Abstract #3508
In vivo imaging of brain endothelium activation with a novel targeted iron-oxide based contrast agent - LacNAc-CLIO
Sibson N, Anthony D, van Kasteren S, Davis B, Campbell S, Morsali D
University of Oxford
One of the earliest events in an inflammatory response is the expression of specific adhesion molecules, e.g. selectins, on endothelial cells which enables the migration of leukocytes from the bloodstream into the surrounding tissue. We have previously demonstrated that a novel gadolinium-based contrast agent, Gd-DTPA-B(sLeX)A, can be used to identify early endothelial activation in a cytokine-induced model of CNS inflammation. We are now developing new agents based on an amine-functionalised cross-linked iron oxide (CLIO) particle, and here demonstrate the application of N-acetyllactosamine-CLIO-particles (LacNAc-CLIO), which are a truncated variant of an sLeX-derivatised CLIO-particle, for the detection of CNS inflammation in vivo.
