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Hegemann N, Bintig W, Perret PL, Rees J, Viperino A, Eickholt B, Kuebler WM, Höpfner M, Nitzsche B, Grune J. In-ovo echocardiography for application in cardiovascular research. Basic Res Cardiol 2023; 118:19. [PMID: 37193927 PMCID: PMC10188421 DOI: 10.1007/s00395-023-00989-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical cardiovascular research relies heavily on non-invasive in-vivo echocardiography in mice and rats to assess cardiac function and morphology, since the complex interaction of heart, circulation, and peripheral organs are challenging to mimic ex-vivo. While n-numbers of annually used laboratory animals worldwide approach 200 million, increasing efforts are made by basic scientists aiming to reduce animal numbers in cardiovascular research according to the 3R's principle. The chicken egg is well-established as a physiological correlate and model for angiogenesis research but has barely been used to assess cardiac (patho-) physiology. Here, we tested whether the established in-ovo system of incubated chicken eggs interfaced with commercially available small animal echocardiography would be a suitable alternative test system in experimental cardiology. To this end, we defined a workflow to assess cardiac function in 8-13-day-old chicken embryos using a commercially available high resolution ultrasound system for small animals (Vevo 3100, Fujifilm Visualsonics Inc.) equipped with a high frequency probe (MX700; centre transmit: 50 MHz). We provide detailed standard operating procedures for sample preparation, image acquisition, data analysis, reference values for left and right ventricular function and dimensions, and inter-observer variabilities. Finally, we challenged incubated chicken eggs with two interventions well-known to affect cardiac physiology-metoprolol treatment and hypoxic exposure-to demonstrate the sensitivity of in-ovo echocardiography. In conclusion, in-ovo echocardiography is a feasible alternative tool for basic cardiovascular research, which can easily be implemented into the small animal research environment using existing infrastructure to replace mice and rat experiments, and thus, reduce use of laboratory animals according to the 3R principle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Hegemann
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Der Charité (DHZC), Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Willem Bintig
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Biochemistry, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul-Lennard Perret
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Rees
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alessandra Viperino
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Britta Eickholt
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Biochemistry, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang M Kuebler
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Höpfner
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bianca Nitzsche
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jana Grune
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Der Charité (DHZC), Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Physiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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