In Vivo Angiographic Detection of Vascular Lesions in Apolipoprotein E-Knockout Mice Using a Synchrotron Radiation Microangiography System

• Published in: Circulation Journal Vol. 66; no. 11; pp. 1057 - 1059
• Main Authors: Yamashita, Tomoya, Kawashima, Seinosuke, Ozaki, Masanori, Namiki, Masayuki, Shinohara, Masakazu, Inoue, Nobutaka, Hirata, Ken-ichi, Umetani, Keiji, Yokoyama, Mitsuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto The Japanese Circulation Society 2002; Japanese Circulation Society
• Subjects: Angiography - instrumentation; Angiography - standards; Animals; ApoE-KO; Apolipoproteins E - genetics; Arteries - pathology; Arteriosclerosis - diagnostic imaging; Arteriosclerosis - etiology; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Female; Hyperlipidemias; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Microangiography; Microcirculation - diagnostic imaging; Miniaturization; SPring-8; Synchrotrons; Radiodiagnosis; Angiography; Rodentia; Cardiovascular disease; Metabolic diseases; Lipids; Microangiography; Vascular disease; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Atherosclerosis; Hyperlipemia; Diagnosis; Technique; Dyslipemia
• ISSN: 1346-9843; 1347-4820
• DOI: 10.1253/circj.66.1057

Genetically modified hyperlipidemic mice provide important information on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, but most experimental designs are limited to in vitro or ex vivo examinations. The present study was designed to detect atherosclerotic lesions in situ in apolipoprotein E-knockout (apoE-KO) mice using a newly developed angiography system, synchrotron radiation (SR) microangiography, which uses monochromatic SR as an X-ray source and a high definition camera or video system as a detector. Digital microangiography with 7 mm pixel sizes was carried out and atherosclerotic lesion in small arteries less than 500 μm in diameter were detected. Moreover, the coronary artery stenotic lesion of an apoE-KO mouse was detected in situ with the angiography system. The new SR microangiography system is a powerful tool for investigating atherosclerotic lesions in situ in genetically engineered mice and will promote the basic study of atherosclerotic disease. (Circ J 2002; 66: 1057 - 1059)