title: Astrocytes as a predominant cellular site of (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention.
abstract: Technetium-99m-d,l-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime ((99m)Tc-HMPAO) retention in the brain monitored by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is currently used as a marker of cerebral blood flow. The purported mechanism by which (99m)Tc-HMPAO accumulates in the brain is through its intracellular conversion from a lipophilic form to more hydrophilic derivatives within the brain parenchyma. The issue of the contribution of different cell types on (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention was investigated in vitro by studying the accumulation of (99m)Tc-HMPAO in primary cultures of mouse cortical astrocytes and neurons. Results show that (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention predominates in astrocytes over neurons by a factor of approximately 2.5 (0.26 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.095 +/- 0.042 fmol/mg protein after 120 minutes, respectively). Diethyl maleate (60 micromol/L), ethacrynic acid (1 mmol/L) and buthionine sulfoximine (1 mmol/L), 3 agents which significantly reduced glutathione levels also decreased (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention in both astrocytes (29%, 3%, and 46% of control, respectively) and neurons (69%, 11% and 63% of control). Decrease did not always correlate with glutathione levels, however, which suggests that other factors could be involved. The possibility that cell energy status determines (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention was also assessed. Agents that activate (glutamate, azide) or inhibit (cytochalasin B) glucose utilization in astrocytes, as measured by the (3)H-2-deoxyglucose method, were without effect on (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention. In conclusion, the data presented indicate that astrocytes may constitute a prominent site of (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention and most likely contribute significantly to the SPECT signal. In addition, the data also suggest that specific alterations in glial cell metabolism could explain flow-independent changes in (99m)Tc-HMPAO retention in the brain as observed by SPECT in some pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zerarka
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pellerin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Slosman
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Magistretti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D019328:Buthionine Sulfoximine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004976:Ethacrynic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008298:Maleates / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008298:Maleates; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D019328:Buthionine Sulfoximine; C014476:diethyl maleate; D005978:Glutathione; D004976:Ethacrynic Acid