Kim, Dong-Eog Kim, Jeong-Yeon Schellingerhout, Dawid Kim, Eo-Jin Kim, Hyang Kyoung Lee, Seulki Kim, Kwangmeyung Kwon, Ick Chan Shon, Soo-Min Jeong, Sang-Wuk Im, So-Hyang Lee, Dong Kun Lee, Myoung Mook Kim, Geun-Eun 2024-01-20T19:35:01Z 2024-01-20T19:35:01Z 2021-09-02 2010-03 1079-5642 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/131682 Objective-There is hope that molecular imaging can identify vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. However, there is a paucity of clinical translational data to guide the future development of this field. Here, we cross-correlate cathepsin-B or matrix metalloproteinase-2/-9 molecular optical imaging data of human atheromata or emboli with conventional imaging data, clinical data, and histopathologic data. Methods and Results-Fifty-two patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (41 atheromata) or carotid stenting (15 captured emboli) were studied with protease-activatable imaging probes. We show that protease-related fluorescent signal in carotid atheromata or in emboli closely reflects the pathophysiologic alterations of plaque inflammation and statin-mediated therapeutic effects on plaque inflammation. Inflammation-related fluorescent signal was observed in the carotid bifurcation area and around ulcero-hemorrhagic lesions. Pathologically proven unstable plaques had high cathepsin-B-related fluorescent signal. The distribution patterns of the mean cathepsin-B imaging signals showed a difference between the symptomatic vs asymptomatic plaque groups. However, the degree of carotid stenosis or ultrasonographic echodensity was weakly correlated with the inflammatory proteolytic enzyme-related signal, suggesting that molecular imaging yields complimentary new information not available to conventional imaging. Conclusion-These results could justify and facilitate clinical trials to evaluate the use of protease-sensing molecular optical imaging in human atherosclerosis patients. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2010;30:449-456.) English LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS CAROTID PLAQUES CATHEPSIN-K STROKE COUNCIL CLASSIFICATION VISUALIZATION INFLAMMATION MACROPHAGES ULTRASOUND MORPHOLOGY Protease Imaging of Human Atheromata Captures Molecular Information of Atherosclerosis, Complementing Anatomic Imaging Article 10.1161/ATVBAHA.109.194613 1 ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY, v.30, no.3, pp.449 - U186 ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY 30 3 449 U186 scie scopus 000274658700014 2-s2.0-77649150253 Hematology Peripheral Vascular Disease Hematology Cardiovascular System & Cardiology Article CAROTID PLAQUES CATHEPSIN-K STROKE COUNCIL CLASSIFICATION VISUALIZATION INFLAMMATION MACROPHAGES ULTRASOUND MORPHOLOGY atherosclerosis cathepsin-B molecular imaging protease structural imaging