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Zebrafish are now widely used to study skeletal development and bone-related diseases. To that end, understanding osteoblast differentiation and function, the expression of essential transcription factors, signaling molecules, and extracellular matrix proteins is crucial. We isolated Sp7-expressing osteoblasts from 4-day-old larvae using a fluorescent reporter. We identified two distinct subpopulations and characterized their specific transcriptome as well as their structural, regulatory, and signaling profile. Based on their differential expression in these subpopulations, we generated mutants for the extracellular matrix protein genes col10a1a and fbln1 to study their functions. The col10a1a -/- mutant larvae display reduced chondrocranium size and decreased bone mineralization, while in adults a reduced vertebral thickness and tissue mineral density, and fusion of the caudal fin vertebrae were observed. In contrast, fbln1 -/- mutants showed an increased mineralization of cranial elements and a reduced ceratohyal angle in larvae, while in adults a significantly increased vertebral centra thickness, length, volume, surface area, and tissue mineral density was observed. In addition, absence of the opercle specifically on the right side was observed. Transcriptomic analysis reveals up-regulation of genes involved in collagen biosynthesis and down-regulation of Fgf8 signaling in fbln1 -/- mutants. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of bone extracellular matrix protein genes col10a1a and fbln1 in skeletal development and homeostasis.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative articular disease affecting mainly aging animals and people. The extracellular matrix protein Efemp1 was previously shown to have higher turn-over and increased secretion in the blood serum, urine, and subchondral bone of knee joints in osteoarthritic patients. Here, we use the zebrafish as a model system to investigate the function of Efemp1 in vertebrate skeletal development and homeostasis. Using in situ hybridization, we show that the efemp1 gene is expressed in the brain, the pharyngeal arches, and in the chordoblasts surrounding the notochord at 48 hours post-fertilization. We generated an efemp1 mutant line, using the CRISPR/Cas9 method, that produces a severely truncated Efemp1 protein. These mutant larvae presented a medially narrower chondrocranium at 5 days, which normalized later at day 10. At age 1.5 years, µCT analysis revealed an increased tissue mineral density and thickness of the vertebral bodies, as well as a decreased distance between individual vertebrae and ruffled borders of the vertebral centra. This novel defect, which has, to our knowledge, never been described before, suggests that the efemp1 mutant represents the first zebrafish model for spinal osteoarthritis.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (NeoRT) improves tumor local control and facilitates tumor resection in many cancers. Some clinical studies demonstrated that both timing of surgery and RT schedule influence tumor dissemination, and subsequently patient overall survival. Previously, we developed a pre-clinical model demonstrating the impact of NeoRT schedule and timing of surgery on metastatic spreading. We report on the impact of NeoRT on tumor microenvironment by MRI., Methods: According to our NeoRT model, MDA-MB 231 cells were implanted in the flank of SCID mice. Tumors were locally irradiated (PXI X-Rad SmART) with 2x5Gy and then surgically removed at different time points after RT. Diffusion-weighted (DW) and Dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE) MRI images were acquired before RT and every 2 days between RT and surgery. IntraVoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) analysis was used to obtain information on intravascular diffusion, related to perfusion (F: perfusion factor) and subsequently tumor vessels perfusion. For DCE-MRI, we performed semi-quantitative analyses., Results: With this experimental model, a significant and transient increase of the perfusion factor F [50% of the basal value (n=16, p<0.005)] was observed on day 6 after irradiation as well as a significant increase of the WashinSlope with DCE-MRI at day 6 (n=13, p<0.05). Using immunohistochemistry, a significant increase of perfused vessels was highlighted, corresponding to the increase of perfusion in MRI at this same time point. Moreover, Tumor surgical resection during this peak of vascularization results in an increase of metastasis burden (n=10, p<0.05)., Conclusion: Significant differences in perfusion-related parameters (F and WashinSlope) were observed on day 6 in a neoadjuvant radiotherapy model using SCID mice. These modifications are correlated with an increase of perfused vessels in histological analysis and also with an increase of metastasis spreading after the surgical procedure. This experimental observation could potentially result in a way to personalize treatment, by modulating the time of surgery guided on MRI functional data, especially tumor perfusion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Lallemand, Leroi, Blacher, Bahri, Balteau, Coucke, Noël, Plenevaux and Martinive.)

Wheel-running exercise in laboratory rodents (animal model useful to study the neurobiology of aerobic exercise) decreases behavioural markers of vulnerability to addictive properties of various drugs of abuse including cocaine. However, neurobiological mechanisms underpinning this protective effect are far from fully characterized. Here, 28-day-old female C57BL/6J mice were housed with ( n  = 48) or without ( n  = 48) a running wheel for 6 weeks before being tested for acute locomotor responsiveness and initiation of locomotor sensitization to intraperitoneal injections of 8 mg/kg cocaine. The long-term expression of sensitization took place 3 weeks after the last session. On the day after, all mice underwent a micro-PET imaging session with [ 18 F]fallypride radiotracer (dopamine 2/3 receptors antagonist). Exercised mice were less sensitive to acute and sensitized cocaine hyperlocomotor effects, such attenuation being particularly well marked for long-term expression of sensitization ( η 2 P  = 0.262). Chronic administration of cocaine was associated with a clear-cut increase of [ 18 F]fallypride binding potential in mouse striatum ( η 2 P  = 0.170) while wheel-running exercise was associated with a moderate decrease in dopamine 2/3 receptors density in striatum ( η 2 P  = 0.075), a mechanism that might contribute to protective properties of exercise against drugs of abuse vulnerability., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain.)

With the emergence of disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson's disease, reliable longitudinal markers are needed to quantify pathology and demonstrate disease progression. We developed the A53T-AAV rat model of synucleinopathy by combining longitudinal measures over 12 weeks. We first characterized the progression of the motor and dopaminergic deficits. Then, we monitored the disease progression using the [ 18 F]FMT Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiotracer. The nigral injection of A53T-AAV led to an increase in phosphorylated α-synuclein on S129, a progressive accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates, and a decrease of dopaminergic function associated with a deterioration of motor activity. The longitudinal monitoring of A53T-AAV rats with [ 18 F]FMT PET showed a progressive reduction of the K c outcome parameter in the caudate putamen from the lesioned side. Interestingly, the progressive reduction in the [ 18 F]FMT PET signal correlated with defects in the stepping test. In conclusion, we established a progressive rat model of α-synuclein pathology which monitors the deficit longitudinally using both the [ 18 F]FMT PET tracer and behavioral parameters, 2 features that have strong relevance for translational approaches., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The purpose of this exploratory research is to provide data on synaptopathy in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Twelve patients with probable bvFTD were compared to 12 control participants and 12 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Loss of synaptic projections was assessed with [ 18 F]UCBH-PET. Total distribution volume was obtained with Logan method using carotid artery derived input function. Neuroimages were analyzed with SPM12. Verbal fluency, episodic memory and awareness of cognitive impairment were equally impaired in patients groups. Compared to controls, [ 18 F]UCBH uptake tended to decrease in the right anterior parahippocampal gyrus of bvFTD patients. Loss of synaptic projections was observed in the right hippocampus of AD participants, but there was no significant difference in [ 18 F]UCBH brain uptake between patients groups. Anosognosia for clinical disorder was correlated with synaptic density in the caudate nucleus and the anteromedial prefrontal cortex. This study suggests that synaptopathy in bvFTD targets the temporal social brain and self-referential processes., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of the Synaptic Vesicle glycoprotein (SV) 2A is a new tool to quantify synaptic density. [ 18 F]UCB-H was one of the first promising SV2A-ligands to be labelled and used in vivo in rodent and human, while limited information on its pharmacokinetic properties is available in the non-human primate. Here, we evaluate the reliability of the three most commonly used modelling approaches for [ 18 F]UCB-H in the non-human cynomolgus primate, adding the coupled fit of the non-displaceable distribution volume (V ND ) as an alternative approach to improve unstable fit. The results are discussed in the light of the current state of SV2A PET ligands., Results: [ 18 F]UCB-H pharmacokinetic data was optimally fitted with a two-compartment model (2TCM), although the model did not always converge (large total volume of distribution (V T ) or large uncertainty of the estimate). 2TCM with coupled fit K 1 /k 2 across brain regions stabilized the quantification, and confirmed a lower specific signal of [ 18 F]UCB-H compared to the newest SV2A-ligands. However, the measures of V ND and the influx parameter (K 1 ) are similar to what has been reported for other SV2A ligands. These data were reinforced by displacement studies using [ 19 F]UCB-H, demonstrating only 50% displacement of the total [ 18 F]UCB-H signal at maximal occupancy of SV2A. As previously demonstrated in clinical studies, the graphical method of Logan provided a more robust estimate of V T with only a small bias compared to 2TCM., Conclusions: Modeling issues with a 2TCM due to a slow component have previously been reported for other SV2A ligands with low specific binding, or after blocking of specific binding. As all SV2A ligands share chemical structural similarities, we hypothesize that this slow binding component is common for all SV2A ligands, but only hampers quantification when specific binding is low.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic hepatic pathology in Western countries. It encompasses a spectrum of conditions ranging from simple steatosis to more severe and progressive non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) that can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Obesity and related metabolic syndrome are important risk factors for the development of NAFLD, NASH and HCC. DUSP3 is a small dual-specificity protein phosphatase with a poorly known physiological function. We investigated its role in metabolic syndrome manifestations and in HCC using a mouse knockout (KO) model. While aging, DUSP3-KO mice became obese, exhibited insulin resistance, NAFLD and associated liver damage. These phenotypes were exacerbated under high fat diet (HFD). In addition, DEN administration combined to HFD led to rapid HCC development in DUSP3-KO compared to wild type (WT) mice. DUSP3-KO mice had more serum triglycerides, cholesterol, AST and ALT compared to control WT mice under both regular chow diet (CD) and HFD. The level of fasting insulin was higher compared to WT mice, though, fasting glucose as well as glucose tolerance were normal. At the molecular level, HFD led to decreased expression of DUSP3 in WT mice. DUSP3 deletion was associated with increased and consistent phosphorylation of the insulin receptor (IR) and with higher activation of the downstream signaling pathway. In conclusion, our results support a new role for DUSP3 in obesity, insulin resistance, NAFLD and liver damage.

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to understand how the positron emission tomography (PET) measure of the synaptic vesicle 2A (SV2A) protein varies in vivo during the development of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in the kainic acid rat model., Procedures: Twenty Sprague Dawley male rats were administered with multiple systemic doses of saline (control group, n = 5) or kainic acid (5 mg/kg/injection, epileptic group, n = 15). Both groups were scanned at the four phases of TLE (early, latent, transition, and chronic phase) with the [ 18 F]UCB-H PET radiotracer and T2-structural magnetic resonance imaging. At the end of the scans (3 months post-status epilepticus), rats were monitored for 7 days with electroencephalography for the detection of spontaneous electrographic seizures. Finally, the immunofluorescence staining for SV2A expression was performed., Results: Control rats presented a significant increase in [ 18 F]UCB-H binding at the last two scans, compared with the first ones (p < 0.001). This increase existed but was lower in epileptic animals, producing significant group differences in all the phases of the disease (p < 0.028). Furthermore, the quantification of the SV2A expression in vivo with the [ 18 F]UCB-H radiotracer or ex vivo with immunofluorescence led to equivalent results, with a positive correlation between both., Conclusions: Even if further studies in humans are required, the ability to detect a progressive decrease in SV2A expression during the development of temporal lobe epilepsy supports the use of [ 18 F]UCB-H as a useful tool to differentiate, in vivo, between healthy and epileptic animals along with the development of the epileptic disease.

Growth hormone (GH) is a key modulator of growth and GH over-secretion can lead to gigantism. One form is X-linked acrogigantism (X-LAG), in which infants develop GH-secreting pituitary tumors over-expressing the orphan G-protein coupled receptor, GPR101. The role of GPR101 in GH secretion remains obscure. We studied GPR101 signaling pathways and their effects in HEK293 and rat pituitary GH3 cell lines, human tumors and in transgenic mice with elevated somatotrope Gpr101 expression driven by the rat Ghrhr promoter (Ghrhr Gpr101 ). Here, we report that Gpr101 causes elevated GH/prolactin secretion in transgenic Ghrhr Gpr101 mice but without hyperplasia/tumorigenesis. We show that GPR101 constitutively activates not only G s , but also G q/11 and G 12/13 , which leads to GH secretion but not proliferation. These signatures of GPR101 signaling, notably PKC activation, are also present in human pituitary tumors with high GPR101 expression. These results underline a role for GPR101 in the regulation of somatotrope axis function.

Organic nanoparticles made out of biodegradable and biocompatible materials have attracted increased attention in the therapeutic and diagnostic fields. In this study, we attempted to explore a new radiolabelling chelating free strategy for biodegradable sphingomyelin nanometric emulsions with fluorine-18 ( 18 F), a radioisotope regularly used in clinic. [ 18 F]fluoride was produced by the cyclotron and was incorporated into 4-[ 18 F]fluorobenzamido-N-ethylmaleimide ([ 18 F]FBEM), which was coupled next to the emulsions previously functionalized with a thiol group, via inclusion of either a thiol-PEG-lipid (SH-PEG 12 -C 18 ), or a peptide-PEG-lipid (Cys-Pro-Ile-Glu-Asp-Arg-Pro-Met-Cys-PEG 8 -C 18 ) derivative. Radiolabelled emulsions were obtained in a rapid and efficient fashion through facile-conjugated chemistry without the use of organic solvents, and characterized in terms of size, polydispersity, surface charge, pH, and osmolarity. PET imaging and biodistribution studies in BALB/c mice allowed obtaining the pharmacokinetics of the radiolabelled emulsions and determining the clearance pathways. Altogether, we confirmed the potential of this new technique for the radiolabelling of lipid-based drug nanosystems for application in PET imaging diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Loss of brain synapses is an early pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease. The current study assessed synaptic loss in vivo with positron emission tomography and an 18F-labelled radiotracer of the synaptic vesicle protein 2A, [18F]UCB-H., Methods: Twenty-four patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease and positive [18F]Flutemetamol amyloid-PET were compared to 19 healthy controls. [18F]UCB-H brain uptake was quantified with Logan graphical analysis using an image-derived blood input function. SPM12 and regions-of-interest (ROI) analyses were used for group comparisons of regional brain distribution volumes and for correlation with cognitive measures., Results: A significant decrease of [18F]UCB-H uptake was observed in several cortical areas (11 to 18% difference) and in the thalamus (16% difference), with the largest effect size in the hippocampus (31% difference). Reduced hippocampal uptake was related to patients' cognitive decline (ROI analysis) and unawareness of memory problems (SPM and ROI analyses)., Conclusions: The findings thus highlight predominant synaptic loss in the hippocampus, confirming previous autopsy-based studies and a recent PET study with an 11C-labelled SV2A radiotracer. [18F]UCB-H PET allows to image in vivo synaptic changes in Alzheimer's disease and to relate them to patients' cognitive impairment.

Purpose: [ 18 F]UCB-H is a specific positron emission tomography (PET) biomarker for the Synaptic Vesicle protein 2A (SV2A), the binding site of the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam. With a view to optimising acquisition time and simplifying data analysis with this radiotracer, we compared two parameters: the distribution volume (Vt) obtained from Logan graphical analysis using a Population-Based Input Function, and the Standardised Uptake Value (SUV)., Procedures: Twelve Sprague Dawley male rats, pre-treated with three different doses of levetiracetam were employed to develop the methodology. Three additional kainic acid (KA) treated rats (temporal lobe epilepsy model) were also used to test the procedure. Image analyses focused on: (i) length of the dynamic acquisition (90 versus 60 min); (ii) correlations between Vt and SUV over 20-min consecutive time-frames; (iii) and (iv) evaluation of differences between groups using the Vt and the SUV; and (v) preliminary evaluation of the methodology in the KA epilepsy model., Results: A large correlation between the Vt issued from 60 to 90-min acquisitions was observed. Further analyses highlighted a large correlation (r > 0.8) between the Vt and the SUV. Equivalent differences between groups were detected for both parameters, especially in the 20-40 and 40-60-min time-frames. The same results were also obtained with the epilepsy model., Conclusions: Our results enable the acquisition setting to be changed from a 90-min dynamic to a 20-min static PET acquisition. According to a better image quality, the 20-40-min time-frame appears optimal. Due to its equivalence to the Vt, the SUV parameter can be considered in order to quantify [ 18 F]UCB-H uptake in the rat brain. This work, therefore, establishes a starting point for the simplification of SV2A in vivo quantification with [ 18 F]UCB-H, and represents a step forward to the clinical application of this PET radiotracer.

The Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2A (SV2A) is a transmembrane protein whose presence is reduced both in animal models and in patients with chronic epilepsy. Besides its implication in the epileptic process, the behavioural consequences of the changes in its expression remain unclear. The purpose of our research is to better understand the possible role(s) of this protein through the phenotype of cKO (Grik4 Cre+/-, SV2A lox/lox) mice, male and female, which present a specific decrease of SV2A expression levels in the hippocampal glutamatergic neurons but without any epileptic seizures. In this study, we compare the cKO mice with cHZ (Grik4 Cre+/-, SV2A lox/+) and WT (Grik4 Cre+/+, SV2A lox/lox) mice through a battery of tests, used to evaluate different features: the anxiety-related features (Elevated Plus Maze), the locomotor activity (Activity Chambers), the contextual fear-related memory (Contextual Fear Conditioning), and the spatial memory (Barnes Maze). Our results showed statistically significant differences in the habituation to a new environment, an increase in the anxiety levels and spatial memory deficit in the cHZ and cKO groups, compared to the WT group. No statistically significant differences due to the genotype appeared in the spontaneous locomotor activity or the fear-linked memory. However, sexual differences were observed in this last feature. These results highlight not only an important role of the SV2A protein in the cognitive and anxiety problems typically encountered in epileptic patients, but also a possible role in the symptomatology of other neurodegenerative diseases, such as the Alzheimer's disease., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: A key feature of the human brain is its capability to adapt flexibly to changing external stimuli. This capability can be eliminated by general anesthesia, a state characterized by unresponsiveness, amnesia, and (most likely) unconsciousness. Previous studies demonstrated decreased connectivity within the thalamus, frontoparietal, and default mode networks during general anesthesia. We hypothesized that these alterations within specific brain networks lead to a change of communication between networks and their temporal dynamics., Methods: We conducted a pooled spatial independent component analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from 16 volunteers during propofol and 14 volunteers during sevoflurane general anesthesia that have been previously published. Similar to previous studies, mean z-scores of the resulting spatial maps served as a measure of the activity within a network. Additionally, correlations of associated time courses served as a measure of the connectivity between networks. To analyze the temporal dynamics of between-network connectivity, we computed the correlation matrices during sliding windows of 1 min and applied k-means clustering to the matrices during both general anesthesia and wakefulness., Results: Within-network activity was decreased in the default mode, attentional, and salience networks during general anesthesia (P < 0.001, range of median changes: -0.34, -0.13). Average between-network connectivity was reduced during general anesthesia (P < 0.001, median change: -0.031). Distinct between-network connectivity patterns for both wakefulness and general anesthesia were observed irrespective of the anesthetic agent (P < 0.001), and there were fewer transitions in between-network connectivity patterns during general anesthesia (P < 0.001, median number of transitions during wakefulness: 4 and during general anesthesia: 0)., Conclusions: These results suggest that (1) higher-order brain regions play a crucial role in the generation of specific between-network connectivity patterns and their dynamics, and (2) the capability to interact with external stimuli is represented by complex between-network connectivity patterns.

While animal research has consistently reported preventive effects of exercise against drug abuse vulnerability, little is known about the influence of the developmental stage during which exercise is displayed on addictive drugs responsiveness. This study aimed to determine whether prenatal exercise could attenuate acute cocaine reactivity and psychomotor sensitization in youth offspring. We used a split-plot factorial design where C57BL/6 J females were randomly assigned into sedentary or exercised (wheel-running) conditions before and during gestation, the wheels being removed on gestational day 18. Offspring were weaned, gendered and individually housed on 24-28 days old. At 38-42 days old, they were tested for their acute psychomotor responsiveness to 8 mg/kg cocaine and their initiation of sensitization over 8 additional once-daily administrations, the long-term expression of sensitization occurring 30 days later. Adolescent females born from exercised mothers were much less responsive to the acute psychomotor-stimulating effect of cocaine than those born from sedentary mothers (d = 0.75, p = 0.02), whereas there was no evidence for such a difference in males (d = 0.34, p = 0.17). However, we did not find sizeable attenuating effects of prenatal exercise on the initiation and the long-term expression of the psychomotor-activating effect of cocaine, in either sex (Cohen's ds varying from -0.13 to 0.39). These results suggest that prenatal exercise may induce initial protection against cocaine responsiveness in youth females, a finding that warrants further research., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) is involved in synaptic vesicle trafficking. The SV2A isoform is the most studied and its implication in epilepsy therapy led to the development of the first SV2A PET radiotracer [ 18 F]UCB-H. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo, using microPET in rats, the specificity of [ 18 F]UCB-H for SV2 isoform A in comparison with the other two isoforms (B and C) through a blocking assay. Twenty Sprague Dawley rats were pre-treated either with the vehicle, or with specific competitors against SV2A (levetiracetam), SV2B (UCB5203) and SV2C (UCB0949). The distribution volume (Vt, Logan plot, t* 15 min) was obtained with a population-based input function. The Vt analysis for the entire brain showed statistically significant differences between the levetiracetam group and the other groups ( p < 0.001), but also between the vehicle and the SV2B group ( p < 0.05). An in-depth Vt analysis conducted for eight relevant brain structures confirmed the statistically significant differences between the levetiracetam group and the other groups ( p < 0.001) and highlighted the superior and the inferior colliculi along with the cortex as regions also displaying statistically significant differences between the vehicle and SV2B groups ( p < 0.05). These results emphasize the in vivo specificity of [ 18 F]UCB-H for SV2A against SV2B and SV2C, confirming that [ 18 F]UCB-H is a suitable radiotracer for in vivo imaging of the SV2A proteins with PET.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a significant burden on society. In the search for new AD drugs, modulators of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) are of particular interest, as loss of synaptic AMPARs has been linked to AD learning and memory deficits. Previously reported fluorine-containing BPAM121, an AMPA positive allosteric modulator (pam) with high activity, low toxicity, and slow metabolism, was considered to be a perfect 18 F-labeled candidate for positron emission tomography (PET) AD diagnostic investigations. For the preclinical use of this compound, an automated synthesis avoiding human radiation exposure was developed. The detailed production of [ 18 F]BPAM121 in relatively high quantity using a commercial FASTlab synthesizer from GE Healthcare coupled with a full set of quality controls is presented, along with procedures for the synthesis of the tosylated precursor and the fluorinated reference. To evaluate the clinical usefulness of [ 18 F]BPAM121 as a potential AD diagnostic, some in vivo studies in mice were then realized, alongside blocking and competition studies., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A debate is still open about the precise control exerted by the somatotrope GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)/growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor 1 axis on the immune system. The objective of this study was to directly address this question through the use of Ghrh -/- mice that exhibit a severe deficiency of their somatotrope axis. After control backcross studies and normalization for the reduced global weight of transgenic mice, no difference in weight and cellularity of the thymus was observed in Ghrh -/- mice when compared with C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) control mice. Similarly, no significant change was observed in frequency and number of thymic T cell subsets. In the periphery, Ghrh -/- mice exhibited an increase in T cell proportion associated with a higher frequency of sjTREC and naïve T cells. However, all Ghrh -/- mice displayed an absolute and relative splenic atrophy, in parallel with a decrease in B cell percentage. GH supplementation of transgenic mice for 6 weeks induced a significant increase in their global as well as absolute and relative splenic weight. Interestingly, the classical thymus involution following dexamethasone administration was shown to recover in WT mice more quickly than in mutant mice. Altogether, these data show that the severe somatotrope deficiency of Ghrh -/- mice essentially impacts the spleen and B compartment of the adaptive immune system, while it only marginally affects thymic function and T cell development.

Epidermal growth-factor receptor (EGFR) is involved in cell growth and proliferation and is over-expressed in malignant tissues. Although anti-EGFR-based immunotherapy became a standard of care for patients with EGFR-positive tumors, this strategy of addressing cancer tumors by targeting EGFR with monoclonal antibodies is less-developed for patient diagnostic and monitoring. Indeed, antibodies exhibit a slow blood clearance, which is detrimental for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. New molecular probes are proposed to overcome such limitations for patient monitoring, making use of low-molecular-weight protein scaffolds as alternatives to antibodies, such as Nanofitins with better pharmacokinetic profiles. Anti-EGFR Nanofitin B10 was reformatted by genetic engineering to exhibit a unique cysteine moiety at its C-terminus, which allows the development of a fast and site-specific radiolabeling procedure with 18 F-4-fluorobenzamido-N-ethylamino-maleimide ( 18 F-FBEM). The in vivo tumor targeting and imaging profile of the anti-EGFR Cys-B10 Nanofitin was investigated in a double-tumor xenograft model by static small-animal PET at 2 h after tail-vein injection of the radiolabeled Nanofitin 18 F-FBEM-Cys-B10. The image showed that the EGFR-positive tumor (A431) is clearly delineated in comparison to the EGFR-negative tumor (H520) with a significant tumor-to-background contrast. 18 F-FBEM-Cys-B10 demonstrated a significantly higher retention in A431 tumors than in H520 tumors at 2.5 h post-injection with a A431-to-H520 uptake ratio of 2.53 ± 0.18 and a tumor-to-blood ratio of 4.55 ± 0.63. This study provides the first report of Nanofitin scaffold used as a targeted PET radiotracer for in vivo imaging of EGFR-positive tumor, with the anti-EGFR B10 Nanofitin used as proof-of-concept. The fast generation of specific Nanofitins via a fully in vitro selection process, together with the excellent imaging features of the Nanofitin scaffold, could facilitate the development of valuable PET-based companion diagnostics.

Introduction: Brain distribution of synaptic vesicle protein 2A was measured with fluorine-18 UCB-H ([ 18 F]UCB-H) and positron emission tomography (PET)., Methods: Images of synaptic density were acquired in healthy volunteers (two young participants and two seniors). Input function was measured by arterial blood sampling (arterial input function) and derived from PET images using carotid activity (image-derived input function). Logan graphical analysis was used to estimate regional synaptic vesicle protein 2A distribution volume., Results: [ 18 F]UCB-H uptake was ubiquitous in cortical and subcortical gray matter. Arterial input function and image-derived input function provided regional distribution volume with a high linear relationship., Discussion: The cerebral distribution of [ 18 F]UCB-H is similar to that recently observed with carbon-11 UCB-J ([ 11 C]UCB-J). An accurate [ 18 F]UCB-H quantification can be performed without invasive arterial blood sampling when no suitable reference region is available, using dynamic PET carotid activity. Brain synaptic density can be studied in vivo in normal and pathological aging.

The synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A), a protein essential to the proper nervous system function, is found in presynaptic vesicles. Thus, SV2A targeting, using dedicated radiotracers combined with positron emission tomography (PET), allows the assessment of synaptic density in the living brain. The first-in-class fluorinated SV2A specific radioligand, [ 18 F]UCB-H, is now available at high activity through an efficient radiosynthesis compliant with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP). We report here a noninvasive method to quantify [ 18 F]UCB-H binding in rat brain with microPET. Validation study in rats confirmed the need of high enantiomeric purity to target SV2A in vivo. We demonstrated the reliability of a population-based input function to quantify SV2A in preclinical microPET setting. Finally, we investigated the in vivo metabolism of [ 18 F]UCB-H and confirmed the negligible amount of radiometabolites in the rat brain. Hence, the in vivo quantification of SV2A using [ 18 F]UCB-H microPET seems a promising tool for the assessment of the synaptic density in the rat brain, and opens the way for longitudinal follow-up in neurodegenerative disease rodent models.

Introduction: Nanofitins are low molecular weight, single chain and cysteine-free protein scaffolds able to selectively bind a defined biological target. They derive from Sac7d bacterial protein family and are highly stable over a wide range of pH (0-13) and temperature (Tm ~80°C). Their extreme stability, low cost of production and high tolerability for chemical coupling make Nanofitins a very interesting alternative to antibodies and their fragments. Here, a hexahistidine tagged model Nanofitin (H4) directed against hen egg white lysozyme was radiolabelled and injected in mice to provide a baseline biodistribution and pharmacokinetic profiles to support future Nanofitin development programs., Method: A single cysteine residue has been genetically inserted in a model Nanofitin and its regioselective radiolabelling has been performed with 4-[ 18 F]fluorobenzamido-N-ethylamino-maleimide ([ 18 F]FBEM). The synthesis of [ 18 F]FBEM has been completely implemented on a radiosynthesis unit (FastLab) including HPLC purification and formulation. Coupling with the [ 18 F]FBEM has been achieved on a solid support (Ni magnetic beads) allowing rapid purification at room temperature without organic solvent. PET-MRI studies on C57BL/6 mice were conducted after injection of [ 18 F]FBEM-Cys-H4 in order to access the biodistribution of this Nanofitin model., Results: Radiochemical yield (decay corrected) of 54±7% (n=4) was obtained after optimization for coupling the [ 18 F]FBEM to Nanofitin. Pharmacokinetics results of [ 18 F]FBEM-Cys-H4 revealed a fast clearance through the liver and the kidneys., Conclusion: An efficient new method on Ni magnetic beads was developed to radiolabelled his-tagged biomolecules with [ 18 F]FBEM. This procedure was applied on a Nanofitin model Cys-H4 and biodistribution kinetic studies were achieved to evaluate the potential use of Nanofitin for diagnostic imaging. Fast clearance indicates that Nanofitins represent very interesting tools for diagnostic imaging., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Because of the progressive loss of nigro-striatal dopaminergic terminals in Parkinson's disease (PD), in vivo quantitative imaging of dopamine (DA) containing neurons in animal models of PD is of critical importance in the preclinical evaluation of highly awaited disease-modifying therapies. Among existing methods, the high sensitivity of positron emission tomography (PET) is attractive to achieve that goal. The aim of this study was to perform a quantitative comparison of brain images obtained in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rats using two dopaminergic PET radiotracers, namely [ 18 F]fluoro-3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine ([ 18 F]FDOPA) and 6-[ 18 F]fluoro-L-m-tyrosine ([ 18 F]FMT). Because the imaging signal is theoretically less contaminated by metabolites, we hypothesized that the latter would show stronger relationship with behavioural and post-mortem measures of striatal dopaminergic deficiency. We used a within-subject design to measure striatal [ 18 F]FMT and [ 18 F]FDOPA uptake in eight partially lesioned, eight fully lesioned and ten sham-treated rats. Animals were pretreated with an L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor. A catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor was also given before [ 18 F]FDOPA PET. Quantitative estimates of striatal uptake were computed using conventional graphical Patlak method. Striatal dopaminergic deficiencies were measured with apomorphine-induced rotations and post-mortem striatal DA content. We observed a strong relationship between [ 18 F]FMT and [ 18 F]FDOPA estimates of decreased uptake in the denervated striatum using the tissue-derived uptake rate constant K c . However, only [ 18 F]FMT K c succeeded to discriminate between the partial and the full 6-OHDA lesion and correlated well with the post-mortem striatal DA content. This study indicates that the [ 18 F]FMT could be more sensitive, with respect of [ 18 F]FDOPA, to investigate DA terminals loss in 6-OHDA rats, and open the way to in vivo L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase activity targeting in future investigations on progressive PD models., (© 2017 International Society for Neurochemistry.)

SV2A is a glycoprotein present in the membranes of most synaptic vesicles. Although it has been highly conserved throughout evolution, its physiological role remains largely unknown. Nevertheless, Levetiracetam, a very effective anti-epileptic drug, has been recently demonstrated to bind to SV2A. At present, our understanding of the normal function of SV2A and its possible involvement in diseases like epilepsy is limited. With this study, we sought to develop a relevant model enabling analysis of SV2A's role in the occurrence or progression of epilepsy. For this purpose, we generated a floxed SV2A mouse model with conditional alleles carrying LoxP sites around exon 3 by means of a gene-targeting strategy. The SV2A lox/lox mouse line is indistinguishable from wild-type mice. When the recombination was observed in all cells, a model of mice with both SV2A alleles floxed around exon 3 recapitulated the phenotype of SV2A KO mice, including seizures. However, the specific invalidation of SV2A in the CA3 hippocampal region was not followed by epileptic seizures or decrease in the epileptic threshold on pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) test. These results demonstrate that the floxed SV2A mouse line has been successfully established. This transgenic mouse model will be useful for investigating SV2A functions related to cell types and developmental stages., Competing Interests: The funders UCB Pharma had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Background: Consciousness-altering anesthetic agents disturb connectivity between brain regions composing the resting-state consciousness networks (RSNs). The default mode network (DMn), executive control network, salience network (SALn), auditory network, sensorimotor network (SMn), and visual network sustain mentation. Ketamine modifies consciousness differently from other agents, producing psychedelic dreaming and no apparent interaction with the environment. The authors used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore ketamine-induced changes in RSNs connectivity., Methods: Fourteen healthy volunteers received stepwise intravenous infusions of ketamine up to loss of responsiveness. Because of agitation, data from six subjects were excluded from analysis. RSNs connectivity was compared between absence of ketamine (wake state [W1]), light ketamine sedation, and ketamine-induced unresponsiveness (deep sedation [S2])., Results: Increasing the depth of ketamine sedation from W1 to S2 altered DMn and SALn connectivity and suppressed the anticorrelated activity between DMn and other brain regions. During S2, DMn connectivity, particularly between the medial prefrontal cortex and the remaining network (effect size β [95% CI]: W1 = 0.20 [0.18 to 0.22]; S2 = 0.07 [0.04 to 0.09]), and DMn anticorrelated activity (e.g., right sensory cortex: W1 = -0.07 [-0.09 to -0.04]; S2 = 0.04 [0.01 to 0.06]) were broken down. SALn connectivity was nonuniformly suppressed (e.g., left parietal operculum: W1 = 0.08 [0.06 to 0.09]; S2 = 0.05 [0.02 to 0.07]). Executive control networks, auditory network, SMn, and visual network were minimally affected., Conclusions: Ketamine induces specific changes in connectivity within and between RSNs. Breakdown of frontoparietal DMn connectivity and DMn anticorrelation and sensory and SMn connectivity preservation are common to ketamine and propofol-induced alterations of consciousness.

We herein describe the straightforward synthesis of a stable pyridyl(4-methoxyphenyl)iodonium salt and its [ 18 F] radiolabeling within a one-step, fully automated and cGMP compliant radiosynthesis of [ 18 F]UCB-H ([ 18 F]7), a PET tracer for the imaging of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A). Over the course of 1 year, 50 automated productions provided 34 ± 2% of injectable [ 18 F]7 from up to 285 GBq (7.7 Ci) of [ 18 F]fluoride in 50 min (uncorrected radiochemical yield, specific activity of 815 ± 185 GBq/μmol). The successful implementation of our synthetic strategy within routine, high-activity, and cGMP productions attests to its practicality and reliability for the production of large doses of [ 18 F]7. In addition to enabling efficient and cost-effective clinical research on a range of neurological pathologies through the imaging of SV2A, this work further demonstrates the real value of iodonium salts for the cGMP 18 F-PET tracer manufacturing industry, and their ability to fulfill practical and regulatory requirements in that field.

Objectives: To evaluate imaging changes occurring in a rat model of elastase-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), with emphasis on the intraluminal thrombus (ILT) occurrence., Methods: The post-induction growth of the AAA diameter was characterized using ultrasound in 22 rats. ILT was reported on 13 rats that underwent 14 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 2-18 days post-surgery, and on 10 rats that underwent 18 fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/microcomputed tomography examinations 2-27 days post-surgery. Logistic regressions were used to establish the evolution with time of AAA length, diameter, ILT thickness, volume, stratification, MRI and FDG PET signalling properties, and histological assessment of inflammatory infiltrates., Results: All of the following significantly increased with time post-induction (p < 0.001): AAA length, AAA diameter, ILT maximal thickness, ILT volume, ILT iron content and related MRI signalling changes, quantitative uptake on FDG PET, and the magnitude of inflammatory infiltrates on histology. However, the aneurysm growth peak followed occurrence of ILT approximately 6 days after elastase infusion., Conclusion: Our model emphasizes that occurrence of ILT precedes AAA peak growth. Aneurysm growth is associated with increasing levels of iron, signalling properties changes in both MRI and FDG PET, relating to its biological activities., Key Points: • ILT occurrence in AAA is associated with increasing FDG uptake and growth. • MRI signalling changes in ILT reflect activities such as haemorrhage and RBC trapping. • Monitoring ILT activities using MRI may require no exogenous contrast agent.

Introduction: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) catalyzes the initial step in the catabolism of l-tryptophan along the kynurenine pathway and exerts immunosuppressive properties in inflammatory and tumor tissues by blocking locally T-lymphocyte proliferation. Recently, 1-(2-[(19)F]fluoroethyl)-dl-tryptophan (1-[(19)F]FE-dl-Trp) was reported as a good and specific substrate of this enzyme. Herein, the radiosynthesis of its radioactive isotopomer (1-[(18)F]FE-dl-Trp, dl-[(18)F]5) is presented along with in vitro enzymatic and cellular uptake studies., Methods: The one-pot n.c.a. radiosynthesis of this novel potential PET imaging tracer, including HPLC purification and formulation, has been fully automated on a FASTlab™ synthesizer. Chiral separation of both isomers and their formulation were implemented on a second cassette. In vitro enzymatic and cellular uptake studies were then conducted with the d-, l- and dl-radiotracers., Results: The radiolabeling of the tosylate precursor was performed in DMF (in 5min; RCY: 57% (d.c.), n=3). After hydrolysis, HPLC purification and formulation, dl-[(18)F]5 was obtained with a global radiochemical yield of 18±3% (not decay corrected, n=7, in 80min) and a specific activity of 600±180GBq/μmol (n=5). The subsequent separation of l- and d-enantiomers was performed by chiral HPLC and both were obtained after formulation with an RCY (d.c.) of 6.1% and 5.8%, respectively. In vitro enzymatic assays reveal that l-[(18)F]5 is a better substrate than d-[(18)F]5 for human IDO. In vitro cellular assays show an IDO-specific uptake of the racemate varying from 30% to 50% of that of l-[(18)F]5, and a negligible uptake of d-[(18)F]5., Conclusion: In vitro studies show that l-[(18)F]5 is a good and specific substrate of hIDO, while presenting a very low efflux. These results confirm that l-[(18)F]5 could be a very useful PET radiotracer for IDO expressing cells in cancer imaging., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Small animals are increasingly used as translational models in preclinical imaging studies involving microCT, during which the subjects can be exposed to large amounts of radiation. While the radiation levels are generally sublethal, studies have shown that low-level radiation can change physiological parameters in mice. In order to rule out any influence of radiation on the outcome of such experiments, or resulting deterministic effects in the subjects, the levels of radiation involved need to be addressed. The aim of this study was to investigate the radiation dose delivered by the GE eXplore 120 microCT non-invasively using Monte Carlo simulations in GATE and to compare results to previously obtained experimental values., Methods: Tungsten X-ray spectra were simulated at 70, 80, and 97 kVp using an analytical tool and their half-value layers were simulated for spectra validation against experimentally measured values of the physical X-ray tube. A Monte Carlo model of the microCT system was set up and four protocols that are regularly applied to live animal scanning were implemented. The computed tomography dose index (CTDI) inside a PMMA phantom was derived and multiple field of view acquisitions were simulated using the PMMA phantom, a representative mouse and rat., Results: Simulated half-value layers agreed with experimentally obtained results within a 7% error window. The CTDI ranged from 20 to 56 mGy and closely matched experimental values. Derived organ doses in mice reached 459 mGy in bones and up to 200 mGy in soft tissue organs using the highest energy protocol. Dose levels in rats were lower due to the increased mass of the animal compared to mice. The uncertainty of all dose simulations was below 14%., Conclusions: Monte Carlo simulations proved a valuable tool to investigate the 3D dose distribution in animals from microCT. Small animals, especially mice (due to their small volume), receive large amounts of radiation from the GE eXplore 120 microCT, which might alter physiological parameters in a longitudinal study setup.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (hIDO) is an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative cleavage of the indole ring of l-tryptophan through the kynurenine pathway, thereby exerting immunosuppressive properties in inflammatory and tumoral tissues. The syntheses of 1-(2-fluoroethyl)-tryptophan (1-FETrp) and 1-((1-(2-fluoroethyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)-tryptophan, two N (1)-fluoroalkylated tryptophan derivatives, are described here. In vitro enzymatic assays with these two new potential substrates of hIDO show that 1-FETrp is a good and specific substrate of hIDO. Therefore, its radioactive isotopomer, 1-[(18)F]FETrp, should be a molecule of choice to visualize tumoral and inflammatory tissues and/or to validate new potential inhibitors.

Unlabelled: Synaptic vesicle protein 2 isoforms are critical for proper nervous system function and are involved in vesicle trafficking. The synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) isoform has been identified as the binding site of the antiepileptic levetiracetam (LEV), making it an interesting therapeutic target for epilepsy. (18)F-UCB-H is a novel PET imaging agent with a nanomolar affinity for human SV2A., Methods: Preclinical PET studies were performed with isoflurane-anesthetized rats. The arterial input function was measured with an arteriovenous shunt and a β-microprobe system. (18)F-UCB-H was injected intravenously (bolus of 140 ± 20 MBq)., Results: Brain uptake of (18)F-UCB-H was high, matching the expected homogeneous distribution of SV2A. The distribution volume (Vt) for (18)F-UCB-H was calculated with Logan graphic analysis, and the effect of LEV pretreatment on Vt was measured. In control animals the whole-brain Vt was 9.76 ± 0.52 mL/cm(3) (mean ± SD; n = 4; test-retest), and the reproducibility in test-retest studies was 10.4% ± 6.5% (mean ± SD). The uptake of (18)F-UCB-H was dose dependently blocked by pretreatment with LEV (0.1-100 mg/kg intravenously)., Conclusion: Our results indicated that (18)F-UCB-H is a suitable radiotracer for the imaging of SV2A in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first PET tracer for the in vivo quantification of SV2A. The necessary steps for the implementation of (18)F-UCB-H production under good manufacturing practice conditions and the first human studies are being planned., (© 2014 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.)

Unlabelled: For many years the laboratory mouse has been used as the standard model for in vivo oncology research, particularly in the development of novel PET tracers, but the growth of tumors on chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) provides a more rapid, low cost, and ethically sustainable alternative. For the first time, to our knowledge, we demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo PET and CT imaging in a U87 glioblastoma tumor model on chicken CAM, with the aim of applying this model for screening of novel PET tracers., Methods: U87 glioblastoma cells were implanted on the CAM at day 11 after fertilization and imaged at day 18. A small-animal imaging cell was used to maintain incubation and allow anesthesia using isoflurane. Radiotracers were injected directly into the exposed CAM vasculature. Sodium (18)F-fluoride was used to validate the imaging protocol, demonstrating that image-degrading motion can be removed with anesthesia. Tumor glucose metabolism was imaged using (18)F-FDG, and tumor protein synthesis was imaged using 2-(18)F-fluoro-l-tyrosine. Anatomic images were obtained by contrast-enhanced CT, facilitating clear delineation of the tumor, delineation of tracer uptake in tumor versus embryo, and accurate volume measurements., Results: PET imaging of tumor glucose metabolism and protein synthesis was successfully demonstrated in the CAM U87 glioblastoma model. Catheterization of CAM blood vessels facilitated dynamic imaging of glucose metabolism with (18)F-FDG and demonstrated the ability to study PET tracer uptake over time in individual tumors, and CT imaging improved the accuracy of tumor volume measurements., Conclusion: We describe the novel application of PET/CT in the CAM tumor model, with optimization of typical imaging protocols. PET imaging in this valuable tumor model could prove particularly useful for rapid, high-throughput screening of novel radiotracers.

Unlabelled: 6-(18)F-fluoro-L-dopa ((18)F-FDOPA) has proven to be a useful radiopharmaceutical for the evaluation of presynaptic dopaminergic function using PET. In comparison to electrophilic synthesis, the no-carrier-added (NCA) nucleophilic method has several advantages. These include much higher available activity and specific activity. Recently, we have described an NCA enantioselective synthesis using a chiral phase-transfer catalyst. However, some chemicals were difficult to implement into a commercially available synthesizer, restricting access to this radiopharmaceutical to only a few PET centers., Methods: In this paper, 2 important chemical improvements are proposed to simplify production of (18)F-FDOPA, resulting in straightforward automation of the synthesis in a commercially available module., Results: First, a fast, simple, and reliable synthesis of 2-(18)F-fluoro-4,5-dimethoxybenzyl iodide on a solid-phase support was developed. Second, a phase-transfer catalyst alkylation of a glycine derivative at room temperature was used to enable enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formation. After hydrolysis and high-performance liquid chromatography purification, a high enantiomeric excess of (18)F-FDOPA (≈ 97%) was obtained using a chiral catalyst available from a biphenyl 3 substrate. The total synthesis time was 63 min, and the decay-corrected radiochemical yield was 36% ± 3% (n = 8)., Conclusion: By exploiting the advantages of this NCA approach, using a starting activity of 185 GBq of NCA (18)F-fluoride, high activities of (18)F-FDOPA (>45 GBq) with high specific activity (≥ 753 GBq/μmol) are now available at the end of synthesis for use in clinical investigations.

Background: [18F]UCB-H was developed as a novel radiotracer with a high affinity for synaptic vesicle protein 2A, the binding site for the antiepileptic levetiracetam. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the radiation dosimetry of [18F]UCB-H in a preclinical trial and to determine the maximum injectable dose according to guidelines for human biomedical research. The radiation dosimetry was derived by organ harvesting and dynamic micro positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in mice, and the results of both methods were compared., Methods: Twenty-four male C57BL-6 mice were injected with 6.96 ± 0.81 MBq of [18F]UCB-H, and the biodistribution was determined by organ harvesting at 2, 5, 10, 30, 60, and 120 min (n = 4 for each time point). Dynamic microPET imaging was performed on five male C57BL-6 mice after the injection of 9.19 ± 3.40 MBq of [18F]UCB-H. A theoretical dynamic bladder model was applied to simulate urinary excretion. Human radiation dose estimates were derived from animal data using the International Commission on Radiological Protection 103 tissue weighting factors., Results: Based on organ harvesting, the urinary bladder wall, liver and brain received the highest radiation dose with a resulting effective dose of 1.88E-02 mSv/MBq. Based on dynamic imaging an effective dose of 1.86E-02 mSv/MBq was calculated, with the urinary bladder wall and liver (brain was not in the imaging field of view) receiving the highest radiation., Conclusions: This first preclinical dosimetry study of [18F]UCB-H showed that the tracer meets the standard criteria for radiation exposure in clinical studies. The dose-limiting organ based on US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European guidelines was the urinary bladder wall for FDA and the effective dose for Europe with a maximum injectable single dose of approximately 325 MBq was calculated. Although microPET imaging showed significant deviations from organ harvesting, the Pearson's correlation coefficient between radiation dosimetry derived by either method was 0.9666.

Background: Kinetic modeling of physiological function using imaging techniques requires the accurate measurement of the time-activity curve of the tracer in plasma, known as the arterial input function (IF). The measurement of IF can be achieved through manual blood sampling, the use of small counting systems such as beta microprobes, or by derivation from PET images. Previous studies using beta microprobe systems to continuously measure IF have suffered from high background counts., Methods: In the present study, a light-insensitive beta microprobe with a temporal resolution of up to 1 s was used in combination with a pump-driven femoral arteriovenous shunt to measure IF in rats. The shunt apparatus was designed such that the placement of the beta microprobe was highly reproducible. The probe-derived IF was compared to that obtained from manual sampling at 5-s intervals and IF derived from a left ventricle VOI in a dynamic PET image of the heart., Results: Probe-derived IFs were very well matched to that obtained by "gold standard" manual blood sampling, but with an increased temporal resolution of up to 1 s. The area under the curve (AUC) ratio between probe- and manually derived IFs was 1.07 ± 0.05 with a coefficient of variation of 0.04. However, image-derived IFs were significantly underestimated compared to the manually sampled IFs, with an AUC ratio of 0.76 ± 0.24 with a coefficient of variation of 0.32., Conclusions: IF derived from the beta microprobe accurately represented the IF as measured by blood sampling, was reproducible, and was more accurate than an image-derived technique. The use of the shunt removed problems of tissue-background activity, and the use of a light-tight probe with minimal gamma sensitivity refined the system. The probe/shunt apparatus can be used in both microprobe and PET studies.

Background: Mechanisms of anesthesia-induced loss of consciousness remain poorly understood. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging allows investigating whole-brain connectivity changes during pharmacological modulation of the level of consciousness., Methods: Low-frequency spontaneous blood oxygen level-dependent fluctuations were measured in 19 healthy volunteers during wakefulness, mild sedation, deep sedation with clinical unconsciousness, and subsequent recovery of consciousness., Results: Propofol-induced decrease in consciousness linearly correlates with decreased corticocortical and thalamocortical connectivity in frontoparietal networks (i.e., default- and executive-control networks). Furthermore, during propofol-induced unconsciousness, a negative correlation was identified between thalamic and cortical activity in these networks. Finally, negative correlations between default network and lateral frontoparietal cortices activity, present during wakefulness, decreased proportionally to propofol-induced loss of consciousness. In contrast, connectivity was globally preserved in low-level sensory cortices, (i.e., in auditory and visual networks across sedation stages). This was paired with preserved thalamocortical connectivity in these networks. Rather, waning of consciousness was associated with a loss of cross-modal interactions between visual and auditory networks., Conclusions: Our results shed light on the functional significance of spontaneous brain activity fluctuations observed in functional magnetic resonance imaging. They suggest that propofol-induced unconsciousness could be linked to a breakdown of cerebral temporal architecture that modifies both within- and between-network connectivity and thus prevents communication between low-level sensory and higher-order frontoparietal cortices, thought to be necessary for perception of external stimuli. They emphasize the importance of thalamocortical connectivity in higher-order cognitive brain networks in the genesis of conscious perception.

Unlabelled: This work aimed to evaluate the image quality and accuracy of attenuation and scatter corrections provided with the microPET Focus 120 scanner using the National Electrical Manufacturers Association NU4-2008 image quality phantom., Methods: Attenuation correction was obtained from transmission measurements using either a (68)Ge or a (57)Co point source. Fully corrected emission images were reconstructed using Fourier rebinning (FORE) and filtered backprojection (FBP). For attenuation data obtained with the (57)Co source, fully corrected emission images were also reconstructed using FORE and 2-dimensional (2D) ordered-subset expectation maximization (OSEM), 3-dimensional (3D) filtered backprojection (3DRP), 3D OSEM, and 3D maximum a posteriori methods. The mean activity, the coefficients of variation (COVs) of the uniform slices, the recovery coefficients (RCs) for hot rods, and the spillover ratio (SOR) for nonemitting water and air compartments were measured., Results: For (57)Co-based attenuation correction, the mean activity value differed by less than 3% from the true activity. Measuring the attenuation with (68)Ge resulted in lower reconstructed activity and higher COV. On the basis of (57)Co measurements, the SORs for air and water nonemitting compartments were the closest to zero for attenuation correction. The RC measured on emission images corrected for attenuation but not for scatter did not show any significant difference linked to the transmission method. However, higher RCs were noted for transmission measurement with (68)Ge in coincidence with windowing when emission data were corrected for attenuation and scatter. This resulted from a lower mean value in the uniform area. 2D and 3DRP reconstruction methods showed little effect on the mean activity value, whereas iterative 3D methods gave 7% higher values. Higher RCs were found with iterative reconstruction than with FBP and 3DRP. However, the SOR seemed to be optimal with FBP. SORs were higher with iterative methods and decreased with the number of iterations., Conclusion: For studies of small rodents with the Focus 120, (57)Co transmission seems to be the most suitable method for attenuation correction. FORE and 2D reconstruction methods appear to be a good compromise between overall image quality and reconstruction time: OSEM provides the largest contrasts, but FBP provides superior attenuation and scatter correction.

Purpose: Pretreatment with cyclosporine, a P-glycoprotein (P-gp) modulator increases brain uptake of 4-(2'-methoxyphenyl)-1-[2'-(N-2"-pyridinyl)-p-[(18)F]fluorobenzamido]ethylpiperazine ([(18)F]MPPF) for binding to hydroxytryptamine(1A) (5-HT(1A)) receptors. Those increases were quantified in rat brain with in vivo microPET and ex vivo tissue studies., Materials and Methods: Each Sprague-Dawley rat (n = 4) received a baseline [(18)F]MPPF microPET scan followed by second scan 2-3 weeks later that included cyclosporine pretreatment (50 mg/kg, i.p.). Maximum a posteriori reconstructed images and volumetric ROIs were used to generate dynamic radioactivity concentration measurements for hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum, with simplified reference tissue method (SRTM) analysis. Western blots were used to semiquantify P-gp regional distribution in brain., Results: MicroPET studies showed that hippocampus uptake of [(18)F]MPPF was increased after cyclosporine; ex vivo studies showed similar increases in hippocampus and frontal cortex at 30 min, and for heart and kidney at 2.5 and 5 min, without concomitant increases in [(18)F]MPPF plasma concentration. P-gp content in cerebellum was twofold higher than in hippocampus or frontal cortex., Conclusions: These studies confirm and extend prior ex vivo results (J. Passchier, et al., Eur J Pharmacol, 2000) that showed [(18)F]MPPF as a substrate for P-gp. Our microPET results showed that P-gp modulation of [(18)F]MPPF binding to 5-HT(1A) receptors can be imaged in rat hippocampus. The heterogeneous brain distribution of P-gp appeared to invalidate the use of cerebellum as a nonspecific reference region for SRTM modeling. Regional quantitation of P-gp may be necessary for accurate PET assessment of 5-HT(1A) receptor density when based on tracer uptake sensitive to P-gp modulation.

Background: Several fluorine-18 labelled fluoroamino acids have been evaluated as tracers for the quantitative assessment of cerebral protein synthesis in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET). Among these, 2-[18F]fluoro-L-tyrosine (2-[18F]Tyr) has been studied in mice at a low specific activity. Its incorporation into proteins is fast and metabolism via other pathways is limited. The present in vivo study was carried out in normal awake rats using no-carrier-added 2-[18F]Tyr. Under normal physiological conditions, we have studied the incorporation into proteins and the metabolism of the tracer in different brain areas., Methods: No-carrier-added 2-[18F]Tyr was administered to awake rats equipped with chronic arterial and venous catheters. The time course of the plasma activity was studied by arterial blood sampling. The biodistribution of the activity in the main organs was studied at the end of the experiment. The distribution of radioactive species in plasma and brain regions was studied by acidic precipitation of the proteins and HPLC analysis of the supernatant., Results: The absolute uptake of radioactivity in brain regions was homogenous. In awake rats, no-carrier-added 2-[18F]Tyr exhibits a fast and almost quantitative incorporation into the proteins fractions of cerebellum and cortex. In striatum, this incorporation into proteins and the unchanged fraction of the tracer detected by HPLC could be lower than in other brain regions., Conclusion: This study confirms the potential of 2-[18F]fluoro-L-tyrosine as a tracer for the assessment of the rate of protein synthesis by positron emission tomography. The observed metabolism suggests a need for a correction for the appearance of metabolites, at least in plasma.

Background: Through their action on the locus coeruleus, alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists induce rapidly reversible sedation while partially preserving cognitive brain functions. Our goal in this observational study was to map brain regions whose activity is modified by clonidine infusion so as to better understand its loci of action, especially in relation to sedation., Methods: Six ASA I-II right-handed volunteers were recruited. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was monitored continuously. After a baseline H2(15)O activation scan, clonidine infusion was started at a rate ranging from 6 to 10 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1). A sequence of 11 similar scans was then performed at 8 min intervals. Plasma clonidine concentration was measured. Using statistical parametric mapping, we sought linear correlations between normalized regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), an indicator of regional brain activity, and plasma clonidine concentration or spindle EEG activity., Results: Clonidine induced clinical sedation and EEG patterns (spindles) comparable to early stage nonrapid eye movement sleep. A significant negative linear correlation between clonidine concentration and rCBF or spindle activity was observed in the thalamus, prefrontal, orbital and parietal association cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and precuneus., Conclusions: The EEG patterns and decreases in rCBF of specific brain regions observed during clonidine-induced sedation are similar to those of early stage nonrapid eye movement sleep. Patterns of deactivated brain regions are also comparable to those observed during general anesthesia or vegetative state, reinforcing the hypothesis that alterations in the activity of a common network occur during these modified conscious states.

Several studies have demonstrated the potential of p-[(18)F]MPPF as a radiopharmaceutical to study the 5-HT(1A) receptor family in animals and humans. A structural modification leading to a higher radioactive signal at an equipotent dose would greatly enhance this potential. With this goal, the desmethylated 4-(2'-methoxyphenyl)-1-[2'-[N-(2''-pyridinyl)-p-fluorobenzamido]ethyl]-piperazine (p-MPPF), identified as p-DMPPF, was synthesized, labeled with fluorine-18 and evaluated through ex vivo tissue distribution in rats. The new compounds p-DMPPF, p-DMPPNO(2), MEM-p-MPPF and MEM-p-MPPNO(2) were isolated and fully identified ((1)H and (13)C NMR, LC-MS). The final compound, p-[(18)F]DMPPF, was obtained ready for injection, with an overall radiochemical yield of 10% (EOB corrected) within 90 min and a specific activity of 62 GBq/mumol. Tissue distributions showed that the carbon-fluorine bond was stable in vivo and that this compound could cross the blood-brain barrier. For kidney, lung, heart, spleen, bone, testicle, liver and muscle, the percentage of injected dose per gram of tissue obtained with p-[(18)F]DMPPF was of the same order of magnitude as that of p-[(18)F]MPPF. The amount of radioactivity reaching the brain was much higher (approximately fivefold at 60 min) for p-[(18)F]DMPPF compared with p-[(18)F]MPPF, which was taken as reference. The distribution and specificity were in total agreement with the known localization of 5-HT(1A) receptors in rats. The radioactivity increase was more important for specific tissues (hippocampus and frontal cortex) than for cerebellum or striatum, leading to better contrast (hippocampus/cerebellum=5.8 at 60 min). The levels of metabolites found in plasma showed that p-[(18)F]DMPPF appears to be less metabolized than p-[(18)F]MPPF. p-[(18)F]DMPPF deserves further evaluation as a radiopharmaceutical candidate.

An automated method for placement of 3D rat brain atlas-derived volumes of interest (VOIs) onto PET studies has been designed and evaluated. VOIs representing major structures of the rat brain were defined on a set of digitized cryosectioned images of the rat brain. For VOI placement, each PET study was registered with a synthetic PET target constructed from the VOI template. Registration was accomplished with an automated algorithm that maximized the mutual information content of the image volumes. The accuracy and precision of this method for VOI placement was determined using datasets from PET studies of the striatal dopamine and hippocampal serotonin systems. Each evaluated PET study could be registered to at least one synthetic PET target without obvious failure. Registration was critically dependent upon the initial position of the PET study relative to the synthetic PET target, but not dependent on the amount of synthetic PET target smoothing. An evaluation algorithm showed that resultant radioactivity concentration measurements of selected brain structures had errors=2% due to misalignment with the corresponding VOI. Further, radioligand binding values calculated from these measurements were found to be more precise than those calculated from measurements obtained with manually drawn regions of interest (ROIs). Overall, evaluation results demonstrated that this atlas-derived VOI method can be used to obtain unbiased measurements of radioactivity concentration from PET studies. Its automated features, and applicability to different radioligands and brain regions, will facilitate quantitative rat brain PET assessment procedures.