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MRI‐based monitoring of inflammation and tissue damage in acute and chronic relapsing EAE
Author(s) -
Rausch M.,
Hiestand P.,
Baumann D.,
Cannet C.,
Rudin M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.10541
Subject(s) - experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis , multiple sclerosis , pathology , myelin , magnetization transfer , encephalomyelitis , inflammation , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , blood–brain barrier , in vivo , white matter , microglia , immunology , central nervous system , biology , radiology , microbiology and biotechnology
Abstract Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a commonly used animal model that in several respects mimics human multiple sclerosis (MS), and can be used to design or validate new strategies for treatment of this disease. In the present study, different MRI techniques (macrophage tracking based on labeling cells in vivo by ultrasmall particles of iron oxide (USPIO), blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, and magnetization transfer imaging (MTI)), as well as immunohistological staining were used to study the burden of disease in Lewis rats immunized by guinea pig myelin. The resulting imaging data was compared with behavioral readouts. Animals were studied during the acute phase and the first relapse. Activated monocytes were detected during both episodes in the brain stem or cortex. These areas coincided in part with areas of BBB breakdown. Significant changes of the magnetization transfer ratios (MTRs) of up to 35% were observed in areas of USPIO accumulation. This suggests that infiltrating monocytes are the major source of demyelination in EAE, but monocyte infiltration and breakdown of the BBB are temporally or spatially independent inflammatory processes. Magn Reson Med 50:309–314, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.