Macrophage accumulation associated with rat cardiac allograft rejection detected by magnetic resonance imaging with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles

• Published in: Circulation (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 104; no. 8; pp. 934 - 938
• Main Authors: KANNO, Shinichi, WU, Yi-Jen Lin, LEE, Paul C, DODD, Stephen J, WILLIAMS, Mangay, GRIFFITH, Bartley P, CHIEN HO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 21.08.2001; American Heart Association, Inc
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Count; Cyclosporine - pharmacology; Dextrans - chemistry; Disease Models, Animal; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Ferric Compounds - analysis; Ferric Compounds - chemistry; Ferric Compounds - metabolism; Graft Rejection - diagnosis; Graft Rejection - etiology; Graft Rejection - immunology; Graft Rejection - prevention & control; Heart Transplantation - adverse effects; Heart Transplantation - immunology; Immunohistochemistry; Lung Transplantation - adverse effects; Lung Transplantation - immunology; Macrophages - immunology; Macrophages - metabolism; Macrophages - pathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Microspheres; Myocardium - metabolism; Myocardium - pathology; Particle Size; Predictive Value of Tests; Rats; Rats, Inbred BN; Sensitivity and Specificity; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the heart; Heart; Immunohistochemistry; Prognosis; Rat; Rodentia; Transplantation; Homotransplantation; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Rejection; Pathology; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Treatment; Surgery; Animal; Medical imagery; Macrophage
• ISSN: 0009-7322; 1524-4539
• DOI: 10.1161/hc3401.093148

Acute cardiac allograft rejection continues to be the cause of graft loss and contributes to the morbidity and mortality after cardiac transplantation. In this study, we report a new method for detecting organ rejection in transplantation with an MR-based technique using dextran-coated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles. These particles ( approximately 27 nm in diameter) are known to shorten relaxation times in MRI experiments. A new rat model of heterotopic heart and lung transplantation has been developed for MRI experiments. Allotransplantations (DA-->BN) were performed (n=8), with syngeneic transplantations (BN-->BN) serving as controls (n=8). MR images were obtained with a gradient echo method. At postoperative day 7, allotransplants developed moderate rejection as determined histopathologically. A significant reduction in MR signal intensity was observed after USPIO injection into rats with allotransplanted hearts. Syngeneic transplants showed no differences in MR signal intensity before and after USPIO injections. After injection of USPIO particles at postoperative day 6, a group of allotransplanted rats was treated with cyclosporin A (3 mg/kg). Animals treated with cyclosporin A for 7 days showed no reduction in MR signal intensity after USPIO reinjection at day 14, whereas animals treated for 4 days showed a significant decrease in MR signal intensity in the transplanted hearts indicative of acute graft rejection. Pathological analysis of these animals revealed that dextran-coated USPIO particles were taken up by the infiltrating macrophages that accumulated within the rejecting cardiac graft. This MRI method offers promise as a noninvasive method for detecting transplant allograft rejection.