Abstract
Purpose
To quantify spontaneous and therapeutic arteriogenesis in vivo in a murine model of peripheral arterial disease using magnetic resonance angiography.
Materials and Methods
Male, 8–12‐week‐old, C57/BL6 mice underwent femoral artery ligation; 21 days later, 2 mg/kg recombinant murine VEGF~165~, formulated for slow release, was injected into the ipsilateral gastrocnemius. The spontaneous (following ligation) and therapeutic (following vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) formation of collateral vessels was quantified using 3D magnetic resonance angiography on a small‐bore 4.7T system. Therapeutically induced angiogenesis and blood flow were quantified using an in situ anti‐platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) 1 radioimmunoassay and radiolabeled microsphere deposition, respectively.
Results
Spontaneous arteriogenesis was visible in all animals five days after ligation. VEGF treatment doubled the arteriogenic response five days after treatment compared to vehicle (cross‐sectional area of vessels: 0.96 vs. 0.46 mm^2^, P < 0.01). VEGF also induced angiogenesis (PECAM1 levels 191% of vehicle, P < 0.05) and increased blood flow specific to the injection site (57 vs. 7 mL/minute/100 g, P < 0.05).
Conclusion
The presented methodology allowed in vivo quantification of spontaneous arteriogenesis in a murine model of peripheral arterial disease and demonstrated that therapeutic enlargement of collateral vessels is possible with VEGF. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.