Autoradiography study and SPECT imaging of reporter gene HSV1-tk expression in heart

To demonstrate the feasibility and optimal conditions of imaging herpes simplex virus 1-thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) gene transferred into hearts with (131)I-2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-5-iodouracil ((131)I-FIAU) using autoradiography (ARG) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in animal models.

HSV1-tk inserted into adenovirus vector (Ad5-tk) and adenovirus (Ad5-null) was prepared. Rats or rabbits were divided into a study group receiving intramyocardial injection of Ad5-tk, and a control group receiving Ad-null injection. In the study group of rats, two sets of experiments, time-course study and dose-dependence study, were performed. In time-course experiments, rats were injected with (131)I-FIAU on Days 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7, after transfection of 1x10(8) pfu Ad5-tk, to study the feasibility and suitable time course for reporter gene imaging. In dose-dependence study, various titers of Ad5-tk (5x10(8), 1x10(8), 5x10(7) and 1x10(7) pfu) were used to determine the threshold and optimal viral titer needed for detection of gene expression. The gamma counts of hearts were measured. The rat myocardium was analyzed by ARG and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). SPECT whole-body planar imaging and cardiac tomographic imaging were performed in the rabbit models.

From the ARG images, rats injected with Ad5-tk showed significant (131)I-FIAU activity in the anterolateral wall compared with background signals seen in the control Ad5-null rats. In time-course study, the highest radioactivity in the focal myocardium could be seen on Day 1, and then progressively declined with time. In dose-dependence study, the level of (131)I-FIAU accumulation in the transfected myocardium declined with the decrease of Ad viral titers. From the ARG analysis and gamma counting, the threshold viral titer was 5x10(7) pfu, and the optimal Ad titer was 1x10(8) pfu. The ARG images in region of interest-derived semi-quantitative study correlated well with ex vivo gamma counting and mRNA levels from RT-PCR analysis. The gamma counting and RT-PCR also correlated well with each other in both sets of experiments. Both SPECT planar and tomographic images showed clear uptake of (131)I-FIAU in the anterolateral wall where Ad5-tk was injected.

The study confirmed the feasibility of cardiac SPECT reporter gene imaging with HSV1-tk as a reporter gene and (131)I-FIAU as a reporter probe. The optimal Ad5-tk titer for imaging was 1x10(8) pfu and the optimal imaging time was 1-2 days after gene transfer. Thus, the imaging of HSV1-tk transgene expression in the heart is feasible and may be used for the noninvasive SPECT imaging of gene therapy in cardiac diseases.