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(Circulation. 2001;104:934.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Basic Science Reports

Macrophage Accumulation Associated With Rat Cardiac Allograft Rejection Detected by Magnetic Resonance Imaging With Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Particles

Shinichi Kanno, MD; Yi-Jen Lin Wu, PhD; Paul C. Lee, MD; Stephen J. Dodd, PhD; Mangay Williams, PhD; Bartley P. Griffith, MD; Chien Ho, PhD

From the Department of Biological Sciences and Pittsburgh NMR Center for Biomedical Research, Carnegie Mellon University (S.K., Y.J.L.W., S.J.D., M.W., C.H.), and the Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh (P.C.L., B.P.G.), Pittsburgh, Pa.

Correspondence to Chien Ho, PhD, Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh PA 15213-2683. E-mail chienho{at}andrew.cmu.edu

Background—— Acute cardiac allograft rejection continues to be the cause of graft loss and contributes to the morbidity and mortality after cardiac transplantation. In this study, we report a new method for detecting organ rejection in transplantation with an MR-based technique using dextran-coated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles. These particles (27 nm in diameter) are known to shorten relaxation times in MRI experiments.

Methods and Results—— A new rat model of heterotopic heart and lung transplantation has been developed for MRI experiments. Allotransplantations (DABN) were performed (n=8), with syngeneic transplantations (BNBN) serving as controls (n=8). MR images were obtained with a gradient echo method. At postoperative day 7, allotransplants developed moderate rejection as determined histopathologically. A significant reduction in MR signal intensity was observed after USPIO injection into rats with allotransplanted hearts. Syngeneic transplants showed no differences in MR signal intensity before and after USPIO injections. After injection of USPIO particles at postoperative day 6, a group of allotransplanted rats was treated with cyclosporin A (3 mg/kg). Animals treated with cyclosporin A for 7 days showed no reduction in MR signal intensity after USPIO reinjection at day 14, whereas animals treated for 4 days showed a significant decrease in MR signal intensity in the transplanted hearts indicative of acute graft rejection. Pathological analysis of these animals revealed that dextran-coated USPIO particles were taken up by the infiltrating macrophages that accumulated within the rejecting cardiac graft.

Conclusions—— This MRI method offers promise as a noninvasive method for detecting transplant allograft rejection.

Key Words: magnetic resonance imaging • rejection • diagnosis • transplantation