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Molecular Imaging of Macrophage Enzyme Activity in Cardiac Inflammation

  • Molecular Imaging (G Strijkers)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Molecular imaging is highly advantageous as various insidious inflammatory events can be imaged in a serial and quantitative fashion. Combined with the conventional imaging modalities like computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and nuclear imaging, it helps us resolve the extent of ongoing pathology, quantify inflammation, and predict outcome. Macrophages are increasingly gaining importance as an imaging biomarker in inflammatory cardiovascular diseases. Macrophages, recruited to the site of injury, internalize necrotic or foreign material. Along with phagocytosis, activated macrophages release proteolytic enzymes like matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cathepsins into the extracellular environment. Proinflammatory monocytes and macrophages also induce tissue oxidative damage through the inflammatory enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO). In this review we will highlight recent advances in molecular macrophage imaging. Particular stress will be given to macrophage functional and enzymatic activity imaging, which targets phagocytosis, proteolysis, and myeloperoxidase activity imaging.

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Muhammad Ali declares that he has no conflict of interest. Benjamin Pulli declares that he has no conflict of interest. John W. Chen declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS), 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Muhammad Ali, Benjamin Pulli & John W. Chen

  2. Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    John W. Chen

Authors
  1. Muhammad Ali
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  2. Benjamin Pulli
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  3. John W. Chen
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Correspondence to John W. Chen.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Molecular Imaging

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Ali, M., Pulli, B. & Chen, J.W. Molecular Imaging of Macrophage Enzyme Activity in Cardiac Inflammation. Curr Cardiovasc Imaging Rep 7, 9258 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-014-9258-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12410-014-9258-0

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