Ultrasound Monitoring of Thymus Involution in Septic Mice

Misa Ito, Qian Wang, Dan Hao, Hisashi Sawada, Bin Huang, Ling Guo, Alan Daugherty, Xiang An Li

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Thymus involution is characterized by a progressive regression of thymus size and contributes to immunosuppression in sepsis. High-frequency ultrasonography is a non-invasive monitoring system in multiple organs, including the thymus, in mice. However, thymus involution has not been studied using ultrasonography in septic mice. This study reports ultrasound approaches to monitoring septic thymus involution in mice. Sepsis was induced by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP). Mice were euthanized at three time points: baseline and days 3 and 10 after CLP. Thymus areas and volumes were measured using 2-D and 3-D ultrasound approaches. Thymus weights were measured ex vivo. Compared with values at baseline, both thymus area and volume decreased significantly at days 3 and 10. In addition, thymus areas and volumes correlated positively with thymus weights. In conclusion, ultrasonography provides reliable thymus measurements and is an optimal technique for monitoring thymus involution in septic mice.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)769-776
Number of pages8
JournalUltrasound in Medicine and Biology
Volume47
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology

Keywords

  • Mouse
  • Sepsis
  • Thymus
  • Thymus involution
  • Ultrasound

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
  • Biophysics
  • Acoustics and Ultrasonics

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