Diffusion-weighted MR images were compared with T2-weighted MR images and correlated with 1H spin-echo and 31P MR spectroscopy for 6-8 h following a unilateral middle cerebral and bilateral carotid artery occlusion in eight cats. Diffusion-weighted images using strong gradient strengths (b values of 1413 s/mm2) displayed a significant relative hyperintensity in ischemic regions as early as 45 min after onset of ischemia whereas T2-weighted spin-echo images failed to clearly demonstrate brain injury up to 2-3 h postocclusion. Signal intensity ratios (SIR) of ischemic to normal tissues were greater in the diffusion-weighted images at all times than in either TE 80 or TE 160 ms T2-weighted MR images. Diffusion- and T2-weighted SIR did not correlate for the first 1-2 h postocclusion. Good correlation was found between diffusion-weighted SIR and ischemic disturbances of energy metabolism as detected by 31P and 1H MR spectroscopy. Diffusion-weighted hyperintensity in ischemic tissues may be temperature-related, due to rapid accumulation of diffusion-restricted water in the intracellular space (cytotoxic edema) resulting from the breakdown of the transmembrane pump and/or to microscopic brain pulsations.

The diffusion behavior of intracranial water in the cat brain and spine was examined with the use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, in which the direction of the diffusion-sensitizing gradient was varied between the x, y, and z axes of the magnet. At very high diffusion-sensitizing gradient strengths, no clear evidence of anisotropic water diffusion was found in either cortical or subcortical (basal ganglia) gray matter. Signal intensities clearly dependent on orientation were observed in the cortical and deep white matter of the brain and in the white matter of the spinal cord. Greater signal attenuation (faster diffusion) was observed when the relative orientation of white matter tracts to the diffusion-sensitizing gradient was parallel as compared to that obtained with a perpendicular alignment. These effects were seen on both premortem and immediate postmortem images obtained in all axial, sagittal, and coronal views. Potential applications of this MR imaging technique included the stereospecific evaluation of white matter in the brain and spinal cord and in the characterization of demyelinating and dysmyelinating diseases.

In part by repressing expression of Bim, microRNA-24 reduces cardiomyocyte loss in a mouse model of myocardial infarction.

Purpose The presence of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in breast cancer correlates strongly with poor outcome. The purpose of this study was to develop a clinically applicable, non-invasive diagnostic assay for selective targeting and visualization of TAMs in breast cancer, based on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and clinically applicable iron oxide nanoparticles. Experimental Design F4/80-negative mammary carcinoma cells and F4/80-positive TAMs were incubated with iron oxide nanoparticles and were compared regarding MR signal changes and iron uptake. MMTV-PyMT transgenic mice harboring mammary carcinomas underwent nanoparticle-enhanced MR up to 1 hour (h) and at 24 h post injection (p.i.). The tumor enhancement on MR images was correlated with the presence and location of TAMs and nanoparticles on confocal microscopy. Results In vitro studies revealed that iron oxide nanoparticles are preferentially phagocytosed by TAMs, but not by malignant tumor cells. In vivo, all tumors demonstrated an initial contrast agent perfusion on immediate postcontrast MR images with gradual transendothelial leakage into the tumor interstitium. At 24 h p.i., all tumors demonstrated a persistent signal decline on MR scans. TAM-depletion via αCSF1 mAb lead to significant inhibition of tumor nanoparticle enhancement. Detection of iron using DAB-enhanced Prussian Blue staining, and immunodetection of CD68 localized iron oxide nanoparticles to TAMs, indicating that the MR signal effects on delayed MR images were largely due to TAM-mediated uptake of contrast agent. Conclusion These data indicate that tumor-enhancement with clinically applicable iron oxide nanoparticles may serve as a new biomarker for long-term prognosis, related treatment decisions and the evaluation of new immune-targeted therapies.

Macrophages are viewed as amplifiers of ischemic brain injury, but the origin of injury-producing macrophages is poorly defined. The role of resident brain macrophages—microglial cells—in stroke remains controversial. To determine if microglial cells exert injurious effects after neonatal focal stroke, we selectively depleted these cells with intracerebral injection of liposome-encapsulated clodronate before transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in postnatal day seven rats. Phagocytosis of apoptotic neurons by activated microglia was poor in animals with unmanipulated microglia, and depletion of these cells did not increase the number of apoptotic neurons. Lack of microglia increased the brain levels of several cytokines and chemokines already elevated by ischemia–reperfusion, and also increased the severity and volume of injury, suggesting that microglial cells contribute to endogenous protection during the subacute injury phase. Then, to determine if accumulation of reactive oxygen species in microglia adversely affects phagocytosis of dying neurons and contributes to injury, we delivered reduced glutathione (GSH) into microglia, again using liposomes. Remarkably, pharmacologically increased intracellular GSH concentrations in microglia induced superoxide accumulation in lipid rafts in these cells, further increased the brain levels of macrophage chemoattractants, and exacerbated injury. Taken together, these data show that microglia are part of the endogenous defense mechanisms and that, while antioxidants can protect the injured neonatal brain, high levels of reducing equivalents in activated microglia, GSH, trigger superoxide production, favor the reorganization of lipids, amplify local inflammation and exacerbate injury.

The fractional distribution volumes of gadopentetate dimeglumine and 99mTc-DTPA are similar and indicate extracellular distribution in normal myocardium and intracellular as well as extracellular distribution in reperfused infarction. Because the failure of cells to exclude these agents is indicative of necrosis, contrast medium-enhanced MR imaging may be useful to quantify myocardial infarction.

Quantitative assays of tumor microvascular characteristics based on dynamic MR imaging were correlated with histopathologic grade in mammary soft-tissue tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A spectrum of tumors, benignthrough highlymalignant, was induced in 33 female rats by administration of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea, a potent car cinogen. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging was performed using a small-molecular contrast medium (gadopentetate, molecular weight = 0.5 kDa) and a macromolecular contrast medium (albumin-(Gd-DTPA)30, molecular weight = 92 kDa) at an interval of 1â€"2 days. Per meability surface area product (PS), as estimated by the corresponding endothelial transfer coefficient (K@5), and fractional plasma volume (JPV) were calculated for each tumor and each contrast agent using a two-compartment bidirectional kinetic model. MR imaging mi crovascular characteristics were correlated with histopathologic tumor grade. RESULTS. Tumorpermeability to macromolecular contrast medium,characterized byK@5, showed a highly positive correlation with tumor grade (r2 = .76, p < lO_10). K@5 values were zero for all benign and some low-grade carcinomas, greater than zero in all other carci nomas, and increased in magnitude with higher tumor grade. A considerably smaller but sig nificantly positive correlation was found betweenfPV and tumor grade using macromolecular contrast medium (r2 = .25, p < .003). No correlation between K@5orfPV values and tumor grade was found using gadopentetate (r2 = .01, p > .95 and r2 = .03, p > .15, respectively).CONCLUSION. Quantitative tumormicrovascular permeability assays generated with macromolecular MR imaging contrast medium correlate closely with histologic tumor grade. No significant correlation is found using small-molecular gadopentetate. Parnassus Ave.,San Francisco, CA94143-0628. Address correspondence to R.C.Brasch.

The immaturity of the CNS at birth greatly affects injury after stroke but the contribution of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to the differential response to stroke in adults and neonates is poorly understood. We asked if the structure and function of the BBB is disrupted differently in neonatal and adult rats by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. In adult rats, albumin leakage into injured regions was markedly increased during 2–24 h reperfusion but leakage remained low in the neonates. Functional assays employing intravascular tracers in the neonates showed that BBB permeability to both large (70-kDa dextran) and small (3-kDa dextran, Gd-DTPA) tracers remained largely undisturbed 24h after reperfusion. The profoundly different functional integrity of the BBB was associated with the largely nonoverlapping patterns of regulated genes in endothelial cells purified from injured and uninjured adult and neonatal brain at 24h (endothelial transcriptome, 31,042 total probe sets). Within significantly regulated 1,266 probe sets in injured adults and 361 probe sets in neonates, changes in the gene expression of the basal lamina components, adhesion molecules, the tight junction protein occludin, and MMP-9 were among the key differences. The protein expression of collagen-IV, laminin, claudin-5, occludin and ZO-1 was also better preserved in neonatal rats. Neutrophil infiltration remained low in acutely injured neonates but neutralization of CINC-1 in the systemic circulation enhanced neutrophil infiltration, BBB permeability and injury. The markedly more integrant BBB in neonatal brain than in adult brain after acute stroke may have major implications for the treatment of neonatal stroke.