmonary artery and postnatal lung mechanics. RESULTS Fetal sildenafil plasmatic concentration was above the minimal therapeutic level for at least 22 h/day without maternal and fetal side effects. The placebo-exposed DH fetuses had increased wall thickness in peripheral pulmonary vessels and significantly less fifth-order vessels compared with controls (CTR). Sildenafil-exposed DH fetuses, instead, had a medial and adventitial thickness in peripheral pulmonary vessels in the normal range and normal vascular branching. Fetal pulmonary artery Doppler showed a reduction of pulmonary vascular resistances both in DH and in CTR fetuses treated by sildenafil compared with the placebo-treated ones. Sildenafil also reversed the mean terminal bronchiolar density to normal and improved lung mechanics, yet without measurable impact on lung-to-bodyweight ratio. CONCLUSIONS In the rabbit model for DH, antenatal sildenafil rescues vascular branching and architecture, reduces pulmonary vascular resistances and also improves airway morphometry and respiratory mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca M Russo
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jaan Toelen
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - M Patrice Eastwood
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julio Jimenez
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinica Alemana, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andre Hadyme Miyague
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip DeKoninck
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrizia Vergani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Karel Allegaert
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Department of Neonatalogy, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Deprest
- Cluster Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
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Kim SW, Lim JY, Rhee CK, Kim JH, Park CK, Kim TJ, Cho CS, Min CK, Yoon HK. Effect of roflumilast, novel phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, on lung chronic graft-versus-host disease in mice. Exp Hematol 2016; 44:332-341.e4. [PMID: 26898707 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (CGVHD) is a serious complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Roflumilast has anti-inflammatory effects and has been used in the treatment of inflammatory airway diseases. It is at present unclear whether roflumilast may have a therapeutic role in CGVHD. To test this, we used the B10.D2 → BALB/c model of CGVHD to address the therapeutic effect of roflumilast on the development of CGVHD. Lungs of animals treated with roflumilast exhibited less chronic inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis in the peribronchial and perivascular area versus allogeneic controls. To define the mechanism, we examined the expression of pro-inflammatory and profibrotic cytokines in the lung. Messenger RNA expression of interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β in the lungs was significantly reduced in recipients treated with roflumilast. Similar changes were observed in profibrotic cytokines and chemokines. In addition, the percentage of Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs), which have the potential to attenuate GVHD, increased significantly within the CD4(+) T cells with roflumilast in the lungs. In conclusion, roflumilast treatment attenuated murine lung CGVHD by blocking T-cell activation mediated by Tregs and downregulating pro-inflammatory and profibrotic cytokines, resulting in the reduction of lung inflammation and fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sei Won Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Young Lim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chin Kook Rhee
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hye Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Kwon Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Jung Kim
- Department of Hospital Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul Soo Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Ki Min
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoung Kyu Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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68
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Yatomi M, Hisada T, Ishizuka T, Koga Y, Ono A, Kamide Y, Seki K, Aoki-Saito H, Tsurumaki H, Sunaga N, Kaira K, Dobashi K, Yamada M, Okajima F. 17(R)-resolvin D1 ameliorates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Physiol Rep 2015; 3:3/12/e12628. [PMID: 26660549 PMCID: PMC4760456 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.12628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a destructive inflammatory disease with limited therapeutic options. Inflammation plays an integral role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Unresolved inflammatory responses can lead to substantial tissue injury, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis. The resolvins are a family of endogenous ω‐3 fatty acid derived‐lipid mediators of inflammation resolution. Resolvin D1 (RvD1) displays potent anti‐inflammatory, pro‐resolving activity, without causing immunosuppression. Its epimer, 17(R)‐resolvin D1 (17(R)‐RvD1), exhibits equivalent functionality to RvD1. In addition, 17(R)‐RvD1 is resistant to rapid inactivation by eicosanoid oxidoreductases. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that 17(R)‐RvD1 can provide a therapeutic benefit in IPF by reducing inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis, while leaving the normal immune response intact. Mice were exposed to bleomycin (BLM) via micro‐osmotic pump to induce pulmonary fibrosis, and were then treated with 17(R)‐RvD1 or vehicle by intraperitoneal injection. Administration of 17(R)‐RvD1 from the start of BLM treatment attenuated neutrophil alveolar infiltration, lung collagen content, and Interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and type I collagen mRNA expression, along with subsequent reduction in histologically detectable fibrosis. The 17(R)‐RvD1‐induced infiltration of inflammatory cells was inhibited by an antagonist of lipoxin A4 receptor/formyl peptide receptor 2 (ALX/FPR2). The administration of 17(R)‐RvD1 at the later fibrotic stage also improved the lung failure. These results suggest that 17(R)‐RvD1 attenuates pulmonary fibrosis by promoting the resolution of neutrophilic inflammation and also provides pulmonary restoration. These data highlight the therapeutic potential of 17(R)‐RvD1 in the management of this intractable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masakiyo Yatomi
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hisada
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Ishizuka
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Yoshida-gun Fukui, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Koga
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Akihiro Ono
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kamide
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Kaori Seki
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Haruka Aoki-Saito
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tsurumaki
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Noriaki Sunaga
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Kyoichi Kaira
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Kunio Dobashi
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Masanobu Yamada
- Department of Medicine and Molecular Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Fumikazu Okajima
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan
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69
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Marenzana M, Vande Velde G. Refine, reduce, replace: Imaging of fibrosis and arthritis in animal models. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2015; 29:715-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.berh.2016.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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70
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Yaroshenko A, Hellbach K, Yildirim AÖ, Conlon TM, Fernandez IE, Bech M, Velroyen A, Meinel FG, Auweter S, Reiser M, Eickelberg O, Pfeiffer F. Improved In vivo Assessment of Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice using X-Ray Dark-Field Radiography. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17492. [PMID: 26619958 PMCID: PMC4664921 DOI: 10.1038/srep17492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive lung disease with a median life expectancy of 4–5 years after initial diagnosis. Early diagnosis and accurate monitoring of IPF are limited by a lack of sensitive imaging techniques that are able to visualize early fibrotic changes at the epithelial-mesenchymal interface. Here, we report a new x-ray imaging approach that directly visualizes the air-tissue interfaces in mice in vivo. This imaging method is based on the detection of small-angle x-ray scattering that occurs at the air-tissue interfaces in the lung. Small-angle scattering is detected with a Talbot-Lau interferometer, which provides the so-called x-ray dark-field signal. Using this imaging modality, we demonstrate-for the first time-the quantification of early pathogenic changes and their correlation with histological changes, as assessed by stereological morphometry. The presented radiography method is significantly more sensitive in detecting morphological changes compared with conventional x-ray imaging, and exhibits a significantly lower radiation dose than conventional x-ray CT. As a result of the improved imaging sensitivity, this new imaging modality could be used in future to reduce the number of animals required for pulmonary research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Yaroshenko
- Lehrstuhl für Biomedizinische Physik, Physik-Department &Institut für Medizintechnik, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Katharina Hellbach
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich
| | - Ali Önder Yildirim
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Thomas M Conlon
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Isis Enlil Fernandez
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Bech
- Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Astrid Velroyen
- Lehrstuhl für Biomedizinische Physik, Physik-Department &Institut für Medizintechnik, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
| | - Felix G Meinel
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich
| | - Sigrid Auweter
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich
| | - Maximilian Reiser
- Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich
| | - Oliver Eickelberg
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute for Experimental Pneumology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Munich
| | - Franz Pfeiffer
- Lehrstuhl für Biomedizinische Physik, Physik-Department &Institut für Medizintechnik, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
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71
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Vande Velde G, Poelmans J, De Langhe E, Hillen A, Vanoirbeek J, Himmelreich U, Lories RJ. Longitudinal micro-CT provides biomarkers of lung disease that can be used to assess the effect of therapy in preclinical mouse models, and reveal compensatory changes in lung volume. Dis Model Mech 2015; 9:91-8. [PMID: 26563390 PMCID: PMC4728330 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.020321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 11/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In vivo lung micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is being increasingly embraced in pulmonary research because it provides longitudinal information on dynamic disease processes in a field in which ex vivo assessment of experimental disease models is still the gold standard. To optimize the quantitative monitoring of progression and therapy of lung diseases, we evaluated longitudinal changes in four different micro-CT-derived biomarkers [aerated lung volume, lung tissue (including lesions) volume, total lung volume and mean lung density], describing normal development, lung infections, inflammation, fibrosis and therapy. Free-breathing mice underwent micro-CT before and repeatedly after induction of lung disease (bleomycin-induced fibrosis, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, pulmonary cryptococcosis) and therapy (imatinib). The four lung biomarkers were quantified. After the last time point, we performed pulmonary function tests and isolated the lungs for histology. None of the biomarkers remained stable during longitudinal follow-up of adult healthy mouse lungs, implying that biomarkers should be compared with age-matched controls upon intervention. Early inflammation and progressive fibrosis led to a substantial increase in total lung volume, which affects the interpretation of aerated lung volume, tissue volume and mean lung density measures. Upon treatment of fibrotic lung disease, the improvement in aerated lung volume and function was not accompanied by a normalization of the increased total lung volume. Significantly enlarged lungs were also present in models of rapidly and slowly progressing lung infections. The data suggest that total lung volume changes could partly reflect a compensatory mechanism that occurs during disease progression in mice. Our findings underscore the importance of quantifying total lung volume in addition to aerated lung or lesion volumes to accurately document growth and potential compensatory mechanisms in mouse models of lung disease, in order to fully describe and understand dynamic processes during lung disease onset, progression and therapy. This is highly relevant for the translation of therapy evaluation results from preclinical studies to human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greetje Vande Velde
- Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Jennifer Poelmans
- Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Ellen De Langhe
- Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Amy Hillen
- Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Vanoirbeek
- Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Rik J Lories
- Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
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72
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Ashton JR, West JL, Badea CT. In vivo small animal micro-CT using nanoparticle contrast agents. Front Pharmacol 2015; 6:256. [PMID: 26581654 PMCID: PMC4631946 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Computed tomography (CT) is one of the most valuable modalities for in vivo imaging because it is fast, high-resolution, cost-effective, and non-invasive. Moreover, CT is heavily used not only in the clinic (for both diagnostics and treatment planning) but also in preclinical research as micro-CT. Although CT is inherently effective for lung and bone imaging, soft tissue imaging requires the use of contrast agents. For small animal micro-CT, nanoparticle contrast agents are used in order to avoid rapid renal clearance. A variety of nanoparticles have been used for micro-CT imaging, but the majority of research has focused on the use of iodine-containing nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles. Both nanoparticle types can act as highly effective blood pool contrast agents or can be targeted using a wide variety of targeting mechanisms. CT imaging can be further enhanced by adding spectral capabilities to separate multiple co-injected nanoparticles in vivo. Spectral CT, using both energy-integrating and energy-resolving detectors, has been used with multiple contrast agents to enable functional and molecular imaging. This review focuses on new developments for in vivo small animal micro-CT using novel nanoparticle probes applied in preclinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Ashton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC, USA ; Department of Radiology, Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC, USA
| | - Jennifer L West
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC, USA
| | - Cristian T Badea
- Department of Radiology, Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Duke University Medical Center, Durham NC, USA
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73
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Zhou Y, Chen H, Ambalavanan N, Liu G, Antony VB, Ding Q, Nath H, Eary JF, Thannickal VJ. Noninvasive imaging of experimental lung fibrosis. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2015; 53:8-13. [PMID: 25679265 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2015-0032tr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Small animal models of lung fibrosis are essential for unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying human fibrotic lung diseases; additionally, they are useful for preclinical testing of candidate antifibrotic agents. The current end-point measures of experimental lung fibrosis involve labor-intensive histological and biochemical analyses. These measures fail to account for dynamic changes in the disease process in individual animals and are limited by the need for large numbers of animals for longitudinal studies. The emergence of noninvasive imaging technologies provides exciting opportunities to image lung fibrosis in live animals as often as needed and to longitudinally track the efficacy of novel antifibrotic compounds. Data obtained by noninvasive imaging provide complementary information to histological and biochemical measurements. In addition, the use of noninvasive imaging in animal studies reduces animal usage, thus satisfying animal welfare concerns. In this article, we review these new imaging modalities with the potential for evaluation of lung fibrosis in small animal models. Such techniques include micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and multimodal imaging systems including PET/CT and SPECT/CT. It is anticipated that noninvasive imaging will be increasingly used in animal models of fibrosis to gain insights into disease pathogenesis and as preclinical tools to assess drug efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhou
- 1 Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and
| | - Huaping Chen
- 1 Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and
| | | | - Gang Liu
- 1 Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and
| | - Veena B Antony
- 1 Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and
| | - Qiang Ding
- 1 Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and
| | - Hrudaya Nath
- 3 Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Janet F Eary
- 3 Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Victor J Thannickal
- 1 Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and
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74
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Giacomini G, Miranda JRA, Pavan ALM, Duarte SB, Ribeiro SM, Pereira PCM, Alves AFF, de Oliveira M, Pina DR. Quantification of Pulmonary Inflammatory Processes Using Chest Radiography: Tuberculosis as the Motivating Application. Medicine (Baltimore) 2015; 94:e1044. [PMID: 26131814 PMCID: PMC4504622 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000001044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to develop a quantitative method for evaluating the pulmonary inflammatory process (PIP) through the computational analysis of chest radiography exams in posteroanterior (PA) and lateral views. The quantification procedure was applied to patients with tuberculosis (TB) as the motivating application.A study of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) examinations of patients with TB was developed to establish a relation between the inflammatory process and the signal difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR) measured in the PA projection. A phantom essay was used to validate this relation, which was implemented using an algorithm that is able to estimate the volume of the inflammatory region based solely on SDNR values in the chest radiographs of patients.The PIP volumes that were quantified for 30 patients with TB were used for comparisons with direct HRCT analysis for the same patient. The Bland-Altman statistical analyses showed no significant differences between the 2 quantification methods. The linear regression line had a correlation coefficient of R = 0.97 and P < 0.001, showing a strong association between the volume that was determined by our evaluation method and the results obtained by direct HRCT scan analysis.Since the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with TB is commonly performed using X-rays exams, the method developed herein can be considered an adequate tool for quantifying the PIP with a lower patient radiation dose and lower institutional cost. Although we used patients with TB for the application of the method, this method may be used for other pulmonary diseases characterized by a PIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Giacomini
- From Departamento de Física e Biofísica, Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu-IBB, UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista, Botucatu/SP, Brazil (GG, JRM, ALMP, AFFA, MDO); Departamento de Doenças Tropicais e Diagnóstico por Imagem, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista, Botucatu/SP, Brazil (SMR, PCMP, DRP); and Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas-CBPF/MCT, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil (SBD)
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Magnetic resonance imaging for noninvasive assessment of lung fibrosis onset and progression: cross-validation and comparison of different magnetic resonance imaging protocols with micro-computed tomography and histology in the bleomycin-induced mouse model. Invest Radiol 2015; 49:691-8. [PMID: 24872004 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000000071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bleomycin instillation is frequently used to model lung fibrosis, although the onset and severity of pathology varies highly between mice. This makes non-invasive fibrosis detection and quantification essential to obtain a comprehensive analysis of the disease course and to validate novel therapies. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lung disease progression and therapy may provide such a sensitive in vivo readout of lung fibrosis, bypassing radiotoxicity concerns (when using micro-CT [μCT]) and elaborate invasive end point measurements (histology). We aimed to optimize and evaluate 3 different lung MRI contrast and acquisition methods to visualize disease onset and progression in the bleomycin-induced mouse model of lung fibrosis using a small-animal MRI scanner. For validation, we compared the MRI results with established μCT and histological measures of lung fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Free-breathing bleomycin-instilled and control mice were scanned in vivo with respiration-triggered conventional, ultrashort echo time and self-gated MRI pulse sequences (9.4 T) and μCT at baseline and weekly at days 7, 14, 21, and 28 after bleomycin instillation. After the last imaging time point, the mice were killed and the lungs were isolated for criterion standard histological analysis of lung fibrosis and quantification of lung collagen content for validation of the imaging results. The agreement between quantitative MRI and μCT data and standard measurements was analyzed by linear regression. RESULTS All 3 MRI protocols were able to visualize and quantify lung pathology onset and progression in individual bleomycin-instilled mice. In vivo MRI results were in excellent agreement with in vivo μCT and criterion standard histological measures of lung fibrosis. Ultrashort echo time MRI appeared particularly useful for detecting early disease; self-gated MRI, for improved breathing motion handling. DISCUSSION Magnetic resonance imaging sensitively visualizes and quantifies lung fibrosis in vivo, which makes it a noninvasive, translatable, safe, and potentially more versatile alternative to invasive methods or μCT, thereby stimulating pathogenesis and preclinical research.
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76
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Vande Velde G, De Langhe E, Poelmans J, Bruyndonckx P, d'Agostino E, Verbeken E, Bogaerts R, Lories R, Himmelreich U. Longitudinal in vivo microcomputed tomography of mouse lungs: No evidence for radiotoxicity. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2015; 309:L271-9. [PMID: 26024893 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00098.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Before microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) can be exploited to its full potential for longitudinal monitoring of transgenic and experimental mouse models of lung diseases, radiotoxic side effects such as inflammation or fibrosis must be considered. We evaluated dose and potential radiotoxicity to the lungs for long-term respiratory-gated high-resolution micro-CT protocols. Free-breathing C57Bl/6 mice underwent four different retrospectively respiratory gated micro-CT imaging schedules of repeated scans during 5 or 12 wk, followed by ex vivo micro-CT and detailed histological and biochemical assessment of lung damage. Radiation exposure, dose, and absorbed dose were determined by ionization chamber, thermoluminescent dosimeter measurements and Monte Carlo calculations. Despite the relatively large radiation dose delivered per micro-CT acquisition, mice did not show any signs of radiation-induced lung damage or fibrosis when scanned weekly during 5 and up to 12 wk. Doubling the scanning frequency and once tripling the radiation dose as to mimic the instant repetition of a failed scan also stayed without detectable toxicity after 5 wk of scanning. Histological analyses confirmed the absence of radiotoxic damage to the lungs, thereby demonstrating that long-term monitoring of mouse lungs using high-resolution micro-CT is safe. This opens perspectives for longitudinal monitoring of (transgenic) mouse models of lung diseases and therapeutic response on an individual basis with high spatial and temporal resolution, without concerns for radiation toxicity that could potentially influence the readout of micro-CT-derived lung biomarkers. This work further supports the introduction of micro-CT for routine use in the preclinical pulmonary research field where postmortem histological approaches are still the gold standard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greetje Vande Velde
- Biomedical MRI Unit/MoSAIC, Department Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ellen De Langhe
- Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Jennifer Poelmans
- Biomedical MRI Unit/MoSAIC, Department Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Emiliano d'Agostino
- SB Dosimetry and Calibration, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Erik Verbeken
- Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; and
| | - Ria Bogaerts
- Laboratory of Experimental Radiotherapy, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Lories
- Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Flanders, Belgium;
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI Unit/MoSAIC, Department Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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77
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Dubsky S, Fouras A. Imaging regional lung function: a critical tool for developing inhaled antimicrobial therapies. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2015; 85:100-9. [PMID: 25819486 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2015.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2014] [Revised: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in regional lung function due to respiratory infection have a significant effect on the deposition of inhaled treatments. This has consequences for treatment effectiveness and hence recovery of lung function. In order to advance our understanding of respiratory infection and inhaled treatment delivery, we must develop imaging techniques that can provide regional functional measurements of the lung. In this review, we explore the role of functional imaging for the assessment of respiratory infection and development of inhaled treatments. We describe established and emerging functional lung imaging methods. The effect of infection on lung function is described, and the link between regional disease, function, and inhaled treatments is discussed. The potential for lung function imaging to provide unique insights into the functional consequences of infection, and its treatment, is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Dubsky
- Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
| | - Andreas Fouras
- Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
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78
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Perilli E, Cantley M, Marino V, Crotti TN, Smith MD, Haynes DR, Dharmapatni AASSK. Quantifying not only bone loss, but also soft tissue swelling, in a murine inflammatory arthritis model using micro-computed tomography. Scand J Immunol 2015; 81:142-50. [PMID: 25424522 PMCID: PMC4329396 DOI: 10.1111/sji.12259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In rodent models of inflammatory arthritis, bone erosion has been non-invasively assessed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). However, non-invasive assessments of paw swelling (oedema) are still based on clinical grading by visual evaluation, or measurements by callipers, not always reliable for the tiny mouse paws. The aim of this work was to demonstrate a novel straightforward 3D micro-CT analysis protocol capable of quantifying not only joint bone erosion, but also soft tissue swelling, from the same scans, in a rodent inflammatory arthritis model. Balb/c mice were divided into two groups: collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) and CAIA treated with prednisolone, the latter reflecting an established treatment in human rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical paw scores were recorded. On day 10, front paws were assessed by micro-CT and histology. Micro-CT measurements included paw volume (bone and soft tissue together) and bone volume at the radiocarpal joint, and bone volume from the radiocarpal to the metacarpophalangeal joint. Micro-CT analysis revealed significantly lower paw volume (−36%, P < 0.01) and higher bone volume (+17%, P < 0.05) in prednisolone-treated CAIA mice compared with untreated CAIA mice. Paw volume and bone volume assessed by micro-CT correlated significantly with clinical and histological scores (|r| > 0.5, P < 0.01). Untreated CAIA mice showed significantly higher clinical scores, higher inflammation levels histologically, cartilage and bone degradation, and pannus formation, compared with treated mice (P < 0.01). The presented novel micro-CT analysis protocol enables 3D-quantification of paw swelling at the micrometre level, along with the typically assessed bone erosion, using the same images/scans, without altering the scanning procedure or using contrast agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Perilli
- Medical Device Research Institute, School of Computer Science, Engineering & Mathematics, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
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79
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Holm AT, Wulf-Johansson H, Hvidsten S, Jorgensen PT, Schlosser A, Pilecki B, Ormhøj M, Moeller JB, Johannsen C, Baun C, Andersen T, Schneider JP, Hegermann J, Ochs M, Götz AA, Schulz H, de Angelis MH, Vestbo J, Holmskov U, Sorensen GL. Characterization of spontaneous air space enlargement in mice lacking microfibrillar-associated protein 4. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2015; 308:L1114-24. [PMID: 26033354 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00351.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) is localized to elastic fibers in blood vessels and the interalveolar septa of the lungs and is further present in bronchoalveolar lavage. Mfap4 has been previously suggested to be involved in elastogenesis in the lung. We tested this prediction and aimed to characterize the pulmonary function changes and emphysematous changes that occur in Mfap4-deficient (Mfap4(-/-)) mice. Significant changes included increases in total lung capacity and compliance, which were evident in Mfap4(-/-) mice at 6 and 8 mo but not at 3 mo of age. Using in vivo breath-hold gated microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) in 8-mo-old Mfap4(-/-) mice, we found that the mean density of the lung parenchyma was decreased, and the low-attenuation area (LAA) was significantly increased by 14% compared with Mfap4(+/+) mice. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) did not reveal differences in the organization of elastic fibers, and there was no difference in elastin content, but a borderline significant increase in elastin mRNA expression in 3-mo-old mice. Stereological analysis showed that alveolar surface density in relation to the lung parenchyma and total alveolar surface area inside of the lung were both significantly decreased in Mfap4(-/-) mice by 25 and 15%, respectively. The data did not support an essential role of MFAP4 in pulmonary elastic fiber organization or content but indicated increased turnover in young Mfap4(-/-) mice. However, Mfap4(-/-) mice developed a spontaneous loss of lung function, which was evident at 6 mo of age, and moderate air space enlargement, with emphysema-like changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Trommelholt Holm
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Helle Wulf-Johansson
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Svend Hvidsten
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Patricia Troest Jorgensen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Anders Schlosser
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Bartosz Pilecki
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Maria Ormhøj
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jesper Bonnet Moeller
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Claus Johannsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Christina Baun
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Thomas Andersen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Jan Philipp Schneider
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany; and REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan Hegermann
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany; and REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthias Ochs
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany; and REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexander A Götz
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Holger Schulz
- Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; and Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany; Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Hrabě de Angelis
- German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Chair of Experimental Genetics, Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; and
| | - Jørgen Vestbo
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Uffe Holmskov
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Grith Lykke Sorensen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark;
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Sasaki M, Chubachi S, Kameyama N, Sato M, Haraguchi M, Miyazaki M, Takahashi S, Betsuyaku T. Evaluation of cigarette smoke-induced emphysema in mice using quantitative micro-computed tomography. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2015; 308:L1039-45. [PMID: 25820526 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00366.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic cigarette smoke (CS) exposure provokes variable changes in the lungs, and emphysema is an important feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The usefulness of micro-computed tomography (CT) to assess emphysema in different mouse models has been investigated, but few studies evaluated the dynamic structural changes in a CS-induced emphysema mouse model. A novel micro-CT technique with respiratory and cardiac gating has resulted in high-quality images that enable processing for further quantitative and qualitative analyses. Adult female C57BL/6J mice were repeatedly exposed to mainstream CS, and micro-CT scans were performed at 0, 4, 12, and 20 wk. Emphysema was also histologically quantified at each time point. Air-exposed mice and mice treated with intratracheal elastase served as controls and comparisons, respectively. End-expiratory lung volume, corresponding to functional residual volume, was defined as the calculated volume at the phase of end-expiration, and it evaluated air trapping. The end-expiratory lung volumes of CS-exposed mice were significantly larger than those of air controls at 12 and 20 wk, which was in line with alveolar enlargement and destruction by histological quantification. However, CS exposure neither increased low attenuation volume nor decreased the average lung CT value at any time point, unlike the elastase-instilled emphysema model. CS-exposed mice had rather higher average lung CT values at 4 and 12 wk. This is the first study characterizing a CS-induced emphysema model on micro-CT over time in mice. Moreover, these findings extend our understanding of the distinct pathophysiology of CS-induced emphysema in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamoru Sasaki
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shotaro Chubachi
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naofumi Kameyama
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Minako Sato
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mizuha Haraguchi
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Miyazaki
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Saeko Takahashi
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Betsuyaku
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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81
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Kampschulte M, Erdmann G, Sender J, Martels G, Böcker W, ElKhassawna T, Heiß C, Langheinrich AC, Roeb E, Roderfeld M, Krombach GA. The development and validation of micro-CT of large deep frozen specimens. SCANNING 2015; 37:63-72. [PMID: 25639882 DOI: 10.1002/sca.21180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive freeze/thaw cycles lead to a progressive loss of structural and molecular integrity in deep frozen specimens. The aim of this study was to evaluate a micro-CT stage, which maintains the cryoconservation of large specimens throughout micro-CT imaging. Deep frozen ovine vertebral segments (-20 °C) were fixed in a micro-CT stage made of expanded polystyrene and cooled with dry ice (0 g, 60 g and 120 g). The temperature inside the stage was measured half-hourly over a time span of three hours with subsequent measurement of surface temperature. The method was validated in a series of 30 deep frozen vertebral specimens and in liver tissue after repetitive micro-CT scanning. Isolation without cooling resulted in defrosting. Cooling with 60 g of dry ice led to a temperature rise inside the stage (max. 5.1 °C) and on the specimen surfaces (max. -3 °C). Cooling with 120 g of dry ice resulted in a significant (p < 0.001) and sufficient lowering of the temperature inside the stage (max. -14 °C) and on the surface of the specimens (max. -13.9 °C). The surface temperature during the subsequent micro-CT validation study did not exceed -16 °C (processing time 1 h 45 min). The resolution was 33 μm isotropic voxel side length, enabling a binarization of bone microstructures. Temperature can reliably be maintained below -10 °C during a micro-CT scan by applying the described technique. The resulting spatial resolution and image quality permits a binarization of bone microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Kampschulte
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Giessen, Giessen, Germany; Laboratory of Experimental Radiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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82
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De Langhe E, Aznar-Lopez C, De Vooght V, Vanoirbeek JA, Luyten FP, Lories RJ. Secreted frizzled related proteins inhibit fibrosis in vitro but appear redundant in vivo. FIBROGENESIS & TISSUE REPAIR 2014; 7:14. [PMID: 25317206 PMCID: PMC4196208 DOI: 10.1186/1755-1536-7-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis remains poorly understood. The Wnt signaling pathway regulates fibrogenesis in different organs. Here, we studied the role of two extracellular Wnt antagonists, secreted frizzled-related protein-1 (SFRP1) and frizzled-related protein (FRZB) on lung fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. For this purpose, we used an alveolar epithelial cell line and a lung fibroblast cell line, and the bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model, respectively. RESULTS During the course of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, Sfrp1 and Frzb expression are upregulated. Expression of Sfrp1 appears much higher than that of Frzb. In vitro, recombinant SFRP1, but not FRZB, counteracts the transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1)-induced upregulation of type I collagen expression both in pulmonary epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Both SFRP1 and FRZB inhibit the TGFβ1-induced increase of active β-catenin, but do not influence the TGFβ1-induced phosphorylation levels of SMAD3, positioning Wnt signaling activity downstream of the active TGFβ signal in lung fibroblasts, but not in alveolar epithelial cells. In vivo, Sfrp1 (-/-) and Frzb (-/-) mice showed identical responses to bleomycin in the lung compared to wild-type controls. CONCLUSIONS Although SFRP1 counteracts the effect of TGFβ1 in pulmonary cells in vitro; loss of neither SFRP1 nor FRZB alters fibrotic outcomes in the lungs in vivo. The lack of in vivo effect in the absence of specific SFRPs suggests functional redundancy within this family of Wnt antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen De Langhe
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ; Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carolina Aznar-Lopez
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vanessa De Vooght
- Department of Public Health, Experimental Toxicology Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeroen A Vanoirbeek
- Department of Public Health, Experimental Toxicology Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frank P Luyten
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ; Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Ju Lories
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Laboratory of Tissue Homeostasis and Disease, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ; Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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83
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Gammon ST, Foje N, Brewer EM, Owers E, Downs CA, Budde MD, Leevy WM, Helms MN. Preclinical anatomical, molecular, and functional imaging of the lung with multiple modalities. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2014; 306:L897-914. [DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00007.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In vivo imaging is an important tool for preclinical studies of lung function and disease. The widespread availability of multimodal animal imaging systems and the rapid rate of diagnostic contrast agent development have empowered researchers to noninvasively study lung function and pulmonary disorders. Investigators can identify, track, and quantify biological processes over time. In this review, we highlight the fundamental principles of bioluminescence, fluorescence, planar X-ray, X-ray computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear imaging modalities (such as positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography) that have been successfully employed for the study of lung function and pulmonary disorders in a preclinical setting. The major principles, benefits, and applications of each imaging modality and technology are reviewed. Limitations and the future prospective of multimodal imaging in pulmonary physiology are also discussed. In vivo imaging bridges molecular biological studies, drug design and discovery, and the imaging field with modern medical practice, and, as such, will continue to be a mainstay in biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth T. Gammon
- Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Nathan Foje
- Department of Biological Sciences, Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Elizabeth M. Brewer
- Department of Pediatrics Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airways Disease Research, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Elizabeth Owers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Charles A. Downs
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; and
| | - Matthew D. Budde
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - W. Matthew Leevy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - My N. Helms
- Department of Pediatrics Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airways Disease Research, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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84
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Foronjy RF, Dabo AJ, Taggart CC, Weldon S, Geraghty P. Respiratory syncytial virus infections enhance cigarette smoke induced COPD in mice. PLoS One 2014; 9:e90567. [PMID: 24587397 PMCID: PMC3938768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial viral (RSV) infections are a frequent cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, which are a major factor in disease progression and mortality. RSV is able to evade antiviral defenses to persist in the lungs of COPD patients. Though RSV infection has been identified in COPD, its contribution to cigarette smoke-induced airway inflammation and lung tissue destruction has not been established. Here we examine the long-term effects of cigarette smoke exposure, in combination with monthly RSV infections, on pulmonary inflammation, protease production and remodeling in mice. RSV exposures enhanced the influx of macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes to the airways of cigarette smoke exposed C57BL/6J mice. This infiltration of cells was most pronounced around the vasculature and bronchial airways. By itself, RSV caused significant airspace enlargement and fibrosis in mice and these effects were accentuated with concomitant smoke exposure. Combined stimulation with both smoke and RSV synergistically induced cytokine (IL-1α, IL-17, IFN-γ, KC, IL-13, CXCL9, RANTES, MIF and GM-CSF) and protease (MMP-2, -8, -12, -13, -16 and cathepsins E, S, W and Z) expression. In addition, RSV exposure caused marked apoptosis within the airways of infected mice, which was augmented by cigarette smoke exposure. RSV and smoke exposure also reduced protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and protein tyrosine phosphates (PTP1B) expression and activity. This is significant as these phosphatases counter smoke-induced inflammation and protease expression. Together, these findings show for the first time that recurrent RSV infection markedly enhances inflammation, apoptosis and tissue destruction in smoke-exposed mice. Indeed, these results indicate that preventing RSV transmission and infection has the potential to significantly impact on COPD severity and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert F. Foronjy
- St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, Mount Sinai Health System, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Abdoulaye J. Dabo
- St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, Mount Sinai Health System, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Clifford C. Taggart
- Centre for Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Sinead Weldon
- Centre for Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Geraghty
- St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, Mount Sinai Health System, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
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85
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Wathen CA, Foje N, van Avermaete T, Miramontes B, Chapaman SE, Sasser TA, Kannan R, Gerstler S, Leevy WM. In vivo X-ray computed tomographic imaging of soft tissue with native, intravenous, or oral contrast. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2013; 13:6957-80. [PMID: 23711461 PMCID: PMC3715264 DOI: 10.3390/s130606957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2013] [Revised: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) is one of the most commonly utilized anatomical imaging modalities for both research and clinical purposes. CT combines high-resolution, three-dimensional data with relatively fast acquisition to provide a solid platform for non-invasive human or specimen imaging. The primary limitation of CT is its inability to distinguish many soft tissues based on native contrast. While bone has high contrast within a CT image due to its material density from calcium phosphate, soft tissue is less dense and many are homogenous in density. This presents a challenge in distinguishing one type of soft tissue from another. A couple exceptions include the lungs as well as fat, both of which have unique densities owing to the presence of air or bulk hydrocarbons, respectively. In order to facilitate X-ray CT imaging of other structures, a range of contrast agents have been developed to selectively identify and visualize the anatomical properties of individual tissues. Most agents incorporate atoms like iodine, gold, or barium because of their ability to absorb X-rays, and thus impart contrast to a given organ system. Here we review the strategies available to visualize lung, fat, brain, kidney, liver, spleen, vasculature, gastrointestinal tract, and liver tissues of living mice using either innate contrast, or commercial injectable or ingestible agents with selective perfusion. Further, we demonstrate how each of these approaches will facilitate the non-invasive, longitudinal, in vivo imaging of pre-clinical disease models at each anatomical site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor A. Wathen
- Department of Biological Sciences, 100 Galvin Life Sciences Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Nathan Foje
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 236 Nieuwland Science Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mails: (N.F.); (T.V.A.); (B.M.); (T.A.S.)
| | - Tony van Avermaete
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 236 Nieuwland Science Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mails: (N.F.); (T.V.A.); (B.M.); (T.A.S.)
- Penn High School, 55900 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN 46545, USA
| | - Bernadette Miramontes
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 236 Nieuwland Science Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mails: (N.F.); (T.V.A.); (B.M.); (T.A.S.)
- Penn High School, 55900 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN 46545, USA
| | - Sarah E. Chapaman
- Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Todd A. Sasser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 236 Nieuwland Science Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mails: (N.F.); (T.V.A.); (B.M.); (T.A.S.)
- Bruker-Biospin Corporation, 4 Research Drive, Woodbridge, CT 06525, USA
| | - Raghuraman Kannan
- Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Steven Gerstler
- Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, IN 46545, USA; E-Mail:
| | - W. Matthew Leevy
- Department of Biological Sciences, 100 Galvin Life Sciences Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mail:
- Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; E-Mail:
- Harper Cancer Research Institute, A200 Harper Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46530, USA
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86
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Bagnato G, Bitto A, Pizzino G, Irrera N, Sangari D, Cinquegrani M, Roberts WN, Matucci Cerinic M, Squadrito F, Altavilla D, Bagnato G, Saitta A. Simvastatin attenuates the development of pulmonary and cutaneous fibrosis in a murine model of systemic sclerosis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2013; 52:1377-86. [DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/ket144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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87
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Bagnato G, Bitto A, Irrera N, Pizzino G, Sangari D, Cinquegrani M, Roberts WN, Atteritano M, Altavilla D, Squadrito F, Bagnato G, Saitta A. Propylthiouracil prevents cutaneous and pulmonary fibrosis in the reactive oxygen species murine model of systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Res Ther 2013; 15:R120. [PMID: 24286160 PMCID: PMC3978728 DOI: 10.1186/ar4300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent advances suggest that the cellular redox state may play a significant role in the progression of fibrosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Another, and as yet poorly accounted for, feature of SSc is its overlap with thyroid abnormalities. Previous reports demonstrate that hypothyroidism reduces oxidant stress. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the effect of propylthiouracil (PTU), and of the hypothyroidism induced by it, on the development of cutaneous and pulmonary fibrosis in the oxidant stress murine model of SSc. METHODS Chronic oxidant stress SSc was induced in BALB/c mice by daily subcutaneous injections of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) for 6 weeks. Mice (n = 25) were randomized into three arms: HOCl (n = 10), HOCl plus PTU (n = 10) or vehicle alone (n = 5). PTU administration was initiated 30 minutes after HOCl subcutaneous injection and continued daily for 6 weeks. Skin and lung fibrosis were evaluated by histologic methods. Immunohistochemical staining for alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in cutaneous and pulmonary tissues was performed to evaluate myofibroblast differentiation. Lung and skin concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), rat sarcoma protein (Ras), Ras homolog gene family (Rho), and transforming growth factor (TGF) β were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS Injections of HOCl induced cutaneous and lung fibrosis in BALB/c mice. PTU treatment prevented both dermal and pulmonary fibrosis. Myofibroblast differentiation was also inhibited by PTU in the skin and lung. The increase in cutaneous and pulmonary expression of VEGF, ERK, Ras, and Rho in mice treated with HOCl was significantly prevented in mice co-administered with PTU. CONCLUSIONS PTU, probably through its direct effect on reactive oxygen species or indirectly through thyroid function inhibition, prevents the development of cutaneous and pulmonary fibrosis by blocking the activation of the Ras-ERK pathway in the oxidant-stress animal model of SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Bagnato
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Internal
Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100,
Messina, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bitto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Natasha Irrera
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Gabriele Pizzino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Donatella Sangari
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Rheumatology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Maurizio Cinquegrani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Internal
Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100,
Messina, Italy
| | - William Neal Roberts
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of
Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, Kentucky, USA
| | - Marco Atteritano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Rheumatology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Domenica Altavilla
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Francesco Squadrito
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Pharmacology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Gianfilippo Bagnato
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Rheumatology,
University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100, Messina,
Italy
| | - Antonino Saitta
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Internal
Medicine, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria n°1, 98100,
Messina, Italy
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