Work

Ex-vivo magnetic resonance elastography detects inflammation-associated biomechanical changes in a mouse model of Salmonella-induced colitis

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Inflammation alters the mechanical properties of soft tissues, yet the biomechanics of the inflamed intestine remain poorly characterized. Using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), we characterized colonic biomechanical properties in a murine colitis model. CBA/J mice infected with Salmonella Typhimurium were sacrificed at days 5, 16 and 30 post infection alongside uninfected controls. Ex-vivo tabletop MRE and the Springpot model yielded shear modulus µ (stiffness) and powerlaw exponent α (structure). Collagen, hyaluronic acid and periostin content, immune-cell infiltration, epithelial apoptosis and histopathological scoring were assessed histologically. Colonic stiffness decreased at day 5 (1.7 ± 0.7 kPa) versus controls (5.5 ± 4.0 kPa; p = 0.0002), concurrent with development of edema, immune-cell infiltration and apoptosis, without concomitant ECM changes. Stiffness normalized by day 30 and correlated negatively with the histopathological score ( r = − 0.40, p = 0.002) and the total cell count ( r = -0.47, p = 0.002). At day 5, µ discriminated infected from control colons with an AUC of 0.93 (sensitivity 89%, specificity 90%). Ex-vivo MRE thus detects reversible, inflammation-driven biomechanical changes, indicating that MRE-derived stiffness may serve as a biomechanical readout of acute intestinal inflammation.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-77433-5