ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Endovascular and Interventional Neurology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1632617
Effects of mRNA-VEGF@USPIO magnetic resonance probe on endothelial injury in cerebral aneurysm
Provisionally accepted
- Department of neurosurgery, Punan Branch of Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Abstract Objective: To investigate the effects of a novel mRNA-VEGF@USPIO magnetic resonance probe on endothelial injury at cerebral aneurysms necks, and to evaluate its imaging performance and therapeutic potential, with a focus on exploring its potential as a therapeutic agent and preliminary imaging characteristics. Methods: The mRNA-VEGF@USPIO probes were synthesized and thoroughly characterized. A rat model of cerebral aneurysm was successfully established. Vascular morphology, iron deposition, expression of endothelial cells-related factors, and vascular repair processes were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, Prussian blue staining, immunohistochemical staining, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: Compared to the model group, both mRNA-VEGF@USPIO probes and rosuvastatin significantly inhibited the proliferation of intimal and medial smooth muscle cells, reduced the risk of luminal thrombosis, and alleviated lumen stenosis. The mRNA-VEGF@USPIO probes additionally promoted the expression of endothelial cell growth-related factors CD31, CD34, VEGF, and vWF. No evidence of iron overload or iron-related toxicity was observed following probe administration. Furthermore, the probes provided high-quality imaging at various concentrations, clearly delineating the location and morphology of the aneurysm neck. Over the treatment course, MRI enabled serial visualization of the progressive recovery process. Conclusion: The mRNA-VEGF@USPIO probe demonstrated significant efficacy in 3 promoting endothelial repair and regeneration at the neck of cerebral aneurysms. This theranostic agent not only offers a novel treatment strategy for cerebral aneurysms, but its favorable MRI imaging performance also lays a foundation for further evaluating its potential diagnostic value.
Keywords: mRNA-VEGF@USPIO probe, Endothelial injury, Cerebral aneurysm, MRI, repair
Received: 22 May 2025; Accepted: 08 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhao, Li, Lu, Chen, Wang, Liu and Zhao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jiang Zhao, Department of neurosurgery, Punan Branch of Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.