Abstract
Pre-clinical studies using murine models are critical for understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying immune-mediated disorders such as Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). In this study, an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system capable of providing three-dimensional images with axial and transverse resolutions of 5 µm and 10 µm, respectively, was utilized to obtain esophageal images from a murine model of EoE-like disease ex vivo. Structural changes in the esophagus of wild-type (Tslpr(+/+) ) and mutant (Tslpr(-/-) ) mice with EoE-like disease were quantitatively evaluated and food impaction sites in the esophagus of diseased mice were monitored using OCT. Here, the capability of OCT as a label-free imaging tool devoid of tissue-processing artifacts to effectively characterize murine EoE-like disease models has been demonstrated.
Highlights
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an inflammatory disease of the esophagus characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the esophageal squamous epithelium [1]
The increased epithelial thickness and food impaction observed in the Tslpr+/+ treatment group sensitized with MC903 + OVA and challenged with OVA confirmed the involvement of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the development of murine EoE-like disease [40]
Absence of similar symptoms in the Tslpr−/− treatment group sensitized with MC903 + OVA and challenged with OVA showed that the TSLP pathway is very critical for EoE pathogenesis
Summary
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an inflammatory disease of the esophagus characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the esophageal squamous epithelium [1]. An endoscopic study using hWLE and CLE has shown promise in providing more detailed diagnosis of EoE-associated histological changes in vivo [26]. In another recent study, a tethered optomechanical pill that was capable of capturing three-dimensional (3D) micromorphologic images using OCT, suitable for diagnostic applications in the upper GI tract, was demonstrated [27]. In vivo non-invasive imaging techniques such as CLE and OCT allow visualization of epithelial surface and subsurface features with micron-scale resolution These techniques can be a useful adjunct to endoscopy to improve the diagnostic accuracy in GI diseases and to avoid unnecessary endoscopic biopsies
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