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Published on: May 26, 2015
Recent advancements in dual-locked optical probe for precise imaging of atherosclerosis
Yulong Li1,2,3, Mengyao Luo1,2,3, Changqing Ye2
1College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, P. R. of China.
Insights
Dual-lock optical probes enhance atherosclerosis imaging specificity by targeting multiple biomarkers, improving early diagnosis and risk assessment for cardiovascular events. This advancement offers greater accuracy than single-target probes, paving the way for integrated diagnosis and treatment platforms.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Molecular Probes
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
Background:
- Atherosclerosis (AS) is a major cause of cardiovascular events, necessitating early diagnosis and risk assessment.
- Current imaging methods (CT, MRI, PET) lack molecular detail, hindering thrombotic risk evaluation.
- Single-target optical probes for AS biomarkers suffer from false positives due to biomarker cross-expression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review targeted imaging strategies for atherosclerosis using dual-lock optical probes.
- To highlight advancements in dual-lock probes for detecting AS molecular characteristics.
- To discuss the potential of these probes in improving diagnosis and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on dual-lock optical probes for atherosclerosis.
- Focus on probes targeting lipid droplets, oxidative stress, and specific enzymes.
- Analysis of strategies for synergistic dual-target activation.
Main Results:
- Dual-lock probes demonstrate enhanced specificity and signal-to-noise ratio compared to single-target probes.
- Successful application in targeting key molecular features of atherosclerotic plaques.
- Identification of potential for improved assessment of plaque activity and thrombotic risk.
Conclusions:
- Dual-lock optical probes offer a significant advancement in atherosclerosis imaging, overcoming limitations of previous methods.
- Further development is needed to address sensitivity, specificity, and multi-target design challenges.
- These probes show promise for evolving into integrated diagnosis and treatment platforms for complex diseases.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis (AS) is the primary pathological basis for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, making early diagnosis and dynamic risk assessment crucial for reducing the incidence of thrombotic occurrences. Traditional imaging techniques, such as CT, MRI, and PET, provide morphological information about plaques; however, they are limited in their ability to detect the molecular activity characteristics of these plaques, which hampers the assessment of thrombotic risk. In recent years, molecular optical probes have offered new insights into plaque activity detection by targeting specific biomarkers. However, single-target probes often produce false positive signals due to the cross-expression of biomarkers, which limits their clinical application. To overcome this challenge, dual-lock optical probes have been developed, achieving dual-target synergistic activation, which significantly enhances the specificity and signal-to-noise ratio of imaging. This article reviews the targeted imaging strategies and recent advancements in dual-lock optical probes in the context of AS, with a particular emphasis on their application in lipid droplet enrichment, oxidative stress, and specific enzymes. Although the technology still faces challenges regarding sensitivity, specificity, and multi-target design, its potential for future development is substantial. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation, dual-lock optical probes are poised to evolve from 'imaging tools' to 'integrated diagnosis and treatment platforms', thereby advancing the precise diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases.
