Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2025
14:17
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps: How to Generate and Visualize Them
Published on: February 24, 2010
86.5K
X-ray Attenuating Vesicles with Neutrophil Extracellular Trap (NET) Specificity: Synthesis and Testing in a Model
Mark Epshtein1,2, Matthew J Gounis1,2, Alexei A Bogdanov1,2,3
1Department of Radiology, UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, United States.
ACS Omega
|July 15, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed novel lipid vesicles that target neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) for enhanced imaging during endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). These NET-specific agents show promise for improving clot visualization and treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical imaging
- Nanotechnology
- Immunology
Background:
- Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are implicated in thrombus formation and represent a potential target for imaging agents.
- Current imaging methods for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) lack specificity and can lead to complications like clot fragmentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate novel X-ray attenuating lipid vesicles (LV) for specific imaging of thrombi by targeting NETs.
- To assess the binding affinity and specificity of these engineered LV for NETs in vitro.
Main Methods:
- Lipid vesicles (200 nm) were formulated with CT contrast agents and functionalized with anti-citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3) antibodies via click chemistry.
- Antibody conjugation efficiency was quantified using differential fluorescent labeling.
- In vitro studies utilized differentiated HL60 promyeloblasts (dHL60) stimulated to undergo NETosis to evaluate LV binding specificity and affinity.
Main Results:
- The engineered LV demonstrated high X-ray attenuation (312 ± 54 mg/mL iodine).
- Successful conjugation of anti-CitH3 IgG to LV was confirmed, with 80 ± 3% coprecipitation.
- NET-specific LV exhibited high-affinity and specific binding to NET-forming dHL60 cells.
Conclusions:
- The developed NET-specific lipid vesicles show significant promise as thrombus-targeting imaging agents for EVT.
- These agents could potentially improve direct thrombus visualization, reduce procedure times, and minimize clot fragmentation during EVT.
