Molecular imaging of apolipoprotein B-100 in human coronary plaques by color fluorescent angioscopy and microscopy.

Apolipoprotein B-100 (ApoB-100) is an important risk factor for coronary artery disease. However, its localization in human coronary plaques is not well understood. The present study was performed to visualize ApoB-100 in human coronary artery wall. Deposition of native ApoB-100 in excised human coronary plaques and normal segments classified by conventional angioscopy was investigated by color fluorescent angioscopy (CFA) and microscopy (CFM) using Nile blue dye (NB) which elicits a golden fluorescence characteristic of ApoB-100 as a biomarker. By CFA, the % incidence of ApoB-100 was 20 in 40 normal segments, 38 in 42 white, and 11 in 35 yellow plaques (P < 0.05 versus white plaques). There was no significant difference in detection sensitivity between CFA and luminal surface scan by CFM. By CFM transected surface scan, ApoB-100 deposited in superficial, deep, and/or in both layers. Deposition in both layers was frequently observed in white plaques and yellow plaques without necrotic core (NC), less frequently in normal segments, and rarely in yellow plaques with NC. (1) Taking into consideration the well known process of plaque growth, the results suggest that ApoB-100 begins to deposit before plaque formation, increasingly deposits with plaque growth, and disappears after necrotic core formation. (2) CFA is feasible for imaging of ApoB-100 in human coronary artery wall.