Renal tubular receptor imaging with iodine-131-labeled peanut lectin: pharmacokinetics and renal clearance mechanism in animals.

Intravenously administered peanut lectin (PNA), iodinated with 131I ([131I]PNA), is rapidly cleared from the plasma by the kidneys in dogs (clearance [total body] = 17.52 +/- 8.74 ml/min). Dynamic gamma camera renal scintigraphy demonstrated renal accumulation and excretion phases of the [131I]PNA renogram in dogs and rabbits (% injection dose-at-peak = 21.8 +/- 3.3% and 19.6 +/- 4.3%, time-to-peak = 44.6 +/- 4.8 min and 37.2 +/- 6.9 min, respectively). Immunoperoxidase staining of kidney sections, following i.v. administered PNA, demonstrated predominant accumulation by the proximal tubules of mice, rabbits, and dogs. The basement membrane was intensely stained at early times p.i. while intracellular and luminal PNA was evident within 1 hr. Urine analysis confirmed the presence of intact [131I]PNA in the bladder contents, while protein degradation products, and a small percentage of the free iodide (less than 5%) were noted within 1 hr p.i. The relative proportion of free iodide increased at later times p.i. (greater than 6 hr). A receptor mediated excretion mechanism is proposed for the clearance of PNA and may be useful for the study of renal tubular function.