Molecular imaging of MMP activity discriminates unstable from stable plaque phenotypes in shear-stress induced murine atherosclerosis.

In the ApoE-/- cuff model MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities are significantly higher in upstream low shear stress-induced unstable atherosclerotic plaques as compared to downstream more stable plaque phenotypes. MMP inhibitor-based fluorescence molecular imaging allows visualization of these differences in shear stress-induced atherosclerosis.