Longitudinal In Vivo Monitoring of Atheroprogression in Hypercholesterolemic Mice Using Photoacoustic Imaging.

Background And Aim:  The ability to recognize and monitor atherosclerotic lesion development using noninvasive imaging is crucial in preventive cardiology. The aim of the present study was to establish a protocol for longitudinal monitoring of plaque lipid, collagen, and macrophage burden as well as of endothelial permeability.

Methods And Results:  Photoacoustic signals derived from endogenous or exogenous dyes assessed in vivo, in plaques of albino mice, correlated with lesion characteristics obtained after histomorphometric and immunofluorescence analyses, thus supporting the validity of our protocol.

Adipocyte-Specific ACKR3 Regulates Lipid Levels in Adipose Tissue.

Dysfunctional adipose tissue (AT) may contribute to the pathology of several metabolic diseases through altered lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3) expression was shown to increase in AT during obesity, and its ubiquitous elimination caused hyperlipidemia in mice. Although these findings point towards a role of ACKR3 in the regulation of lipid levels, the role of adipocyte-specific ACKR3 has not yet been studied exclusively in this context.