[Experimental study of transferrin receptor molecular imaging in human hepatocellular carcinoma transplanted in nude mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of (99m)Tc-transferrin ((99m)Tc-Tf) as an transferrin receptor imaging agent in nude mice bearing human hepatoma SMMC-7721 tumor.


METHODS
Biodistribution of (99m)Tc-Tf in Balb/c mice was assayed, and transferrin receptor imaging in Balb/c nu/nu nude mice bearing human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 xenografts was carried out, with or without inhibition of transferrin receptor with unlabeled transferrin. The receptor radioligand binding assay with (125)I-transferrin as ligand was established, and the number of receptors per cell and the K(d) were worked out.


RESULTS
(99m)Tc-Tf was mainly distributed in the liver, blood and kidneys. At 18 h post injection, the ratios of tumor/blood, tumor/liver and tumor/muscle were 24.2, 1.7 and 35.5, respectively. The ratio of tumor uptake at 18 h without unlabeled transferrin pretreatment to that with pretreatment was 16.3. The number of receptors per cell was 2.4 x 10(5) and the K(d) was found to be 4.46 nmol/L.


CONCLUSIONS
All those results indicate that (99m)Tc-Tf is specifically localized in tumor lesions of nude mice. (99m)Tc-Tf may be useful in detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Wu
Zhi-jian
ZJ
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Techology, Wuhan 430022, China. wuzhijian@hotmail.com
Zhang
Yong-xue
YX
D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000032:analysis*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014168:Transferrin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D014168:Transferrin