0000000000009430
AUTHOR
Zahi A. Fayad
Macrophage-Specific Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Improve Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Detection and Characterization of Human Atherosclerosis
ObjectivesWe sought to determine whether gadolinium (Gd)-containing lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) targeting the macrophage scavenger receptor-B (CD36) improve cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) detection and characterization of human atherosclerosis.BackgroundGd-containing lipid-based NPs targeting macrophages have improved MR detection of murine atherosclerosis.MethodsGadolinium-containing untargeted NPs, anti-CD36 NPs, and nonspecific Fc-NPs were created. Macrophages were incubated with fluorescent targeted and nontargeted NPs to determine uptake via confocal microscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) quantified Gd uptake. Human aortic specimens were harvested at…
Advances in detection and characterization of atherosclerosis using contrast agents targeting the macrophage
With advances in imaging technology and our understanding of the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis, the macrophage appears to be an excellent target for imaging the progression of disease. In addition to imaging the macrophage with only 1 modality, contrast agents can be created that can be imaged with multiple modalities. This seems extremely attractive, as lesion morphology and characteristics can be determined with modalities that provide high picture resolution, such as CT or MRI, whereas macrophage quantity can be accurately determined through the creation of a radiolabeled contrast agent such as FDG via PET. Although this combination of imaging technologies may yield clinically …