ADAMTS4-Specific MR Peptide Probe for the Assessment of Atherosclerotic Plaque Burden in a Mouse Model.

Introduction: Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of multiple cardiovascular pathologies. The present-day clinical imaging modalities do not offer sufficient information on plaque composition or rupture risk. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4 (ADAMTS4) is a strongly upregulated proteoglycan-cleaving enzyme that is specific to cardiovascular diseases, inter alia, atherosclerosis.

The Role of Glycocalyx Diversity and Thickness for Nanoparticle Internalization in M1-/M2-like Macrophages.

Very small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (VSOPs) show diagnostic value in multiple diseases as a promising MRI contrast agent. Macrophages predominantly ingest VSOPs, but the mechanism remains unclear. This study identifies differences in VSOP uptake between pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages and explores the role of the pericellular glycocalyx.

Repeated Injection of Very Small Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Particles (VSOPs) in Murine Atherosclerosis: A Safety Study.

Citrate-coated electrostatically stabilized very small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (VSOPs) have been successfully tested as magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) contrast agents and are promising tools for molecular imaging of atherosclerosis. Their repeated use in the background of pre-existing hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis has not yet been studied. This study aimed to investigate the effect of multiple intravenous injections of VSOPs in atherosclerotic mice.

Inorganic Phosphate-Induced Extracellular Vesicles from Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Contain Elevated Levels of Hyaluronic Acid, Which Enhance Their Interaction with Very Small Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Particles.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a high prevalence of hyperphosphatemia, where uremic toxins like inorganic phosphate (Pi) induce a cardiovascular remodeling. Related disorders like atherosclerosis bear the risk of increased morbidity and mortality. We previously found that Pi stimulates the synthesis and sulfation of the negatively charged glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC).

Uremic Toxin-Induced Exosome-like Extracellular Vesicles Contain Enhanced Levels of Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans which Facilitate the Interaction with Very Small Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Particles.

Uremic toxins exert pathophysiological effects on cells and tissues, such as the generation of a pro-calcifying subtype of exosome-like extracellular vesicles (EVs) in vascular cells. Little is known about the effects of the toxins on the surface structure of EVs. Thus, we studied the effects of uremic toxins on the abundance of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in EVs, and the implications for binding of ligands such as very small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (VSOPs) which could be of relevance for radiological EV-imaging.