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Hackmann MJ, Cairncross A, Elliot JG, Mulrennan S, Nilsen K, Thompson BR, Li Q, Karnowski K, Sampson DD, McLaughlin RA, Cense B, James AL, Noble PB. Quantification of smooth muscle in human airways by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography requires correction for perichondrium. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2024; 326:L393-L408. [PMID: 38261720 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00254.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Quantifying airway smooth muscle (ASM) in patients with asthma raises the possibility of improved and personalized disease management. Endobronchial polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is a promising quantitative imaging approach that is in the early stages of clinical translation. To date, only animal tissues have been used to assess the accuracy of PS-OCT to quantify absolute (rather than relative) ASM in cross sections with directly matched histological cross sections as validation. We report the use of whole fresh human and pig airways to perform a detailed side-by-side qualitative and quantitative validation of PS-OCT against gold-standard histology. We matched and quantified 120 sections from five human and seven pig (small and large) airways and linked PS-OCT signatures of ASM to the tissue structural appearance in histology. Notably, we found that human cartilage perichondrium can share with ASM the properties of birefringence and circumferential alignment of fibers, making it a significant confounder for ASM detection. Measurements not corrected for perichondrium overestimated ASM content several-fold (P < 0.001, paired t test). After careful exclusion of perichondrium, we found a strong positive correlation (r = 0.96, P < 0.00001) of ASM area measured by PS-OCT and histology, supporting the method's application in human subjects. Matching human histology further indicated that PS-OCT allows conclusions on the intralayer composition and in turn potential contractile capacity of ASM bands. Together these results form a reliable basis for future clinical studies.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) may facilitate in vivo measurement of airway smooth muscle (ASM). We present a quantitative validation correlating absolute ASM area from PS-OCT to directly matched histological cross sections using human tissue. A major confounder for ASM quantification was observed and resolved: fibrous perichondrium surrounding hyaline cartilage in human airways presents a PS-OCT signature similar to ASM for birefringence and optic axis orientation. Findings impact the development of automated methods for ASM segmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Hackmann
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alvenia Cairncross
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - John G Elliot
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Siobhain Mulrennan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Institute of Respiratory Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kris Nilsen
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bruce R Thompson
- Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Qingyun Li
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Karol Karnowski
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- International Centre for Translational Eye Research, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - David D Sampson
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A McLaughlin
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Barry Cense
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Alan L James
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
- Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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Rodgers G, Bikis C, Janz P, Tanner C, Schulz G, Thalmann P, Haas CA, Müller B. 3D X-ray Histology for the Investigation of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in a Mouse Model. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1730-1745. [PMID: 37584515 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The most common form of epilepsy among adults is mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE), with seizures often originating in the hippocampus due to abnormal electrical activity. The gold standard for the histopathological analysis of mTLE is histology, which is a two-dimensional technique. To fill this gap, we propose complementary three-dimensional (3D) X-ray histology. Herein, we used synchrotron radiation-based phase-contrast microtomography with 1.6 μm-wide voxels for the post mortem visualization of tissue microstructure in an intrahippocampal-kainate mouse model for mTLE. We demonstrated that the 3D X-ray histology of unstained, unsectioned, paraffin-embedded brain hemispheres can identify hippocampal sclerosis through the loss of pyramidal neurons in the first and third regions of the Cornu ammonis as well as granule cell dispersion within the dentate gyrus. Morphology and density changes during epileptogenesis were quantified by segmentations from a deep convolutional neural network. Compared to control mice, the total dentate gyrus volume doubled and the granular layer volume quadrupled 21 days after injecting kainate. Subsequent sectioning of the same mouse brains allowed for benchmarking 3D X-ray histology against well-established histochemical and immunofluorescence stainings. Thus, 3D X-ray histology is a complementary neuroimaging tool to unlock the third dimension for the cellular-resolution histopathological analysis of mTLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin Rodgers
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christos Bikis
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Integrierte Psychiatrie Winterthur-Zürcher Unterland, 8408 Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Janz
- Faculty of Medicine, Experimental Epilepsy Research, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christine Tanner
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Georg Schulz
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
- Core Facility Micro- and Nanotomography, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Peter Thalmann
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Carola A Haas
- Faculty of Medicine, Experimental Epilepsy Research, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- BrainLinks-BrainTools Center, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Center of Basics in NeuroModulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79114 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bert Müller
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- Biomaterials Science Center, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
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Jansing NL, Patel N, McClendon J, Redente EF, Henson PM, Tuder RM, Hyde DM, Nyengaard JR, Zemans RL. Flow Cytometry Underestimates and Planimetry Overestimates Alveolar Epithelial Type 2 Cell Expansion after Lung Injury. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019. [PMID: 29533675 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201709-1838le] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Elizabeth F Redente
- 1 National Jewish Health Denver, Colorado.,3 University of Colorado Denver Aurora, Colorado
| | - Peter M Henson
- 1 National Jewish Health Denver, Colorado.,3 University of Colorado Denver Aurora, Colorado
| | | | - Dallas M Hyde
- 4 University of California at Davis Davis, California and
| | | | - Rachel L Zemans
- 1 National Jewish Health Denver, Colorado.,2 University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan.,3 University of Colorado Denver Aurora, Colorado
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Elliot JG, Jones RL, Abramson MJ, Green FH, Mauad T, McKay KO, Bai TR, James AL. Distribution of airway smooth muscle remodelling in asthma: relation to airway inflammation. Respirology 2014; 20:66-72. [PMID: 25257809 DOI: 10.1111/resp.12384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2014] [Revised: 06/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Pathological phenotypes of asthma have been based predominantly on inflammation, rather than airway wall remodelling. Differences in the distribution of airway smooth muscle (ASM) remodelling between large and small airways may affect clinical outcomes in asthma. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of ASM remodelling and its relation to airway inflammation. METHODS Post-mortem cases of asthma (n = 68) were categorized by the distribution of increased thickness of the ASM layer (relative to nonasthmatic controls, n = 37), into 'large only' (LO, n = 15), 'small only' (SO, n = 4) 'large/small' (LS, n = 24) or no increase (NI, n = 25). Subject characteristics, ASM and airway wall dimensions and inflammatory cell numbers were compared between groups. RESULTS Apart from reduced clinical severity of asthma in NI cases (P = 0.002), subject characteristics did not distinguish asthma groups. Compared with control subjects, ASM cell number, reticular basement membrane thickness, airway wall thickness, percent muscle shortening and eosinophil number were increased (P < 0.05) in both large and small airways in LS cases and only the large airways in LO cases. Increased numbers of neutrophils were observed only in the small airways of LO cases. CONCLUSIONS Distinct distributions of ASM remodelling are seen in asthma. Pathology limited to the small airways was uncommon. Increased thickness of the ASM layer was associated with airway remodelling and eosinophilia, but not neutrophilia. These data support the presence of distinct pathological phenotypes based on the site of increased ASM.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Elliot
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Bratu VA, Erpenbeck VJ, Fehrenbach A, Rausch T, Rittinghausen S, Krug N, Hohlfeld JM, Fehrenbach H. Cell counting in human endobronchial biopsies--disagreement of 2D versus 3D morphometry. PLoS One 2014; 9:e92510. [PMID: 24663339 PMCID: PMC3963904 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Question Inflammatory cell numbers are important endpoints in clinical studies relying on endobronchial biopsies. Assumption-based bidimensional (2D) counting methods are widely used, although theoretically design-based stereologic three-dimensional (3D) methods alone offer an unbiased quantitative tool. We assessed the method agreement between 2D and 3D counting designs in practice when applied to identical samples in parallel. Materials and Methods Biopsies from segmental bronchi were collected from healthy non-smokers (n = 7) and smokers (n = 7), embedded and sectioned exhaustively. Systematic uniform random samples were immunohistochemically stained for macrophages (CD68) and T-lymphocytes (CD3), respectively. In identical fields of view, cell numbers per volume unit (NV) were assessed using the physical disector (3D), and profiles per area unit (NA) were counted (2D). For CD68+ cells, profiles with and without nucleus were separately recorded. In order to enable a direct comparison of the two methods, the zero-dimensional CD68+/CD3+-ratio was calculated for each approach. Method agreement was tested by Bland-Altmann analysis. Results In both groups, mean CD68+/CD3+ ratios for NV and NA were significantly different (non-smokers: 0.39 and 0.68, p<0.05; smokers: 0.49 and 1.68, p<0.05). When counting only nucleated CD68+ profiles, mean ratios obtained by 2D and 3D counting were similar, but the regression-based Bland-Altmann analysis indicated a bias of the 2D ratios proportional to their magnitude. This magnitude dependent deviation differed between the two groups. Conclusions 2D counts of cell and nuclear profiles introduce a variable size-dependent bias throughout the measurement range. Because the deviation between the 3D and 2D data was different in the two groups, it precludes establishing a ‘universal conversion formula’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vlad A. Bratu
- Department of Pneumology, Philipps-University Marburg, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Veit J. Erpenbeck
- Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), BREATH, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Antonia Fehrenbach
- Department of Pneumology, Philipps-University Marburg, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Rausch
- Department of Pneumology, Philipps-University Marburg, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Rittinghausen
- Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), BREATH, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Norbert Krug
- Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), BREATH, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Jens M. Hohlfeld
- Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), BREATH, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Heinz Fehrenbach
- Department of Pneumology, Philipps-University Marburg, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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James AL, Green FH, Abramson MJ, Bai TR, Dolhnikoff M, Mauad T, McKay KO, Elliot JG. Airway basement membrane perimeter distensibility and airway smooth muscle area in asthma. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2008; 104:1703-8. [PMID: 18369095 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00169.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The perimeter of the basement membrane (Pbm) of an airway viewed in cross section is used as a marker of airway size because in normal lungs it is relatively constant, despite variations in airway smooth muscle (ASM) shortening and airway collapse. In vitro studies (McParland BE, Pare PD, Johnson PR, Armour CL, Black JL. J Appl Physiol 97: 556-563, 2004; Noble PB, Sharma A, McFawn PK, Mitchell HW. J Appl Physiol 99: 2061-2066, 2005) have suggested that differential stretch of the Pbm between asthmatic and nonasthmatic airways fixed in inflation may occur and lead to an overestimation of ASM thickness in asthma. The relationships between the Pbm and the area of ASM were compared in transverse sections of airways from cases of fatal asthma (F) and from nonasthmatic control (C) cases where the lung tissue had been fixed inflated (Fi; Ci) or uninflated (Fu; Cu). When all available airways were used, the regression slopes were increased in Fu and Cu, compared with Fi and Ci, and increased in Fu and Fi, compared with Cu and Ci, suggesting effects of both inflation and asthma group, respectively. When analyses were limited to airway sizes that were available for all groups (Pbm < 15 mm), the slopes of Fi and Fu were similar, but both were greater than Ci and Cu, which were also similar. It was calculated that the effect of asthma group accounted for 80% and inflation for 20% of the differences between Fi and Ci. We conclude that the effects of inflation on the relationship between Pbm and ASM are small and do not account for the differences observed in ASM between cases of asthma and nonasthmatic controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan L James
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
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