Health & Environment Department, Molecular Medicine, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Seibersdorf, Austria.
Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2012 Jan;39(1):149-59. doi: 10.1007/s00259-011-1941-7. Epub 2011 Oct 8.
One important mechanism for chemoresistance of tumours is overexpression of the adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Pgp reduces intracellular concentrations of chemotherapeutic drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the suitability of the radiolabelled Pgp inhibitors [(11)C]tariquidar and [(11)C]elacridar with the Pgp substrate radiotracer (R)-[(11)C]verapamil for discriminating tumours expressing low and high levels of Pgp using small-animal PET imaging in a murine breast cancer model.
Murine mammary carcinoma cells (EMT6) were continuously exposed to doxorubicin to generate a Pgp-overexpressing, doxorubicin-resistant cell line (EMT6AR1.0 cells). Both cell lines were subcutaneously injected into female athymic nude mice. One week after implantation, animals underwent PET scans with [(11)C]tariquidar (n = 7), [(11)C]elacridar (n = 6) and (R)-[(11)C]verapamil (n = 7), before and after administration of unlabelled tariquidar (15 mg/kg). Pgp expression in tumour grafts was evaluated by Western blotting.
[(11)C]Tariquidar showed significantly higher retention in Pgp-overexpressing EMT6AR1.0 compared with EMT6 tumours: the mean ± SD areas under the time-activity curves in scan 1 from time 0 to 60 min (AUC(0-60)) were 38.8 ± 2.2 min and 25.0 ± 5.3 min (p = 0.016, Wilcoxon matched pairs test). [(11)C]Elacridar and (R)-[(11)C]verapamil were not able to discriminate Pgp expression in tumour models. Following administration of unlabelled tariquidar, both EMT6Ar1.0 and EMT6 tumours showed increases in uptake of [(11)C]tariquidar, [(11)C]elacridar and (R)-[(11)C]verapamil.
Among the tested radiotracers, [(11)C]tariquidar performed best in discriminating tumours expressing high and low levels of Pgp. Therefore [(11)C]tariquidar merits further investigation as a PET tracer to assess Pgp expression levels in solid tumours.
肿瘤产生化学抗性的一个重要机制是过度表达三磷酸腺苷结合盒转运蛋白 P-糖蛋白(Pgp)。Pgp 降低了细胞内化疗药物的浓度。本研究的目的是比较放射性标记的 Pgp 抑制剂 [(11)C]tariquidar 和 [(11)C]elacridar 与 Pgp 底物放射性示踪剂 [(R)-[(11)C]verapamil 的适用性,以使用小动物 PET 成像在鼠乳腺癌模型中区分表达低水平和高水平 Pgp 的肿瘤。
将鼠乳腺癌细胞(EMT6)连续暴露于多柔比星中,以产生 Pgp 过表达、多柔比星耐药细胞系(EMT6AR1.0 细胞)。将这两种细胞系均皮下注射到雌性无胸腺裸鼠体内。在植入后 1 周,动物接受 [(11)C]tariquidar(n = 7)、[(11)C]elacridar(n = 6)和 (R)-[(11)C]verapamil(n = 7)的 PET 扫描,在给予未标记的 tariquidar(15 mg/kg)前后进行。通过 Western 印迹评估肿瘤移植物中的 Pgp 表达。
与 EMT6 肿瘤相比,[(11)C]tariquidar 在过表达 Pgp 的 EMT6AR1.0 中显示出明显更高的保留率:扫描 1 中从时间 0 到 60 分钟的时间-活性曲线下面积(AUC(0-60))分别为 38.8 ± 2.2 min 和 25.0 ± 5.3 min(p = 0.016,Wilcoxon 配对检验)。[(11)C]elacridar 和 (R)-[(11)C]verapamil 均不能区分肿瘤模型中的 Pgp 表达。给予未标记的 tariquidar 后,EMT6Ar1.0 和 EMT6 肿瘤均显示 [(11)C]tariquidar、[(11)C]elacridar 和 (R)-[(11)C]verapamil 的摄取增加。
在测试的示踪剂中,[(11)C]tariquidar 在区分表达高低水平 Pgp 的肿瘤方面表现最佳。因此,[(11)C]tariquidar 值得进一步研究作为 PET 示踪剂来评估实体瘤中的 Pgp 表达水平。