In vivo imaging of inflammatory responses by photoacoustics using cell-targeted gold nanorods (GNR) as contrast agent

Cardiovascular inflammatory activity was imaged in vivo. Inflammation is known to be a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging was employed using bio-conjugated gold nanorods (GNR) as a contrast agent. A mouse model based on vascular endothelium injury by a photochemical reaction of Rose Bengal (RB) dye to green light laser was used. Following a mid-line laparotomy under an approved animal protocol, anti-ICAM-1 conjugated GNR was injected through the dorsal penile vein followed by RB injection through the same vein. The inferior vena cava immediately distal to the renal veins of a C57BL/6 mouse was exposed to the green light laser for 10 minutes. The peak absorption of GNR was tuned to be 700 nm to minimize possible background absorption by blood and RB. The stability of GNR in the blood plasma was tested in vitro. Photoacoustic images were obtained through an ultrasound gel pouch in the mouse abdomen using a commercial ultrasound probe to evaluate inflammatory changes to the vascular endothelium, confirmed by histology. Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo photoacoustic imaging by a commercial ultrasound scanner of inflammation using GNR as a contrast agent.