Figure 2.

Ultrasound Facilitated the Delivery of Pioglitazone Into the Arterial Wall

Representative images of the peripheral arteries demonstrating EKOS ultrasound-facilitated delivery of fluorescently labeled anti–intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1/pioglitazone (PGN)–echogenic liposomes (ELIPs) into the arterial wall. Multispectral imaging and secondary labeling were used with a goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin G antibody conjugated to AlexaFluor-488. Magnified sections are specified with selection boxes. Scale bars denote 20 μm. The extent of ELIP distribution is indicated by the white arrows. Without EKOS ultrasound activation (middle), anti–ICAM-1/PGN-ELIPs were localized to the endothelial surface, as indicated by the white arrows. With EKOS ultrasound activation, anti–ICAM-1/PGN-ELIPs were seen infiltrating to at least 60 μm into the arterial wall; the arrowheads indicate the extent of ELIP distribution from the superficial to the deeper layers of the artery. NO = nitric oxide.