Non-invasive assessment of oxidative stress in the brain of small animal models by using in vivo electron spin resonance (ESR) imaging system

摘要

We have developed in vivo ESR imaging system with high-quality three dimensional (3D) images using nitroxyl spin probe, blood brain barrier (BBB)-permeable, 3- methoxycarbonyl- 2, 2, 5, 5, -tetramethyl-pyrrolidine- 1 -yloxy (MC-PROXYL) in living small animals. We performed the ESR imaging experiments in the brain of small animal models after injection of nitroxyl spin probe. In the 2D, 3D ESR imaging experiments it was clearly observed that MC-PROXYL was well distributed in the brain of head region. These results suggested that in vivo ESR imaging system using MC-PROXYL would be useful for the non-invasive assessment of oxidative stress in the brain of small animal models. We also confirmed the high oxidative stress in the isolated brain of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) compared as normal rat by using ESR imaging system.