Molecular imaging of lymphoid organs and immune activation by positron emission tomography with a new [18F]-labeled 2'-deoxycytidine analog.
Monitoring immune function with molecular imaging could have a considerable impact on the diagnosis and treatment evaluation of immunological disorders and therapeutic immune responses. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular imaging modality with applications in cancer and other diseases. PET studies of immune function have been limited by a lack of specialized probes. We identified [(18)F]FAC (1-(2'-deoxy-2'-[(18)F]fluoroarabinofuranosyl) cytosine) by differential screening as a new PET probe for the deoxyribonucleotide salvage pathway. [(18)F]FAC enabled visualization of lymphoid organs and was sensitive to localized immune activation in a mouse model of antitumor immunity. [(18)F]FAC microPET also detected early changes in lymphoid mass in systemic autoimmunity and allowed evaluation of immunosuppressive therapy. These data support the use of [(18)F]FAC PET for immune monitoring and suggest a wide range of clinical applications in immune disorders and in certain types of cancer.
Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, 23-120 Center for Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
Caius G
CG
Radu
Chengyi J
CJ
Shu
Evan
E
Nair-Gill
Stephanie M
SM
Shelly
Jorge R
JR
Barrio
Nagichettiar
N
Satyamurthy
Michael E
ME
Phelps
Owen N
ON
Witte
D000818:Animals; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D061305:Lymphoscintigraphy; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019463:Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18