%0 journal article
%@ 1422-0067
%A Riyaz, S., Helmholz, H., Penate-Medina, T., Penate-Medina, O., Will, O., Sun, Y., Wiese, B., Glüer, C., Willumeit-Römer, R.

%D 2023
%J International Journal of Molecular Sciences
%N 2
%P 1103 
%R doi:10.3390/ijms24021103
%T Exploring the usability of α-MSH-SM-liposome as an imaging agent to study biodegradable bone implants in vivo
%U https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24021103
2 
%X Novel biodegradable metal alloys are increasingly used as implant materials. The implantation can be accompanied by an inflammatory response to a foreign object. For studying inflammation in the implantation area, non-invasive imaging methods are needed. In vivo imaging for the implanted area and its surroundings will provide beneficiary information to understand implant-related inflammation and help to monitor it. Therefore, inflammation-sensitive fluorescent liposomes in rats were tested in the presence of an implant to evaluate their usability in studying inflammation. The sphingomyelin-containing liposomes carrying alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-peptide were tested in a rat bone implant model. The liposome interaction with implant material (Mg-10Gd) was analyzed with Mg-based implant material (Mg-10Gd) in vitro. The liposome uptake process was studied in the bone-marrow-derived macrophages in vitro. Finally, this liposomal tracer was tested in vivo. It was found that α-MSH coupled sphingomyelin-containing liposomes and the Mg-10Gd implant did not have any disturbing influence on each other. The clearance of liposomes was observed in the presence of an inert and biodegradable implant. The degradable Mg-10Gd was used as an alloy example; however, the presented imaging system offers a new possible use of α-MSH-SM-liposomes as tools for investigating implant responses.