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Seyedhassantehrani N, Burns CS, Verrinder R, Okafor V, Abbasizadeh N, Spencer JA. Intravital two-photon microscopy of the native mouse thymus. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307962. [PMID: 39088574 PMCID: PMC11293686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The thymus, a key organ in the adaptive immune system, is sensitive to a variety of insults including cytotoxic preconditioning, which leads to atrophy, compression of the blood vascular system, and alterations in hemodynamics. Although the thymus has innate regenerative capabilities, the production of T cells relies on the trafficking of lymphoid progenitors from the bone marrow through the altered thymic blood vascular system. Our understanding of thymic blood vascular hemodynamics is limited due to technical challenges associated with accessing the native thymus in live mice. To overcome this challenge, we developed an intravital two-photon imaging method to visualize the native thymus in vivo and investigated functional changes to the vascular system following sublethal irradiation. We quantified blood flow velocity and shear rate in cortical blood vessels and identified a subtle but significant increase in vessel leakage and diameter ~24 hrs post-sublethal irradiation. Ex vivo whole organ imaging of optically cleared thymus lobes confirmed a disruption of the thymus vascular structure, resulting in an increase in blood vessel diameter and vessel area, and concurrent thymic atrophy. This novel two-photon intravital imaging method enables a new paradigm for directly investigating the thymic microenvironment in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Seyedhassantehrani
- Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- NSF-CREST Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Christian S. Burns
- Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- NSF-CREST Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Ruth Verrinder
- NSF-CREST Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Victoria Okafor
- NSF-CREST Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Nastaran Abbasizadeh
- Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- NSF-CREST Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Joel A. Spencer
- Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- NSF-CREST Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
- Health Science Research Institute, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
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Intravital Optical Imaging to Monitor Anti-Tumor Immunological Response in Preclinical Models. Bioanalysis 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-78338-9_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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Fowlkes N, Clemons K, Rider PJ, Subramanian R, Wakamatsu N, Langohr I, Kousoulas KG. Factors Affecting Growth Kinetics and Spontaneous Metastasis in the B16F10 Syngeneic Murine Melanoma Model. Comp Med 2018; 69:48-54. [PMID: 30563585 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-18-000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is an immunogenic tumor that can metastasize quickly to proximal and distal sites, thus complicating the application of therapeutic modalities. Numerous mouse model systems have been used to gain understanding of the immunobiology and metastatic potential of melanoma. Here, we report the optimization of a syngeneic mouse melanoma model protocol using the mouse B16-derived melanoma cell line B16F10 that ensures the production of tumors on mice pinnae that are similar in size between animals and that enlarge in a time-dependent manner. In this model, B16F10 cells are first allowed to develop tumors after injection in the interscapular area or flank of C57BL/6J mice. Subsequently, the tumors are harvested, cells dissociated and injected into mouse pinnae. Dose-dependent studies revealed that injection of 2 × 105 cells allowed for slow tumor enlargement, producing tumors averaging 100 mm³ within 2 to 3 wk with a metastatic frequency of 100%. This experimental protocol will be useful in dissecting the immunobiology of melanoma tumor development and metastasis and the evaluation of immunotherapeutic antimelanoma therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Fowlkes
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Kelli Clemons
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Paul Jf Rider
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Ramesh Subramanian
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Nobuko Wakamatsu
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Ingeborg Langohr
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| | - Konstantin G Kousoulas
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana;,
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Benson RA, Garcon F, Recino A, Ferdinand JR, Clatworthy MR, Waldmann H, Brewer JM, Okkenhaug K, Cooke A, Garside P, Wållberg M. Non-Invasive Multiphoton Imaging of Islets Transplanted Into the Pinna of the NOD Mouse Ear Reveals the Immediate Effect of Anti-CD3 Treatment in Autoimmune Diabetes. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1006. [PMID: 29867981 PMCID: PMC5968092 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a novel and readily accessible method facilitating cellular time-resolved imaging of transplanted pancreatic islets. Grafting of islets to the mouse ear pinna allows non-invasive, in vivo longitudinal imaging of events in the islets and enables improved acquisition of experimental data and use of fewer experimental animals than is possible using invasive techniques, as the same mouse can be assessed for the presence of islet infiltrating cells before and after immune intervention. We have applied this method to investigating therapeutic protection of beta cells through the well-established use of anti-CD3 injection, and have acquired unprecedented data on the nature and rapidity of the effect on the islet infiltrating T cells. We demonstrate that infusion of anti-CD3 antibody leads to immediate effects on islet infiltrating T cells in islet grafts in the pinna of the ear, and causes them to increase their speed and displacement within 20 min of infusion. This technique overcomes several technical challenges associated with intravital imaging of pancreatic immune responses and facilitates routine study of beta islet cell development, differentiation, and function in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Benson
- College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Fabien Garcon
- Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signalling and Development, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Asha Recino
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - John R. Ferdinand
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Menna R. Clatworthy
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Herman Waldmann
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - James M. Brewer
- College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Klaus Okkenhaug
- Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signalling and Development, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Cooke
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Garside
- College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Maja Wållberg
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Ashcraft KA, Choudhury KR, Birer SR, Hendargo HC, Patel P, Eichenbaum G, Dewhirst MW. Application of a Novel Murine Ear Vein Model to Evaluate the Effects of a Vascular Radioprotectant on Radiation-Induced Vascular Permeability and Leukocyte Adhesion. Radiat Res 2018; 190:12-21. [PMID: 29671690 DOI: 10.1667/rr14896.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Vascular injury after radiation exposure contributes to multiple types of tissue injury through a cascade of events. Some of the earliest consequences of radiation damage include increased vascular permeability and promotion of inflammation, which is partially manifested by increased leukocyte-endothelial (L/E) interactions. We describe herein a novel intravital imaging method to evaluate L/E interactions, as a function of shear stress, and vascular permeability at multiple time points after local irradiation to the ear. This model permitted analysis of quiescent vasculature that was not perturbed by any surgical manipulation prior to imaging. To evaluate the effects of radiation on vascular integrity, fluorescent dextran was injected intravenously and its extravasation in the extravascular space surrounding the ear vasculature was measured at days 3 and 7 after 6 Gy irradiation. The vascular permeability rate increased approximately twofold at both days 3 and 7 postirradiation ( P < 0.05). Leukocyte rolling, which is indicative of L/E interactions, was significantly increased in mice at 24 h postirradiation compared to that of nonirradiated mice. To assess our model, as a means for assessing vascular radioprotectants, we treated additional cohorts of mice with a thrombopoietin mimetic, TPOm (RWJ-800088). In addition to stimulating platelet formation, thrombopoietin can protect vasculature after several forms of injury. Thus, we hypothesized that TPOm would reduce vascular permeability and L/E adhesion after localized irradiation to the ear vasculature of mice. If TPOm reduced these consequences of radiation, it would validate the utility of our intravital imaging method. TPOm reduced radiation-induced vascular leakage to control levels at day 7. Furthermore, L/E cell interactions were also reduced in irradiated mice treated with TPOm, compared with mice receiving irradiation alone, particularly at high shear stress ( P = 0.03, Kruskal-Wallis). We conclude that the ear model is useful for monitoring quiescent normal tissue vascular injury after radiation exposure. Furthermore, the application of TPOm, for preventing early inflammatory response created by damage to vascular endothelium, suggests that this drug may prove useful in reducing toxicities from radiotherapy, which damage microvasculature that critically important to tissue function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kingshuk Roy Choudhury
- b Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | | | | | | | - Gary Eichenbaum
- c Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Raritan, New Jersey 08869.,d Johnson & Johnson, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
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