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Updated: Sep 26, 2026
MR Molecular Imaging of Prostate Cancer with a Small Molecular CLT1 Peptide Targeted Contrast Agent
Published on: September 3, 2013
MicroPET imaging of prostate cancer in LNCAP-SR39TK-GFP mouse xenografts
Honghao Yang1, Frank Berger, Chris Tran
1Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, UCLA School of Medicine, 10833 LeConte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Background:
The aim of this study was to develop models that allow serial, noninvasive imaging of human prostate cancer cells in immunodeficient mice using a dedicated small animal positron emission tomography scanner (microPET).
Methods:
LNCaP tumor cells were stably transduced ex-vivo with the mutant herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV-sr39tk) PET reporter gene and green fluorescent protein (GFP). The stably transduced LNCaP cells were then enriched via fluorescent cell sorting and implanted into SCID mice. Beginning 2 weeks after tumor cell inoculation, mice were repeatedly scanned by microPET performed 1 hr after tail-vein injection of approximately 200 muCi Fluorine-18 labeled penciclovir ((18)F-FHBG). PET-images were correlated to tumor size, % injected dose (ID)/g tumor tissue, PSA levels, autoradiography, and histology.
Results:
Monitoring LNCaP xenografts using microPET and our reporter gene approaches is feasible. MicroPET was capable of detecting subcutaneous tumors as small as 3 mm in diameter (approximately 0.2% ID/g). The magnitude of (18)F-FHBG-uptake in PET-images correlated with the tumor volumes and the serum PSA levels. Other non-HSV1-TK-specific tracers were also studied. While (18)F-flurodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) gave poor imaging results in LNCaP cells, (11)C-acetate gave satisfactory images.
Conclusions:
We demonstrated the feasibility of monitoring prostate cancer xenografts in a mouse model using microPET and the HSV1-sr39tk PET reporter gene/(18)F-FHBG reporter probe system. Extension of this approach may allow repetitive imaging of tumor metastases.
