An application of a new planar positron imaging system (PPIS) in a small animal: MPTP-induced parkinsonism in mouse.
OBJECTIVE
Recent animal PET research has led to the development of PET scanners for small animals. A planar positron imaging system (PPIS) was newly developed to study physiological function in small animals and plants in recent years. To examine the usefulness of PPIS for functional study in small animals, we examined dopaminergic images of mouse striata in MPTP-induced parkinsonism.


METHODS
Male C57BL/6NCrj mice were treated with MPTP 7 days before the PPIS study. Scans were performed to measure dopamine D1 receptor binding and dopamine transporter availability with [11C]SCH23390 (about 2 MBq) and [11C]beta-CFT (about 2 MBq), respectively. After the PPIS study, dopamine content in the striatum was measured by HPLC.


RESULTS
The MPTP treatment significantly reduced dopamine content in the striatum 7 days after treatment. In the MPTP-treated group, [11C]beta-CFT binding in the striatum was significantly decreased compared with the control group, while striatal [11C]SCH23390 binding was not affected. Dopamine content in the striatum was significantly correlated with the striatal binding of [11C]beta-CFT.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results suggest that PPIS is able to determine brain function in a small animal. Using PPIS, high throughput imaging of small animal brain functions could be achieved.
Takamatsu
Hiroyuki
H
The Medical and Pharmacological Research Center Foundation, Wo32, Inoyama, Hakui, Ishikawa 925-0613, JAPAN. takamatsu@mprcf.or.jp
Kakiuchi
Takeharu
T
Noda
Akihiro
A
Uchida
Hiroshi
H
Nishiyama
Shingo
S
Ichise
Rikiya
R
Iwashita
Akinori
A
Mihara
Kayoko
K
Yamazaki
Shunji
S
Matsuoka
Nobuya
N
Tsukada
Hideo
H
Nishimura
Shintaro
S
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D001552:Benzazepines; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine