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Published in: Molecular Imaging and Biology 3/2020

01-06-2020 | Computed Tomography | Research Article

Synthesis and Evaluation of Ga-68-Labeled Rhein for Early Assessment of Treatment-Induced Tumor Necrosis

Authors: Aimi Zhang, Tianze Wu, Li Bian, Panli Li, Qiufang Liu, Dongjian Zhang, Qiaomei Jin, Jian Zhang, Gang Huang, Shaoli Song

Published in: Molecular Imaging and Biology | Issue 3/2020

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to synthesize a necrosis-avid agent using rhein as a precursor and labeled with gallium-68 (Ga-68) for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging, to evaluate response to anticancer treatment in a mouse model.

Procedures

1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)–conjugated rhein was radiolabeled with Ga-68 to formulate [68Ga]DOTA-rhein. The in vitro stability of [68Ga]DOTA-rhein was assessed by radio-HPLC. Necrosis avidity was evaluated in a mouse model of muscle necrosis by microPET/CT imaging, biodistribution study, histochemical staining, and autoradiography studies. Murine tumor models with the subcutaneous implantation of S180 cell lines were generated for the evaluation of therapeutic effect. Tumor necrosis was induced by the treatment of combretastatin A4 disodium phosphate (CA4P), and microPET/CT imaging was performed at 1 h post tracer injection. DNA binding studies were conducted to explore the necrosis avidity mechanism of the tracer.

Results

[68Ga]DOTA-rhein exhibited a satisfactory yield, a radiochemical purity over 97 %, and a good serum stability. The uptakes of [68Ga]DOTA-rhein in necrotic muscles and tumors were significantly higher than those in normal muscles and tumors (P < 0.05). The results of autoradiography and histochemical staining were consistent with the selective uptake of the radiotracer in necrotic regions. MicroPET/CT images showed a high uptake of the tracer in necrotic muscles and necrotic tumors. DNA binding studies suggested that necrosis avidity correlated with DNA binding to a certain extent.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that [68Ga]DOTA-rhein showed a prominent necrosis avidity and could be a useful probe for early assessment of response to anticancer therapy by PET/CT imaging.
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Metadata
Title
Synthesis and Evaluation of Ga-68-Labeled Rhein for Early Assessment of Treatment-Induced Tumor Necrosis
Authors
Aimi Zhang
Tianze Wu
Li Bian
Panli Li
Qiufang Liu
Dongjian Zhang
Qiaomei Jin
Jian Zhang
Gang Huang
Shaoli Song
Publication date
01-06-2020
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Molecular Imaging and Biology / Issue 3/2020
Print ISSN: 1536-1632
Electronic ISSN: 1860-2002
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-019-01365-y

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