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Pollenus E, Possemiers H, Knoops S, Prenen F, Vandermosten L, Thienpont C, Abdurahiman S, Demeyer S, Cools J, Matteoli G, Vanoirbeek JAJ, Vande Velde G, Van den Steen PE. Single cell RNA sequencing reveals endothelial cell killing and resolution pathways in experimental malaria-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011929. [PMID: 38236930 PMCID: PMC10826972 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011929] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites cause malaria, a global health disease that is responsible for more than 200 million clinical cases and 600 000 deaths each year. Most deaths are caused by various complications, including malaria-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (MA-ARDS). Despite the very rapid and efficient killing of parasites with antimalarial drugs, 15% of patients with complicated malaria succumb. This stresses the importance of investigating resolution mechanisms that are involved in the recovery from these complications once the parasite is killed. To study the resolution of MA-ARDS, P. berghei NK65-infected C57BL/6 mice were treated with antimalarial drugs after onset of symptoms, resulting in 80% survival. Micro-computed tomography revealed alterations of the lungs upon infection, with an increase in total and non-aerated lung volume due to edema. Whole body plethysmography confirmed a drastically altered lung ventilation, which was restored during resolution. Single-cell RNA sequencing indicated an increased inflammatory state in the lungs upon infection, which was accompanied by a drastic decrease in endothelial cells, consistent with CD8+ T cell-mediated killing. During resolution, anti-inflammatory pathways were upregulated and proliferation of endothelial cells was observed. MultiNicheNet interactome analysis identified important changes in the ligand-receptor interactions during disease resolution that warrant further exploration in order to develop new therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, our study provides insights in pro-resolving pathways that limit inflammation and promote endothelial cell proliferation in experimental MA-ARDS. This information may be useful for the design of adjunctive treatments to enhance resolution after Plasmodium parasite killing by antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Pollenus
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Possemiers
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sofie Knoops
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fran Prenen
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen Vandermosten
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chloë Thienpont
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Saeed Abdurahiman
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, Translational Research in Gastro-Intestinal Disorders (TARGID), Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sofie Demeyer
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Leukemia, Department of Human Genetics, VIB—KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Cools
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Leukemia, Department of Human Genetics, VIB—KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gianluca Matteoli
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, Translational Research in Gastro-Intestinal Disorders (TARGID), Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeroen A. J. Vanoirbeek
- Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging & Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philippe E. Van den Steen
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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2
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Vanhoffelen E, Resendiz-Sharpe A, Velde GV. Microcomputed Tomography to Visualize and Quantify Fungal Infection Burden and Inflammation in the Mouse Lung Over Time. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2667:211-224. [PMID: 37145287 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3199-7_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary mycoses are an important threat for immunocompromised patients, and although current treatments are effective, they suffer from multiple limitations and fail to further reduce mortality. With the increasing immunocompromised population and increased antifungal resistance, fungal infection research is more relevant than ever. In preclinical respiratory fungal infection research, animal models are indispensable. However, too often researchers still rely on endpoint measurements to assess fungal burden while the dynamics of disease progression are left undiscovered. To open up this "black box", microcomputed tomography (μCT) can be implemented to longitudinally visualize lung pathology in a noninvasive way and to quantify μCT-image derived biomarkers. That way, disease onset, progression, and responsiveness to treatment can be followed up with high resolution spatially and temporally in individual mice, increasing statistical power. Here, we describe a general method for the use of low-dose high-resolution μCT to longitudinally visualize and quantify lung pathology in mouse models of respiratory fungal infections, applied to mouse models of aspergillosis and cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliane Vanhoffelen
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Greetje Vande Velde
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Leuven, Belgium.
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3
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Ahookhosh K, Vanoirbeek J, Vande Velde G. Lung function measurements in preclinical research: What has been done and where is it headed? Front Physiol 2023; 14:1130096. [PMID: 37035677 PMCID: PMC10073442 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1130096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the close interaction of lung morphology and functions, repeatable measurements of pulmonary function during longitudinal studies on lung pathophysiology and treatment efficacy have been a great area of interest for lung researchers. Spirometry, as a simple and quick procedure that depends on the maximal inspiration of the patient, is the most common lung function test in clinics that measures lung volumes against time. Similarly, in the preclinical area, plethysmography techniques offer lung functional parameters related to lung volumes. In the past few decades, many innovative techniques have been introduced for in vivo lung function measurements, while each one of these techniques has their own advantages and disadvantages. Before each experiment, depending on the sensitivity of the required pulmonary functional parameters, it should be decided whether an invasive or non-invasive approach is desired. On one hand, invasive techniques offer sensitive and specific readouts related to lung mechanics in anesthetized and tracheotomized animals at endpoints. On the other hand, non-invasive techniques allow repeatable lung function measurements in conscious, free-breathing animals with readouts related to the lung volumes. The biggest disadvantage of these standard techniques for lung function measurements is considering the lung as a single unit and providing only global readouts. However, recent advances in lung imaging modalities such as x-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging opened new doors toward obtaining both anatomical and functional information from the same scan session, without the requirement for any extra pulmonary functional measurements, in more regional and non-invasive manners. Consequently, a new field of study called pulmonary functional imaging was born which focuses on introducing new techniques for regional quantification of lung function non-invasively using imaging-based techniques. This narrative review provides first an overview of both invasive and non-invasive conventional methods for lung function measurements, mostly focused on small animals for preclinical research, including discussions about their advantages and disadvantages. Then, we focus on those newly developed, non-invasive, imaging-based techniques that can provide either global or regional lung functional readouts at multiple time-points.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaveh Ahookhosh
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Vanoirbeek
- Centre of Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Greetje Vande Velde,
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4
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Panek D, Leszczyński B, Wojtysiak D, Drąg-Kozak E, Stępień E. Micro-computed tomography for analysis of heavy metal accumulation in the opercula. Micron 2022; 160:103327. [PMID: 35853367 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2022.103327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) provides numerous opportunities in biomedical research. It allows the examination of samples in a non-destructive manner and visualization of the inner structures of various biological and nonbiological objects. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of micro-CT scanner in the assessment of heavy metal accumulation in the opercula. The samples were taken from Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) exposed to waterborne Cd (4.0 mg/L), Zn (4.0 mg/L), and the mixture of these two metals (4.0 mg Cd/L and 4.0 mg Zn/L) for 28 days. Heavy metal concentrations were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The results demonstrated higher concentrations of Cd and Zn in the treatment group opercula samples compared with the control group opercula samples. A simple micro-CT scan was performed to verify whether heavy metal accumulation could be determined in the reconstructed images. The results showed that micro-CT is potentially a powerful tool for metal accumulation detection. Moreover, it allowed visualization of the examined samples, revealing regions of heavy metal accumulation and providing the opportunity to compare samples exposed to different types of heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Panek
- Department of Medical Physics, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, ul. Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Bartosz Leszczyński
- Department of Medical Physics, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, ul. Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Dorota Wojtysiak
- Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Drąg-Kozak
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology, and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Adama Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa Stępień
- Department of Medical Physics, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, ul. Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
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5
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The importance of routine quality control for reproducible pulmonary measurements by in vivo micro-CT. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9695. [PMID: 35690601 PMCID: PMC9188608 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro-computed tomography (CT) imaging provides densitometric and functional assessment of lung diseases in animal models, playing a key role either in understanding disease progression or in drug discovery studies. The generation of reliable and reproducible experimental data is strictly dependent on a system's stability. Quality controls (QC) are essential to monitor micro-CT performance but, although QC procedures are standardized and routinely employed in clinical practice, detailed guidelines for preclinical imaging are lacking. In this work, we propose a routine QC protocol for in vivo micro-CT, based on three commercial phantoms. To investigate the impact of a detected scanner drift on image post-processing, a retrospective analysis using twenty-two healthy mice was performed and lung density histograms used to compare the area under curve (AUC), the skewness and the kurtosis before and after the drift. As expected, statistically significant differences were found for all the selected parameters [AUC 532 ± 31 vs. 420 ± 38 (p < 0.001); skewness 2.3 ± 0.1 vs. 2.5 ± 0.1 (p < 0.001) and kurtosis 4.2 ± 0.3 vs. 5.1 ± 0.5 (p < 0.001)], confirming the importance of the designed QC procedure to obtain a reliable longitudinal quantification of disease progression and drug efficacy evaluation.
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6
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Verleden SE, Braubach P, Werlein C, Plucinski E, Kuhnel MP, Snoeckx A, El Addouli H, Welte T, Haverich A, Laenger FP, Dettmer S, Pauwels P, Verplancke V, Van Schil PE, Lapperre T, Kwakkel-Van-Erp JM, Ackermann M, Hendriks JMH, Jonigk D. From Macroscopy to Ultrastructure: An Integrative Approach to Pulmonary Pathology. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:859337. [PMID: 35372395 PMCID: PMC8965844 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.859337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathology and radiology are complimentary tools, and their joint application is often crucial in obtaining an accurate diagnosis in non-neoplastic pulmonary diseases. However, both come with significant limitations of their own: Computed Tomography (CT) can only visualize larger structures due to its inherent–relatively–poor resolution, while (histo) pathology is often limited due to small sample size and sampling error and only allows for a 2D investigation. An innovative approach of inflating whole lung specimens and subjecting these subsequently to CT and whole lung microCT allows for an accurate matching of CT-imaging and histopathology data of exactly the same areas. Systematic application of this approach allows for a more targeted assessment of localized disease extent and more specifically can be used to investigate early mechanisms of lung diseases on a morphological and molecular level. Therefore, this technique is suitable to selectively investigate changes in the large and small airways, as well as the pulmonary arteries, veins and capillaries in relation to the disease extent in the same lung specimen. In this perspective we provide an overview of the different strategies that are currently being used, as well as how this growing field could further evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn E. Verleden
- Antwerp Surgical Training, Anatomy and Research Centre (ASTARC), Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
- Division of Pneumology, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
- Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Peter Braubach
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Edith Plucinski
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mark P. Kuhnel
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Annemiek Snoeckx
- Division of Radiology, University Hospital Antwerp and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Haroun El Addouli
- Division of Radiology, University Hospital Antwerp and University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Tobias Welte
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Division of Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Haverich
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Florian P. Laenger
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sabine Dettmer
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Department of Radiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Patrick Pauwels
- Division of Pathology, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | | | - Paul E. Van Schil
- Antwerp Surgical Training, Anatomy and Research Centre (ASTARC), Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Therese Lapperre
- Division of Pneumology, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
- Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics (LEMP), Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johanna M. Kwakkel-Van-Erp
- Division of Pneumology, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
- Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics (LEMP), Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Maximilian Ackermann
- Institute of Pathology and Department of Molecular Pathology, Helios University Clinic Wuppertal, University of Witten-Herdecke, Witten, Germany
- Institute of Functional and Clinical Anatomy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jeroen M. H. Hendriks
- Antwerp Surgical Training, Anatomy and Research Centre (ASTARC), Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Danny Jonigk
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- *Correspondence: Danny Jonigk
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7
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Seldeslachts L, Cawthorne C, Kaptein SF, Boudewijns R, Thibaut HJ, Sanchez Felipe L, Sharma S, Schramm G, Weynand B, Dallmeier K, Vande Velde G. Use of Micro-Computed Tomography to Visualize and Quantify COVID-19 Vaccine Efficiency in Free-Breathing Hamsters. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2021; 2410:177-192. [PMID: 34914047 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1884-4_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has impacted the health of humanity after the outbreak in Hubei, China in late December 2019. Ever since, it has taken unprecedented proportions and rapidity causing over a million fatal cases. Recently, a robust Syrian golden hamster model recapitulating COVID-19 was developed in search for effective therapeutics and vaccine candidates. However, overt clinical disease symptoms were largely absent despite high levels of virus replication and associated pathology in the respiratory tract. Therefore, we used micro-computed tomography (μCT) to longitudinally visualize lung pathology and to preclinically assess candidate vaccines. μCT proved to be crucial to quantify and noninvasively monitor disease progression, to evaluate candidate vaccine efficacy, and to improve screening efforts by allowing longitudinal data without harming live animals. Here, we give a comprehensive guide on how to use low-dose high-resolution μCT to follow-up SARS-CoV-2-induced disease and test the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine candidates in hamsters. Our approach can likewise be applied for the preclinical assessment of antiviral and anti-inflammatory drug treatments in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Seldeslachts
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Christopher Cawthorne
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Suzanne F Kaptein
- Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology & Vaccine Discovery, KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robbert Boudewijns
- Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology & Vaccine Discovery, KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Jan Thibaut
- Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology & Vaccine Discovery, KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium.,Translational Platform Virology and Chemotherapy (TPVC), KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lorena Sanchez Felipe
- Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology & Vaccine Discovery, KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sapna Sharma
- Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology & Vaccine Discovery, KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Georg Schramm
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Birgit Weynand
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Division of Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kai Dallmeier
- Virology and Chemotherapy, Molecular Vaccinology & Vaccine Discovery, KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC, Leuven, Belgium.
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8
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McIlrath DR, Roach E, Porro G, Perez-Torres CJ. Feasibility of quantification of murine radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis with microCT imaging. JOURNAL OF RADIATION RESEARCH 2021:rrab096. [PMID: 34642761 DOI: 10.1093/jrr/rrab096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mouse models of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF) are commonly produced to find novel treatments for the condition. However, current models are not always assesed in a clinically-relevant manner. Clinics diagnose and track RIPF through CT scanning rather than observing time-to-death. An established timeline of RIPF lesion development in a murine model is therefore needed. Male C57Bl/6 mice (n=43) were irradiated with a single dose of 20 Gy to the whole thoracic area delivered by an 320 kV X-Rad cabinet irradiator. CT was performed with respitory gating at two week time points and developed images to identify RIPF pathology in vivo. Confirmation of CT findings was performed via histology on the lungs using Mason's trichrome staining. CT images were segmented to quantify fibrosis and lung which are then summed to give total volume. The fibrotic fraction was calculated upto 26 weeks. Significant increases in fibrotic fraction compared to the baseline microCT scans for each individual mouse acquired prior to the 20 Gy exposure are seen beginning at 10-12 weeks. Tidal lung volume was also calculated by subtracting expiration scan volumes from inspiration scan volumes. However the decrease in tidal lung volume over time was not statisitically significant. Computed tomography (CT) imaging was used to quantify the increase in fibrosis over time in our mouse model. However, the results were highly variable among individual mice after irradiation. CT imaging should be used in future studies looking at treatments for RIPF as it allows for measuring the extent of pathology non-invasively in a clinically-relevant manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R McIlrath
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City OK 73104, USA
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Elizabeth Roach
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Gianna Porro
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Carlos J Perez-Torres
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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9
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Munck S, Swoger J, Coll-Lladó M, Gritti N, Vande Velde G. Maximizing content across scales: Moving multimodal microscopy and mesoscopy toward molecular imaging. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 63:188-199. [PMID: 34198170 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Molecular imaging aims to depict the molecules in living patients. However, because this aim is still far beyond reach, patchworks of different solutions need to be used to tackle this overarching goal. From the vast toolbox of imaging techniques, we focus on those recent advances in optical microscopy that image molecules and cells at the submicron to centimeter scale. Mesoscopic imaging covers the "imaging gap" between techniques such as confocal microscopy and magnetic resonance imagingthat image entire live samples but with limited resolution. Microscopy focuses on the cellular level; mesoscopy visualizes the organization of molecules and cells into tissues and organs. The correlation between these techniques allows us to combine disciplines ranging from whole body imaging to basic research of model systems. We review current developments focused on improving microscopic and mesoscopic imaging technologies and on hardware and software that push the current sensitivity and resolution boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Munck
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Light Microscopy Expertise Unit & VIB BioImaging Core, O&N4 Herestraat 49 box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, O&N4 Herestraat 49 box 602, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Jim Swoger
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | | | - Nicola Gritti
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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10
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Redente EF, Black BP, Backos DS, Bahadur AN, Humphries SM, Lynch DA, Tuder RM, Zemans RL, Riches DWH. Persistent, Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis and Epithelial Remodeling in Mice. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2021; 64:669-676. [PMID: 33406369 PMCID: PMC8456888 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2020-0542ma] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic interstitial lung disease with underlying mechanisms that have been primarily investigated in mice after intratracheal instillation of a single dose of bleomycin. However, the model has significant limitations, including transient fibrosis that spontaneously resolves and its failure to fully recapitulate the epithelial remodeling in the lungs of patients with IPF. Thus, there remains an unmet need for a preclinical model with features that more closely resemble the human disease. Repetitive intratracheal instillation of bleomycin has previously been shown to recapitulate some of these features, but the instillation procedure is complex, and the long-term consequences on epithelial remodeling and fibrosis persistence and progression remain poorly understood. Here, we developed a simplified repetitive bleomycin instillation strategy consisting of three bi-weekly instillations that leads to persistent and progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Lung histology demonstrates increased collagen deposition, fibroblast accumulation, loss of type I and type II alveolar epithelial cells within fibrotic areas, bronchiolization of the lung parenchyma with CCSP+ cells, remodeling of the distal lung into cysts reminiscent of simple honeycombing, and accumulation of hyperplastic transitional KRT8+ epithelial cells. Micro-computed tomographic imaging demonstrated significant traction bronchiectasis and subpleural fibrosis. Thus, the simplified repetitive bleomycin instillation strategy leads to progressive fibrosis and recapitulates the histological and radiographic characteristics of IPF. Compared with the single bleomycin instillation model, we suggest that the simplified repetitive instillation model may be better suited to address mechanistic questions about IPF pathogenesis and preclinical studies of antifibrotic drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth F. Redente
- Program in Cell Biology, Department of Pediatrics, and
- Department of Research, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Bart P. Black
- Program in Cell Biology, Department of Pediatrics, and
| | | | - Ali N. Bahadur
- Bruker BioSpin Corporation, Billerica, Massachusetts; and
| | | | - David A. Lynch
- Department of Radiology, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Rubin M. Tuder
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
| | - Rachel L. Zemans
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, and
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - David W. H. Riches
- Program in Cell Biology, Department of Pediatrics, and
- Department of Research, Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, Colorado
- Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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11
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Mahmutovic Persson I, von Wachenfeldt K, Waterton JC, Olsson LE. Imaging Biomarkers in Animal Models of Drug-Induced Lung Injury: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med 2020; 10:jcm10010107. [PMID: 33396865 PMCID: PMC7795017 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10010107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
For drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DIILD) translational imaging biomarkers are needed to improve detection and management of lung injury and drug-toxicity. Literature was reviewed on animal models in which in vivo imaging was used to detect and assess lung lesions that resembled pathological changes found in DIILD, such as inflammation and fibrosis. A systematic search was carried out using three databases with key words “Animal models”, “Imaging”, “Lung disease”, and “Drugs”. A total of 5749 articles were found, and, based on inclusion criteria, 284 papers were selected for final data extraction, resulting in 182 out of the 284 papers, based on eligibility. Twelve different animal species occurred and nine various imaging modalities were used, with two-thirds of the studies being longitudinal. The inducing agents and exposure (dose and duration) differed from non-physiological to clinically relevant doses. The majority of studies reported other biomarkers and/or histological confirmation of the imaging results. Summary of radiotracers and examples of imaging biomarkers were summarized, and the types of animal models and the most used imaging modalities and applications are discussed in this review. Pathologies resembling DIILD, such as inflammation and fibrosis, were described in many papers, but only a few explicitly addressed drug-induced toxicity experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Mahmutovic Persson
- Department of Translational Medicine, Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, 20502 Malmö, Sweden;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-736839562
| | | | - John C. Waterton
- Bioxydyn Ltd., Science Park, Manchester M15 6SZ, UK;
- Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Lars E. Olsson
- Department of Translational Medicine, Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, 20502 Malmö, Sweden;
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12
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Mahmutovic Persson I, Fransén Pettersson N, Liu J, Falk Håkansson H, Örbom A, In ’t Zandt R, Gidlöf R, Sydoff M, von Wachenfeldt K, Olsson LE. Longitudinal Imaging Using PET/CT with Collagen-I PET-Tracer and MRI for Assessment of Fibrotic and Inflammatory Lesions in a Rat Lung Injury Model. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9113706. [PMID: 33218212 PMCID: PMC7699272 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9113706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive imaging biomarkers (IBs) are warranted to enable improved diagnostics and follow-up monitoring of interstitial lung disease (ILD) including drug-induced ILD (DIILD). Of special interest are IB, which can characterize and differentiate acute inflammation from fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a PET-tracer specific for Collagen-I, combined with multi-echo MRI, in a rat model of DIILD. Rats were challenged intratracheally with bleomycin, and subsequently followed by MRI and PET/CT for four weeks. PET imaging demonstrated a significantly increased uptake of the collagen tracer in the lungs of challenged rats compared to controls. This was confirmed by MRI characterization of the lesions as edema or fibrotic tissue. The uptake of tracer did not show complete spatial overlap with the lesions identified by MRI. Instead, the tracer signal appeared at the borderline between lesion and healthy tissue. Histological tissue staining, fibrosis scoring, lysyl oxidase activity measurements, and gene expression markers all confirmed establishing fibrosis over time. In conclusion, the novel PET tracer for Collagen-I combined with multi-echo MRI, were successfully able to monitor fibrotic changes in bleomycin-induced lung injury. The translational approach of using non-invasive imaging techniques show potential also from a clinical perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Mahmutovic Persson
- Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Institution of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 20502 Malmö, Sweden;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-73-683-9562
| | | | - Jian Liu
- Truly Labs, Medicon Village, 223 63 Lund, Sweden; (N.F.P.); (J.L.); (H.F.H.); (K.v.W.)
| | - Hanna Falk Håkansson
- Truly Labs, Medicon Village, 223 63 Lund, Sweden; (N.F.P.); (J.L.); (H.F.H.); (K.v.W.)
| | - Anders Örbom
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22184 84 Lund, Sweden;
| | - René In ’t Zandt
- Lund University BioImaging Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 221 42 Lund, Sweden; (R.I.Z.); (R.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Ritha Gidlöf
- Lund University BioImaging Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 221 42 Lund, Sweden; (R.I.Z.); (R.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Marie Sydoff
- Lund University BioImaging Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 221 42 Lund, Sweden; (R.I.Z.); (R.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Karin von Wachenfeldt
- Truly Labs, Medicon Village, 223 63 Lund, Sweden; (N.F.P.); (J.L.); (H.F.H.); (K.v.W.)
| | - Lars E. Olsson
- Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Institution of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, 20502 Malmö, Sweden;
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