Non-invasive optical imaging of eosinophilia during the course of an experimental allergic airways disease model and in response to therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Molecular imaging of lung diseases, including asthma, is limited and either invasive or non-specific. Central to the inflammatory process in asthma is the recruitment of eosinophils to the airways, which release proteases and proinflammatory factors and contribute to airway remodeling. The aim of this study was to establish a new approach to non-invasively assess lung eosinophilia during the course of experimental asthma by combining non-invasive near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging with the specific detection of Siglec-F, a lectin found predominantly on eosinophils.

Methodology/principal findings

An ovalbumin (OVA)-based model was used to induce asthma-like experimental allergic airway disease (EAAD) in BALB/c mice. By means of a NIRF imager, we demonstrate

SUBMITTER: Markus MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3934967 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature