Multilevel X-ray imaging approach to assess the sequential evolution of multi-organ damage in multiple sclerosis

The 3D complexity of biological tissues and intricate structural-functional connections call for state-of-the-art X-ray imaging approaches to overcome limitations of classical imaging. Unlike other imaging techniques, X-ray phase-contrast tomography (XPCT) offers a highly sensitive 3D imaging approach to investigate different disease-relevant networks at levels ranging from single cell through to intact organ. We present here a concomitant study of the evolution of tissue damage and inflammation in different organs affected by the disease in the murine model for multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. XPCT identifies and monitors structural and cellular alterations throughout the central nervous system, but also in the gut, and eye, of mice induced to develop multiple sclerosis-like disease and sacrificed at pre-symptomatic and symptomatic time points. This study details the sequential evolution of multi-organ damages in the murine multiple sclerosis model showing the disease development and progression which is of relevance for the human case.