20 Nov 20. Featured Paper

Link to paper on Nature.

Authors

Alastair J. Moss, Alisia M. Sim, Philip D. Adamson, Michael A. Seidman, Jack P. M. Andrews, Mhairi K. Doris, Anoop S. V. Shah, Ralph BouHaidar, Carlos J. Alcaide-Corral, Michelle C. Williams, Jonathon A. Leipsic, Marc R. Dweck, Vicky E. MacRae, David E. Newby, Adriana A. S. Tavares & Stephanie L. Sellers

Abstract

Early microcalcification is a feature of coronary plaques with an increased propensity to rupture & to cause acute coronary syndromes.

In this ex vivo imaging study of coronary artery specimens, the non-invasive imaging radiotracer, ¹⁸F-fluoride, was highly selective for hydroxyapatite deposition in atherosclerotic coronary plaque.

Specifically, coronary ¹⁸F-fluoride uptake had a high signal to noise ratio compared with surrounding myocardium that makes it feasible to identify coronary mineralisation activity.

Areas of ¹⁸F-fluoride uptake are associated with osteopontin, an inflammation-associated glycophosphoprotein that mediates tissue mineralisation, & Runt-related transcription factor 2, a nuclear protein involved in osteoblastic differentiation.

These results suggest that ¹⁸F-fluoride is a non-invasive imaging biomarker of active coronary atherosclerotic mineralisation.

Keywords

• Biomarkers

• Cardiology

• Molecular medicine