T(2)-weighted MRI detects presymptomatic pathology in the SOD1 mouse model of ALS

Evans, Matthew C; Serres, S�bastien; Khrapitchev, Alexandre A; Stolp, Helen B; Anthony, Daniel C; Talbot, Kevin; Turner, Martin R; Sibson, Nicola R

Abstract

Neuroinflammation has been identified as a potential therapeutic target in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but relevant biomarkers are needed. The superoxide dismutase (SOD1)G93A transgenic mouse model of ALS offers a unique opportunity to study and potentially manipulate presymptomatic pathology. While T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to be sensitive to pathologic changes at symptom onset, no earlier biomarkers were previously identified and the underlying histopathologic correlates remain uncertain. To address these issues, we used a multimodal MRI approach targeting structural (T2, T2, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR)), vascular (gadolinium diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid), and endothelial (vascular cell adhesion molecule-microparticles of iron oxide) changes, together with histopathologic analysis from presymptomatic to symptomatic stages of disease. Presymptomatic changes in brainstem nuclei were evident on T2-weighted images from as early as 60 days (P[less than]0.05). Histologic indices of vacuolation, astro- and microglial activation all correlated with T2-weighted changes. Significant reductions in ADC (P[less than]0.01) and MTR (P[less than]0.05) were found at 120 days in the same brainstem nuclei. No changes in T1 relaxation, vascular permeability, or endothelial activation were found at any stage of disease. These findings suggest that T2-weighted MRI offers the strongest biomarker potential in this model, and that MRI has unique potential for noninvasive and longitudinal assessment of presymptomatically applied therapeutic and neuroprotective agents.

Citation

Evans, M. C., Serres, . S., Khrapitchev, A. A., Stolp, H. B., Anthony, D. C., Talbot, K., Turner, M. R., & Sibson, N. R. (2014). T(2)-weighted MRI detects presymptomatic pathology in the SOD1 mouse model of ALS. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 34(5), 785-793. https://doi.org/10.1038/jcbfm.2014.19

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 24, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Feb 5, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014-05
• Deposit Date: Mar 8, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 29, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism
• Print ISSN: 0271-678X
• Electronic ISSN: 1559-7016
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 785-793
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jcbfm.2014.19
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1106832
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1038/jcbfm.2014.19
• Related Public URLs: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24496176