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Apoptotic abscess imaging with 99mTc-HYNIC-rh-Annexin-V
David L Penn1, Christopher Kim, Kaijun Zhang
1Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Nuclear Medicine and Biology
|February 4, 2010
Summary
This study developed a new imaging agent, technetium-99m-labeled Annexin-V (99mTc-AnxV), to detect abscesses. The agent successfully targeted apoptotic neutrophils in abscesses, showing promise for distinguishing infectious from inflammatory causes.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Medicine
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Abscess formation involves neutrophil signaling and apoptosis, leading to phosphatidylserine externalization.
- Annexin-V (AnxV) binds to externalized phosphatidylserine on apoptotic cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate 99mTc-labeled AnxV (99mTc-AnxV) as an imaging agent for abscesses.
- To assess the agent's ability to target apoptotic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in abscesses.
Main Methods:
- AnxV was conjugated with HYNIC and labeled with 99mTc.
- Apoptosis was induced in human PMNs, and binding of 99mTc-HYNIC-AnxV was quantified.
- Abscesses were induced in mice, and biodistribution of 99mTc-HYNIC-AnxV was studied post-injection.
Main Results:
- 99mTc-HYNIC-AnxV demonstrated high radiochemical purity.
- The agent showed significantly higher binding to apoptotic PMNs compared to control cells.
- In vivo imaging revealed accumulation of 99mTc-HYNIC-AnxV in bacterial abscesses, with higher uptake than turpentine-induced abscesses.
Conclusions:
- 99mTc-HYNIC-AnxV effectively targets apoptotic PMNs.
- This agent shows potential as a minimally invasive tool for imaging abscesses.
- It may help differentiate between infectious and inflammatory abscesses.
