Journal Article

IVIS, Xen29, Xen 29, Staphylococcus aureus Xen29, Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Pneumonectomy/*adverse effects; Postoperative Complications/*surgery; Stem Cell Transplantation/*methods; Thoracic Cavity/*surgery; Thoracoplasty/*methods; Tissue Engineering/*methods

BACKGROUND: Transfer of viable tissue flaps and thoracoplasty are effective against pleural space complications after pneumonectomy but highly disfiguring. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of engineered tissue to treat space complications after pneumonectomy. METHODS: A left pneumonectomy was performed in mice, and the cavity immediately filled with the cellularized collagen matrices. First, bone marrow derived-mesenchymal stroma cells with luciferase expression were used as donor cells to evaluate cell viability and angiogenesis using bioluminescence imaging. Second, using bone marrow cells from GFP mice, histologic evaluation, immunohistochemistry for von Willebrand Factor, and flow cytometric analysis was performed compared with acellular matrix implants. The effect on bacterial clearance was examined using an empyema model with Staphylococcus aureus expressing luciferase. RESULTS: Embedded cells proliferated within the denatured collagen matrices ex vivo. In vivo, bioluminescent imaging activity could be detected till day 8, and the slope (suggesting rate of perfusion with luciferin) increased with time up to day 6 but decreased after day 7. Although GFP-positive donor cells decreased with time, total cellularity increased. Furthermore, vessels stained by von Willebrand factor were significantly increased. Both cellularized and acellularized matrices showed bacterial clearance in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Cells within collagen matrices survive in the thoracic cavity at early time points. Cellularized matrices quickly lead to neovascularization and recipient cell infiltration. Both cellularized and acellularized matrices show bacterial clearance in vivo. This study indicates the potential feasibility of a novel tissue engineering approach to problems of the postpneumonectomy space.

Journal Article

IntegriSense, Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Fiber Optic Technology/*methods; Fluorescent Dyes/*administration & dosage/*diagnostic use; Humans; Injections, Intralesional; Lung Neoplasms/*pathology; Microscopy, Fluorescence/*methods; Molecular Imaging/*methods; Rabbits; Surgery, Computer-Assisted/*methods; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods

PURPOSE: To show the feasibility of computed tomography (CT) image-guided fiberoptic confocal fluorescence molecular imaging in a rabbit lung tumor model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight lung tumor models were created by injection of a VX2 cell suspension. The fluorescent imaging agent IntegriSense 680 was given to the animals 3.5-4 hours before the procedure. CT images were obtained and transferred to the minimally invasive multimodality image-guided (MIMIG) system as a guidance map. A real-time electromagnetically tracked needle was inserted under the visual guidance of the MIMIG system. A second CT image was obtained to confirm the location of the needle tip. Next, fiberoptic fluorescence imaging was acquired along the needle track. Finally, tumor samples were obtained for histopathologic confirmation. RESULTS: All cases were performed during breath-hold. Tumor size was 12.5 mm +/- 1.6; the distance from the chest wall was 2.1 mm +/- 0.5. The needle tip reached the tumor in all cases with an accuracy of 3.3 mm +/- 1.6. Only one skin entry point was necessary, and no needle adjustments were required. No pneumothorax was observed. At least two-fold alpha(v)beta(3) integrin image contrast was detected in the tumor compared with normal lung tissue. Tumor samples were confirmed to have viable VX2 cells and contrast uptake. CONCLUSIONS: The MIMIG system enables effective in situ fluorescence molecular imaging in a needle biopsy lung procedure. In situ alpha(v)beta(3) integrin molecular imaging allows molecular characterization of lung tumors at multiple regions and can be used to guide biopsy procedures.

Journal Article

OsteoSense, Animals; Bone Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*secondary; Diagnostic Imaging/*methods; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Humans; Molecular Imaging/methods; Neoplasm Metastasis/diagnosis

Bone metastasis is a complex process that ultimately leads to devastating metastatic bone disease. It is therefore of key interest to unravel the mechanisms underlying the multistep process of skeletal metastasis and cancer-induced bone disease, and to develop better treatment and management of patients with this devastating disease. Fortunately, novel technologies are rapidly emerging that allow real-time imaging of molecules, pathogenic processes, drug delivery and drug response in preclinical in vivo models. The outcome of these experimental studies will facilitate clinical cancer research by improving the detection of cancer cell invasion, metastasis and therapy response.

Journal Article

U87-MG-luc2, U-87-MG-luc2, U87MG-luc2, Bioluminescence, Glioma, IVIS

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is generated by ionizing neutral gas molecules/atoms leading to a highly reactive gas at ambient temperature containing excited molecules, reactive species and generating transient electric fields. Given its potential to interact with tissue or cells without a significant temperature increase, NTP appears as a promising approach for the treatment of various diseases including cancer. The aim of our study was to evaluate the interest of NTP both in vitro and in vivo. To this end, we evaluated the antitumor activity of NTP in vitro on two human cancer cell lines (glioblastoma U87MG and colorectal carcinoma HCT-116). Our data showed that NTP generated a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to the formation of DNA damages. This resulted in a multiphase cell cycle arrest and a subsequent apoptosis induction. In addition, in vivo experiments on U87MG bearing mice showed that NTP induced a reduction of bioluminescence and tumor volume as compared to nontreated mice. An induction of apoptosis was also observed together with an accumulation of cells in S phase of the cell cycle suggesting an arrest of tumor proliferation. In conclusion, we demonstrated here that the potential of NTP to generate ROS renders this strategy particularly promising in the context of tumor treatment.

Journal Article

ProSense; FMT; fluorescence; tomography; proteases; lung; inflammation; in vivo imaging

Biomedical imaging has become an important tool in the study of “-omics” fields by allowing the noninvasive visualization of functional and molecular events using in vivo staining and reporter gene approaches. This capacity can go beyond the understanding of the genetic basis and phenotype of such respiratory conditions as acute bronchitis, adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma and investigate the development of disease and of therapeutic events longitudinally and in unperturbed environments. Herein, we show how the application of novel quantitative optical imaging methods, using transillumination and fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT), can allow visualization of pulmonary inflammation in small animals in vivo. The results confirm prior observations using a protease-sensitive probe. We discuss how this approach enables in vivo insights at the system level as to the dynamic role of proteases in respiratory pathophysiology and their potential as therapeutic targets. Overall, the proposed imaging method can be used with a significantly wider range of possible targets and applications in lung imaging.