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Harel F, Nguyen QT, Nsaibia MJ, Finnerty V, Morgan A, Sirois M, Villeneuve L, Calderone A, Bergeron A, Brochiero E, Tardif JC, Shi Y, Dupuis J. SPECT imaging of pulmonary vascular disease in bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis using a vascular endothelium tracer. Respir Res 2021; 22:240. [PMID: 34481508 PMCID: PMC8418741 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-021-01836-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) complicating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is associated to worse outcome. There is a great need for a non-invasive diagnostic modality to detect and evaluate the severity of pulmonary vascular disease (PVD). 99mTc-PulmoBind is a novel imaging agent that binds to the adrenomedullin (AM) receptor on the pulmonary microvascular endothelium. SPECT imaging employing the endothelial cell tracer 99mTc-PulmoBind was used to assess PVD associated with lung fibrosis. Methods Rats with selective right lung bleomycin-induced fibrosis were compared to control rats. SPECT imaging was performed after three weeks with 99mTc-PulmoBind and 99mTc-macroaggregates of albumin (MAA). PH and right ventricular (RV) function were assessed by echocardiography. Lung perfusion was evaluated by fluorescent microangiography. Lung AM receptor expression was measured by qPCR and by immunohistology. Relevance to human IPF was explored by measuring AM receptor expression in lung biopsies from IPF patients and healthy controls. Results The bleomycin group developed preferential right lung fibrosis with remodeling and reduced perfusion as assessed with fluorescent microangiography. These rats developed PH with RV hypertrophy and dysfunction. 99mTc-PulmoBind uptake was selectively reduced by 50% in the right lung and associated with reduced AM receptor expression, PH and RV hypertrophy. AM receptor was co-expressed with the endothelial cell protein CD31 in alveolar capillaries, and markedly reduced after bleomycin. Quantitative dynamic analysis of 99mTc-PulmoBind uptake in comparison to 99mTc-MAA revealed that the latter distributed only according to flow, with about 60% increased left lung uptake while left lung uptake of 99mTc-PulmoBind was not affected. Lung from human IPF patients showed important reduction in AM receptor expression closely associated with CD31. Conclusions SPECT imaging with 99mTc-PulmoBind detects PVD and its severity in bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. Reduced AM receptor expression in human IPF supports further clinical development of this imaging approach. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-021-01836-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Harel
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada.,Department of Radiology, Radio-Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Quang T Nguyen
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Mohamed J Nsaibia
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Vincent Finnerty
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Arielle Morgan
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Martin Sirois
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Louis Villeneuve
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Angelino Calderone
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Alexandre Bergeron
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Emmanuelle Brochiero
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.,Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), 900 Saint-Denis Street, Montreal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Tardif
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - YanFen Shi
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Dupuis
- Montreal Heart Institute Research Center, 5000 Belanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada. .,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
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Alonso Martinez LM, Harel F, Létourneau M, Finnerty V, Fournier A, Dupuis J, DaSilva JN. SPECT and PET imaging of adrenomedullin receptors: a promising strategy for studying pulmonary vascular diseases. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGING 2019; 9:203-215. [PMID: 31772819 PMCID: PMC6872478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Circulating adrenomedullin (AM) levels are elevated in several cardiovascular diseases, including pulmonary vascular diseases causing pulmonary hypertension. To date the perfusion agent 99mTc-albumin macroaggregates (MAA) is the only approved radiopharmaceutical used for imaging of pulmonary circulation. Unlike 99mTc-MAA, imaging the AM receptors involves a molecular process dependent on the density of the receptors and the affinity of specific radioligands. The AM receptors are abundantly distributed in lung capillaries and its integrity provides protection in the development of pulmonary vascular diseases. This review summarizes the development and characterization of radioligands for in vivo imaging of AM receptors as an early predictor of the onset of a pulmonary vascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Michel Alonso Martinez
- University of Montreal Hospital Research CentreMontréal (Québec), Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Université de MontréalMontréal (Québec), Canada
- Research Center of The Montreal Heart InstituteMontréal (Québec), Canada
| | - François Harel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Université de MontréalMontréal (Québec), Canada
- Research Center of The Montreal Heart InstituteMontréal (Québec), Canada
- Department of Radiology, Radio-Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Université de MontréalMontréal (Québec), Canada
| | - Myriam Létourneau
- Laboratoire D’Études Moléculaires Et Pharmacologiques Des Peptides, INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé BiotechnologieLaval (Québec), Canada
| | - Vincent Finnerty
- Research Center of The Montreal Heart InstituteMontréal (Québec), Canada
| | - Alain Fournier
- Laboratoire D’Études Moléculaires Et Pharmacologiques Des Peptides, INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé BiotechnologieLaval (Québec), Canada
| | - Jocelyn Dupuis
- Research Center of The Montreal Heart InstituteMontréal (Québec), Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de MontréalMontréal (Québec), Canada
| | - Jean N DaSilva
- University of Montreal Hospital Research CentreMontréal (Québec), Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Université de MontréalMontréal (Québec), Canada
- Department of Radiology, Radio-Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Université de MontréalMontréal (Québec), Canada
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PulmoBind Imaging Measures Reduction of Vascular Adrenomedullin Receptor Activity with Lack of effect of Sildenafil in Pulmonary Hypertension. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6609. [PMID: 31036871 PMCID: PMC6488585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43225-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial dysfunction is a core pathophysiologic process in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We developed PulmoBind (PB), a novel imaging biomarker of the pulmonary vascular endothelium. 99mTechnetium (99mTc)-labelled PB binds to adrenomedullin receptors (AM1) densely expressed in the endothelium of alveolar capillaries. We evaluated the effect of sildenafil on AM1 receptors activity using 99mTc-PB. PAH was induced in rats using the Sugen/hypoxia model and after 3 weeks, animals were allocated to sildenafil (25 or 100 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. 99mTc-PB uptake kinetics was assessed by single-photon emission computed tomography. PAH caused right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy that was decreased by low and high sildenafil doses. Sildenafil low and high dose also improved RV function measured from the tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion. Mean integrated pulmonary uptake of 99mTc-PB was reduced in PAH (508% · min ± 37, p < 0.05) compared to controls (630% · min ± 30), but unchanged by sildenafil at low and high doses. Lung tissue expressions of the AM1 receptor components were reduced in PAH and also unaffected by sildenafil. In experimental angio-proliferative PAH, sildenafil improves RV dysfunction and remodeling, but does not modify pulmonary vascular endothelium dysfunction assessed by the adrenomedullin receptor ligand 99mTc-PB.
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Alonso Martinez LM, Harel F, Nguyen QT, Létourneau M, D'Oliviera-Sousa C, Meloche B, Finnerty V, Fournier A, Dupuis J, DaSilva JN. Al[ 18F]F-complexation of DFH17, a NOTA-conjugated adrenomedullin analog, for PET imaging of pulmonary circulation. Nucl Med Biol 2018; 67:36-42. [PMID: 30388434 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adrenomedullin receptors are highly expressed in human alveolar capillaries and provide a molecular target for imaging the integrity of pulmonary microcirculation. In this work, we aimed to develop a NOTA-derivatized adrenomedullin analog (DFH17), radiolabeled with [18F]AlF, for PET imaging of pulmonary microcirculation. METHODS Highly concentrated [18F](AlF)2+ (15 μL) was produced from purified fluorine-18 in NaCl 0.9%. Various complexation experiments were carried out at Al-to-NOTA molar ratios ranging from 1:1 to 1:40 to assess optimal radiolabeling conditions before using the peptide. DFH17 peptide (2 mM, pH 4) was radiolabeled with [18F](AlF)2+ for 15 min at 100 °C in a total volume of 60 μL. As part of the radiolabeling process, parameters such as fluorine-18 activity (~37 and 1480 MBq), concentration of AlCl3 (0.75, 2, 3, 6 or 10 mM) and the effects of hydrophilic organic solvent (aqueous vs ethanol 50%) were studied. The final formulation was tested for purity, identity and stability in saline. Initial in vivo evaluation of [18F]AlF-DFH17 was performed in normal rats by PET/CT. RESULTS The scaled-up production of [18F]AlF-DFH17 was performed in high radiochemical and chemical purities in an overall radiochemical yield of 22-38% (at end-of-synthesis) within 60 min. The final formulation was stable in saline at different radioactive concentrations for 8 h. PET evaluation in rats revealed high lung-to-background ratios and no defluorination in vivo up to 1 h post-injection. CONCLUSION The novel radioconjugate [18F]AlF-DFH17 appears to be a promising PET ligand for pulmonary microcirculation imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Michel Alonso Martinez
- University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, 900 rue Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec H2X 3H8, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Paul-G. Desmarais, 2960 chemin de la Tour, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - François Harel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Paul-G. Desmarais, 2960 chemin de la Tour, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8, Canada; Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, 2900 Boulevard Edouard Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Quang T Nguyen
- Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Myriam Létourneau
- Laboratoire D'études Moléculaires et Pharmacologiques des Peptides, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Québec H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Caroline D'Oliviera-Sousa
- Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Bernard Meloche
- Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Vincent Finnerty
- Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8, Canada
| | - Alain Fournier
- Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, 2900 Boulevard Edouard Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Dupuis
- Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Rue Bélanger, Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, 2900 boulevard Edouard Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Jean N DaSilva
- University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, 900 rue Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec H2X 3H8, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Paul-G. Desmarais, 2960 chemin de la Tour, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada; Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, 2900 Boulevard Edouard Montpetit, Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4, Canada.
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