18F-ASEM Imaging for Evaluating Atherosclerotic Plaques Linked to α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor

作者：Tao Yang, Dawei Wang, Xiangyi Chen, Ying-Kui Liang, Feng Guo, Chunxiao Wu, Liujun Jia, Zhihui Hou, Wenliang Li, Zuo‐Xiang He, Xin Wang · 发表于：Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.3389/fbioe.2021.684221 · 被引用次数：13 · 研究领域：Cerebrovascular and Carotid Artery Diseases、Coronary Interventions and Diagnostics、Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques

Background Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular inflammatory procedure alongside with lipid efflux disorder and foam cell formation. α7-Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) is a gated-calcium transmembrane channel widely expressed in neuron and non-neuron cells, such as monocytes and macrophages, activated T cells, dendritic cells, and mast cells. 18 F-ASEM is an inhibitor targeted to α7nAChR that had been successfully applied in nervous system diseases. Previous studies had highlighted that α7nAChR was related to the emergency of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques with excess inflammation cells. Thus, 18 F-ASEM could be a complementary diagnostic approach to atherosclerotic plaques. Materials and Methods The synthesis of ASEM precursor and 18 F-labeling had been performed successfully. We had established the ApoE –/– mice atherosclerotic plaques model (fed with western diet) and New Zealand rabbits atherosclerotic models (balloon-sprained experiment and western diet). After damage of endothelial cells and primary plaque formation, 18 F-ASEM imaging of atherosclerotic plaques linked to α7nAChR had been conducted. In vivo micro-PET/CT imaging of ApoE –/– mice and the control group was performed 1 h after injection of 18 F-ASEM (100–150 μCi); PET/CT imaging for rabbits with atherosclerotic plaques and control ones was also performed. Meanwhile, we also conducted CT scan on the abdominal aorta of these rabbits. After that, the animals were sacrificed, and the carotid and ...