PET-radioimmunodetection of integrins: imaging acute colitis using a ⁶⁴Cu-labeled anti-β₇ integrin antibody
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Updated: May 29, 2026
Fluorescence-mediated Tomography for the Detection and Quantification of Macrophage-related Murine Intestinal Inflammation
Published on: December 15, 2017
Jason L J Dearling1, Alan B Packard
1Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, USA. Jason.Dearling@childrens.harvard.edu
Insights
This study developed a method to image integrin beta-7 distribution in vivo using a radiolabeled antibody. This technique successfully visualized higher antibody uptake in the inflamed gut of mice with colitis, aiding disease monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Imaging
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Integrins mediate crucial cell interactions, and their in vivo imaging is vital for understanding disease and therapy.
- Integrin beta-7 (β(7)) is expressed on lymphocytes involved in gut inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a protocol for noninvasive, high-resolution imaging of in vivo integrin β(7) distribution.
- To assess the potential for clinical translation in monitoring inflammatory gut diseases and therapies.
Main Methods:
- A whole antibody targeting integrin β(7) was purified and conjugated with a bifunctional chelator.
- The antibody was radiolabeled with Copper-64 ((64)Cu), a positron-emitting radionuclide.
- MicroPET imaging was performed in mice with DSS-induced colitis to assess in vivo distribution.
Main Results:
- The (64)Cu-labeled antibody successfully imaged integrin β(7) distribution in vivo.
- Significantly higher uptake of the radiolabeled antibody was observed in the inflamed gut of mice with colitis compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- This radiolabeled antibody imaging protocol provides a viable method for visualizing integrin β(7) in inflammatory conditions.
- The technique shows promise for noninvasive monitoring of gut inflammation and therapeutic responses in clinical settings.
Abstract:
Integrins are involved in a wide range of cell interactions. Imaging their distribution using high-resolution noninvasive techniques that are directly translatable to the clinic can provide new insights into disease processes and presents the opportunity to directly monitor new therapies. In this chapter, we describe a protocol to image, the in vivo distribution of the integrin β(7), expressed by lymphocytes recruited to and retained by the inflamed gut, using a radiolabeled whole antibody. The antibody is purified, conjugated with a bifunctional chelator for labeling with a radiometal, labeled with the positron-emitting radionuclide (64)Cu, and injected into mice for microPET studies. Mice with DSS-induced colitis were found to have higher uptake of the (64)Cu-labeled antibody in the gut than control groups.
