Meeting Banner
Abstract #0479

A Novel Contrast Agent Detects Tropoelastin Fibers in Atherosclerotic Plaques

SUMMA25Alkystis Phinikaridou1, Marcelo E. Andia1, Rafael Torres Martin De Rosales, Rene M. Botnar

1Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

Studies of human vessels showed increased deposition of tropoelastin fibres, the precursor of cross-linked mature elastin, in atherosclerotic vessels, and particularly in ruptured plaques, as well as aortic aneurysm. Here, we sought to develop a novel gadolinium-based MRI contrast agent that would selectively bind to tropoelastin and in this way differentiate the de novo synthesized fibers that are present in the vascular wall only under pathological conditions from the mature cross-linked elastin that is normally present in the vessel wall.

Keywords

ability absence accompany acid addition adjacent agent amino amounts aortic arteries artery atom basis bind binding binds bound brown carotid chelation chem cholesterol chosen circulation coil college computed conditions contained contrast control conversely coupled cross delayed deposition despite detection detects develop development devoid diameter diet differentiate disease diseased disrupted disruption eight enhancement facilitate fast fibers flight form forms fused gadolinium house human illustrated importantly in vivo increasing individual induced inductively injection intravenous inversion journal king kingdom lard linked loop lysine maintaining mapping martin matrix mature measured mice microscopy minutes model molecular naturally normally novel occurring official particularly pathological peptide peptides pharmacologically pixel placed plan plaque plaques plasma post precursor presence projection promising prone protein proteins pulses quantified rabbit reconstructed recovery resolution segmented selective selectively sensitivity slice slices society sought specificity spectrometry stable starting structural studies subsequent sufficient synthesis synthesized table tabulated terminus tissues uptake validated vascular vessel vessels visualization vulnerability wall walls weeks