RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Longitudinal imaging characterisation of a model of chronic allergic lung inflammation in mice
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P273
VO 40
IS Suppl 56
A1 Kumar Changani
A1 Catherine Pereira
A1 Simon Young
A1 Robert Shaw
A1 Tony Nials
A1 Simon Campbell
A1 Kashmira Pindoria
A1 Steve Jordon
A1 Michael Haase
A1 Mike Pedrick
A1 Richard Knowles
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P273.abstract
AB The aim of the study was to investigate the role that imaging could have for longitudinally assessing allergic lung inflammation. This is usually assessed using terminal procedures eg bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) & tissue histology. We describe how MRI & CT methods provide sensitive early readouts of inflammation where individual animals are tracked throughout enabling longitudinal intervention, potentially reducing animal numbers & providing a translational approach.Balb/c mice were exposed to inhaled House Dust Mite (HDM) or saline for 7 weeks. MRI groups included: 12ug daily HDM dose; 25ug daily HDM dose; vehicle. CT groups: 25ug/mL HDM±Budesonide (3mg/kg, weeks 5-7); vehicle. Mice were scanned weekly by MRI or CT. AHR & IgE measurements were taken on weeks 3,5&7. After the last imaging session BALs were taken & lungs prepared for histology.MRI showed a gradual weekly increase in lung tissue intensity (LTI) in HDM treated animals cf control. The 25ug HDM group showed a continual sig. increase in LTI between weeks 3-7, the 12ug HDM treated group showed similar rates of increase & plateaued by week 5. A corresponding increase in AHR, cell counts & IgE were observed. CT showed sig. increases in LTI from week 1 of HDM & this was maintained for 7 weeks. Budesonide treatment showed a reversal in the increase in LTI.MRI & CT provide a non-invasive & sensitive method for longitudinally assessing lung inflammation in the chronic HDM mouse model. LTI changes correlate directly with classical inflammatory readouts allowing more accurate assessments to be made within animal & provide a clinically translatable approach.This collaborative study was carried out part of the U-BIOPRED project.