Article

In vivo expression of cyclooxygenase-1 in activated microglia and macrophages during neuroinflammation visualized by PET with 11C-ketoprofen methyl ester.

RIKEN Center for Molecular Imaging Science, Hyogo, Japan.
Journal of Nuclear Medicine (impact factor: 6.38). 06/2011; 52(7):1094-101. DOI:10.2967/jnumed.110.084046 pp.1094-101
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 are prostanoid-synthesizing enzymes that play important roles in the regulation of neuroinflammation and in the development of neurodegenerative disorders. However, the specific functions of these isoforms are still unclear. We recently developed (11)C-labeled ketoprofen methyl ester as a PET probe that targets the COXs for imaging neuroinflammation, though its responsible isoform is yet to be determined. In the present study, we performed ex vivo and in vivo imaging studies with (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester and determined the contributions of the COX isoforms during the neuroinflammatory process.
To identify the COX isoform responsible for (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester in the brain, we examined the ex vivo autoradiography of (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester using COX-deficient mice. Time-dependent changes in accumulation of (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester during the neuroinflammatory process were evaluated by PET in rats with hemispheric neuroinflammation induced by intrastriatal injection of lipopolysaccharide or quinolinic acid. In both rat models, cell-type specificity of COX isoform expression during neuroinflammation was identified immunohistochemically.
Ex vivo autoradiographic analysis of COX-deficient mice revealed a significant reduction of (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester accumulation only in COX-1-deficient mice, not COX-2-deficient mice. PET of rats after intrastriatal injection of lipopolysaccharide showed a significant increase in accumulation of (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester in the inflamed area. This increase was evident at the early phase of 6 h, peaked at day 1, and then returned to basal levels by day 7. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the population of activated microglia and macrophages was elevated at the early phase with COX-1 expression but not COX-2. A significant increase in (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester accumulation was also observed at day 1 after intrastriatal injection of quinolinic acid, with increased COX-1-expressing activated microglia and macrophages.
We have identified (11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester as a COX-1-selective PET probe, and using this, we have also demonstrated a time-dependent expression of COX-1 in activated microglia and macrophages during the neuroinflammatory process in the living brain. Thus, COX-1 may play a crucial role in the pathology of neuroinflammation and might be a critical target for the diagnosis and therapy of neurodegenerative disorders.

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    Article: PET radiopharmaceuticals for probing enzymes in the brain.
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    ABSTRACT: Biologically important processes in normal brain function and brain disease involve the action of various protein-based receptors, ion channels, transporters and enzymes. The ability to interrogate the location, abundance and activity of these entities in vivo using non-invasive molecular imaging can provide unprecedented information about the spatio-temporal dynamics of brain function. Indeed, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is transforming our understanding of the central nervous system and brain disease. Great emphasis has historically been placed on developing radioligands for the non-invasive detection of neuroreceptors. In contrast, relatively few enzymes have been amenable to examination by PET imaging procedures based upon trapping or accumulation of enzymatic products, because only a subset of enzymes have sufficient catalytic rate to produce measureable accumulation within the practical time-limit of PET recordings. However, high affinity inhibitors are now serving as tracers for enzymes, particularly for measuring the abundance of enzymes mediating intracellular signal transduction in the brain, which offer a rich diversity of potential targets for drug discovery. The purpose of this review is to summarize well-known radiotracers for brain enzymes, and draw attention to recent developments in PET radiotracers for imaging signal transduction pathways in the brain. The review is organized by target class and focuses on structural chemistry of the best-established radiotracers identified in each class.
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Keywords

11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester
 
11)C-ketoprofen methyl ester accumulation
 
activated microglia
 
cell-type specificity
 
COX isoforms
 
COX-1-deficient mice
 
COX-1-expressing activated microglia
 
COX-1-selective PET probe
 
COX-2-deficient mice
 
COX-deficient mice
 
crucial role
 
day 1
 
day 7
 
imaging neuroinflammation
 
neurodegenerative disorders
 
neuroinflammatory process
 
PET probe
 
rat models
 
responsible isoform
 
specific functions