title: Positron emission tomography imaging of neuroinflammation.
abstract: Injury to the central nervous system is characterized by localization of activated microglia at the site of injury. The peripheral benzodiazepine receptor expressed on the outer mitochondrial membrane of the activated microglia is a sensitive biomarker for the detection of this neuroinflammatory response to an insult. PK11195, an isoquinoline ligand that specifically binds peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, can be tagged with a positron emitter and used as a tracer for molecular imaging of this receptor in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET). [(11)C](R)PK11195 has been used in the imaging of various neuroinflammatory disorders, such as Alzheimer disease and multiple sclerosis. On the basis of our small-animal PET imaging studies using a neonatal rabbit model of maternal inflammation-induced cerebral palsy, we propose that PET imaging using [(11)C](R)PK11195 may be a valuable tool for detecting neuroinflammation in the brain of newborns born to mothers with chorioamnionitis.
authors.affiliation: Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. skannan@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: Sujatha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kannan
authors.forename: Bindu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Balakrishnan
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Muzik
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chugani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011817:Rabbits; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D007546:Isoquinolines; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C037850:PK 11195