Radioiodinated Cholesteryl lopanoate as a Potential Probe for the in Vivo Visualization of Atherosclerotic Lesions in Animals

Radioiodinated cholesteryl iopanoate, a nonhydrolyzable cholesteryl ester probe, showed increased uptake into atherosclerotic aortas of cholesterol-fed rabbits in comparison with normal rabbits. Auto-radiography of the aortas showed the radioactivity to be concentrated in areas of visible atherosclerotic involvement. Lipid extraction and thin-layer chromatography of this tissue as well as liver, adrenal, and plasma confirmed the resistance of this probe to hydrolysis. These findings suggest that 125 I-cholesteryl iopanoate may prove useful for noninvasively monitoring atherosclerosis in intact laboratory animals.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41511/1/11095_2004_Article_306434.pd