18F-PBR06 PET/CT imaging for evaluating atherosclerotic plaques linked to macrophage infiltration.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The present study explored the 18 kDa translocator protein radioligand [F]N-fluoroacetyl-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzyl)-2-phenoxyaniline (F-PBR06) targeting macrophages for PET imaging of atherosclerotic plaques and evaluating the vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques toward rupture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

F-PBR06 was synthesized using a Synthra RNplus module automatically. RAW264.7 cells were used for cell binding study with F-PBR06. In-vivo micro-PET/CT imaging for ApoE mice and C57 mice was performed 1 h after injection of F-PBR06. CD68 and F480 immunofluorescence stainings were performed in the aorta tissues.

RESULTS:

In-vitro cell studies showed uptake of F-PBR06 to RAW264.7 cells. Micro-PET/CT imaging identified the atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic arch of ApoE mice successfully, whereas no signal was observed in C57 mice. The ratio of plaque-to-muscle in ApoE mice of 32 weeks was significantly higher than that in ApoE mice of 22 weeks, which was confirmed by CD68 immunofluorescence staining and F480 immunofluorescence staining.

CONCLUSION:

TSPO radioligand F-PBR06 allows noninvasive PET/CT imaging of macrophage-abundant atherosclerotic plaques as well as positive correlation between PET imagings and ex-vivo immunofluorescence staining of plaques in mice with different ages, thereby representing a potential attractive tool for evaluating the vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques towards rupture.

• Authors: He Zhang, Jie Xiao, Jun Zhou, Hui Tan, Yan Hu, Wujian Mao, Zhequan Fu, Qingyu Lin, Hongcheng Shi, Dengfeng Cheng
• Journal: Nuclear medicine communications (Nucl Med Commun) Vol. 40 Issue 4 Pg. 370-376 (Apr 2019) ISSN: 1473-5628 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 30875334 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Acetanilides
• N-fluoroacetyl-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzyl)-2-phenoxyaniline

Topics

• Acetanilides
• Animals
• Macrophages (immunology)
• Male
• Mice
• Plaque, Atherosclerotic (diagnostic imaging, immunology)
• Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography