More neat Imaging of Mice

Eaton VL, Vasquez KO, Goings GE, Hunter ZN, Peterson JD, Miller SD.Optical tomographic imaging of near infrared imaging agents quantifies disease severity and immunomodulation of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in vivo.
BACKGROUND:Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model that captures many of the hallmarks of human multiple sclerosis (MS), including blood--brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, inflammation, demyelination and axonal destruction. The standard clinical score measurement of disease severity and progression assesses functional changes in animal mobility; however, it does not offer information regarding the underlying pathophysiology of the disease in real time. The purpose of this study was to apply a novel optical imaging technique that offers the advantage of rapid imaging of relevant biomarkers in live animals.
METHODS:Advances in non-invasive fluorescence molecular tomographic (FMT) imaging, in combination with a variety of biological imaging agents, offer a unique, sensitive and quantifiable approach to assessing disease biology in living animals. Using vascular (AngioSense 750EX) and protease-activatable cathepsin B (Cat B 680 FAST) near infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging agents to detect BBB breakdown and inflammation, respectively, we quantified brain and spinal cord changes in mice with relapsing-remitting PLP139-151-induced EAE and in response to tolerogenic therapy.
RESULTS:FMT imaging and analysis techniques were carefully characterized and non-invasive imaging results corroborated by both ex vivo tissue imaging and comparison to clinical score results and histopathological analysis of CNS tissue. FMT imaging showed clear differences between control and diseased mice, and immune tolerance induction by antigen-coupled PLGA nanoparticles effectively blocked both disease induction and accumulation of imaging agents in the brain and spinal cord.
CONCLUSIONS:Cat B 680 FAST and AngioSense 750EX offered the combination best able to detect disease in both the brain and spinal cord, as well as the downregulation of disease by antigen-specific tolerance. Non-invasive optical tomographic imaging thus offers a unique approach to monitoring neuroinflammatory disease and therapeutic intervention in living mice with EAE.
Some more neat imaging of EAE in living animals. Quantitative outcomes in the living animal. I like this possibilitiy. Looking at the images there is always the question of resolution,  because it is more of an amorphous signal, but shows that spinal cord is more involved in EAE than brain and that it can be modulated by treatment

Why did I pick this paper, because it is topical and fits with todays theme. So in line of pharma using basic scientics, this is a case whether the scientists are helping to plug a technology from the makers of the technology.  Check out their conflicts of interests statement. They acknowledge that. Its open access so everyone can see it. Good for marketing who paid for the publication costs?

Now by reporting this, I too am publicizing the companies wears. I got nothing out of the deal but shows how easy it is to manipulate the scientists:-). 

Similarly this is done by pharma to manipulate the media. How often do we hear of a new trial on drug x or y. News and interesting yes but it helps the share price of the company.

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