Attenuation of Apoptosis by Telmisartan in Atherosclerotic Plaques of Apolipoprotein E-/- Mice: Evaluation Using Technetium 99m-Annexin A5

作者：Zhao Yan; Zhao Songji; Kuge Yuji^*; Strauss H William; Blankenberg Francis G; Tamaki Nagara

来源：Molecular Imaging, 2013, 12(5): 300-309.

DOI：10.2310/7290.2012.00045

Technetium 99m (Tc-99m)-annexin A5, a marker of ongoing apoptosis, is supposed to be useful in the detection of metabolically active atheroma. The aim of this study was to determine the potential of Tc-99m-annexin A5 for evaluating the therapeutic effects of an angiotensin II receptor type 1 blocker (ARB) (telmisartan) on atherosclerosis. Male apolipoprotein E (/) mice were divided into telmisartan-treated (3 mg/kg/d, n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups. After 16 to 21 weeks of treatment, Tc-99m-annexin A5 was injected and cryostat sections of aortic tissues (n = 10-12/aorta) were prepared. The Tc-99m-annexin A5 accumulation level in the plaques was evaluated by autoradiography. Serial sections of the plaques were histologically examined to identify the lesion phenotypes (normal vessels, early lesions, atheromatous lesions, and fibrotic lesions), plaque size, macrophage infiltration levels, and lipid deposition levels. Telmisartan treatment significantly decreased the plaque size (0.05 +/- 0.05 vs 0.11 +/- 0.08, mm(2)), macrophage infiltration level (0.02 +/- 0.02 vs 0.03 +/- 0.02, mm(2)), lipid deposition level (0.01 +/- 0.01 vs 0.02 +/- 0.02, mm(2)), and Tc-99m-annexin A5 accumulation level (1.30 +/- 1.09 vs 2.15 +/- 1.91, x 10(-6)/g). Tc-99m-annexin A5 accumulation levels in the plaques positively correlated with macrophage infiltration (r = .69, p %26lt; .05) and lipid deposition (r = .66, p %26lt; .05) levels. Apoptosis imaging with Tc-99m-annexin A5 may be useful for evaluating the therapeutic effects of ARBs on atherosclerosis.

• 出版日期2013-8