Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MS-325) in a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate whether inflammatory activity can be evaluated by MRI with an intravascular compound (MS-325) in Desoxyribonuclease I (Dnase1)-deficient mice, which show classical symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Methods: Dnase1-deficient and normal mice (both groups n = 10) underwent MRI with a body weight adapted dose of MS-325 on a 1.5 T whole body scanner equipped with a dedicated surface coil.

Inactivation of the thymidine kinase gene after in vitro modification with benzo(a)pyrene-diol-epoxide and transfer to LTK- cells as a eukaryotic test for carcinogens.

A recombinant plasmid containing the thymidine kinase (TK) gene (pAGO; 6.36 kilobases) was reacted in vitro with (+/-)-7 beta, 8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha, 10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene, an ultimate carcinogenic metabolite of benzo(a)pyrene. The covalent binding of the metabolite to the circular forms of pAGO was visible by a drastic change in their mobility during agarose gel electrophoresis.