Analysis of Development Mechanism of Giant Cell Arteritis in Nude Mouse Model through Color Duplex Sonography and Computerized Tomography Nanocontrast Agent.

Fugang Chen,Xiaoqiang Liu,Lu Wang,Xin Li,Yang Li,Hongyan Zhou,Sun Li,Chuang Sun

doi:10.1155/2021/6627925

Abstract

To explore the application value of color duplex sonography and enhanced computerized tomography (CT) inspection based on a nanocontrast agent in diagnosis and pathogenesis in giant cell arteritis (GCA), the GCA nude mouse model was constructed. In this study, 40 healthy male BalB/c nude mice aged 6-8 weeks were randomly divided into a control group (no model) and an experimental group (model), with 20 mice in each group, and the temporal artery tissue of GCA patients diagnosed as positive by temporal artery biopsy was implanted into nude mice to construct a GCA nude mouse model. Abdominal aortic biopsy and immunohistochemistry were used to verify the success of the GCA nude mouse model. All nude mice were subjected to color duplex sonography and enhanced CT examination based on a nanocontrast agent. At the same time, the basic indicators such as body weight, temperature, white blood cell (WBC), lymphocytes (LYM), hemoglobin (HGB), and platelet (PLT) were measured, and the protein expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the temporal artery wall of the nude mice in the experimental group thickened and the lumen was significantly narrowed, indicating that the cell arteritis model of nude mice was successfully constructed; ultrasound examination showed that the right superficial temporal artery vascular cavity narrowed, the blood flow signal changed like a filling defect around the periphery, and there was a low echo halo. CT examination showed that the left superficial temporal artery narrowed, and the inner diameter of the narrow segment of blood vessels changed like a bead. The body weight of nude mice in the experimental group decreased significantly after the modeling was completed (P < 0.05); after modeling, the body temperature of the nude mice in the experimental group increased significantly (P < 0.05); LYM and HGB values of nude mice in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the content of IL-6, STAT3, IL-6, and STAT3 proteins in the arterial tissue of nude mice in the experimental group was lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05), indicating that color duplex sonography and CT contrast agent technology can be used in the diagnosis and development mechanism research of GC.

Highlights

giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a common large and medium vasculitis, and it is a granulomatous vascular disease that mainly violates the extracranial branches of the aorta such as the ocular artery, superficial temporal artery, vertebral artery, and middle artery
The abdominal aorta thickness of the nude mice in the experimental group (Figure 2(a)) was significantly higher than that of the control group (Figure 2(b)). It can be found from the immunohistochemical images of the temporal arteries of the nude mice of the control group and the GCA model that compared with the control group (Figure 2(d)), the temporal artery wall of the experimental group of nude mice thickened and the lumen was significantly narrowed
Compared with the control group of nude mice (Figure 3(c)), the right superficial temporal artery trunk cavity of nude mice in the experimental group (Figure 2(d)) narrowed, the blood flow signal changed like a peripheral filling defect, and there was a low echo halo

Summary

Introduction

GCA is a common large and medium vasculitis, and it is a granulomatous vascular disease that mainly violates the extracranial branches of the aorta such as the ocular artery, superficial temporal artery, vertebral artery, and middle artery. GCA is prevalent in the elderly population over 50 years old in western countries. The detection rate of GCA in China has been increasing [1]. CT imaging technology is widely used in clinical diagnosis because of its strong tissue penetration, low cost, high resolution, and powerful image postprocessing technology. Common CT scanning methods in clinic include routine scanning and enhanced scanning.

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Discussion

Conclusion