Molecular imaging of vulnerable plaques in rabbits using contrast-enhanced ultrasound targeting to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2.

Purpose: Increased neovascularization has been identified as a feature of atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability and can be traced by microbubble ultrasound contrast agents (UCA). We investigated the relationship between retention of a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) targeted UCA and VEGFR-2 expression in a vulnerable plaque model in rabbits.

Methods: Microbubbles targeting to VEGFR-2 were prepared by conjugation of biotinylated microbubbles with biotinylated VEGFR-2 antibody via streptavidin.

Myocardium-targeted transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells by diagnostic ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction improves cardiac function in myocardial infarction of New Zealand rabbits.

Background: Therapeutic ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction has been applied in the targeted delivery of genes, drugs and stem cells. We intended to study whether diagnostic US irradiating lipid-coated microbubble destruction combined with bone-marrow derived MSC infusion could enable the targeted delivery of MSCs into the myocardium and improve cardiac function of the myocardial infarction of New Zealand rabbits.

Methods: Diagnostic ultrasound was applied to the anterior chest for 10 min after intravenous injection of lipid-coated microbubble followed by infusion of BM-MSCs.