1
|
Arroyo-Araujo M, Voelkl B, Laloux C, Novak J, Koopmans B, Waldron AM, Seiffert I, Stirling H, Aulehner K, Janhunen SK, Ramboz S, Potschka H, Holappa J, Fine T, Loos M, Boulanger B, Würbel H, Kas MJ. Systematic assessment of the replicability and generalizability of preclinical findings: Impact of protocol harmonization across laboratory sites. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001886. [PMID: 36417471 PMCID: PMC9728859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence of protocol standardization between laboratories on their replicability of preclinical results has not been addressed in a systematic way. While standardization is considered good research practice as a means to control for undesired external noise (i.e., highly variable results), some reports suggest that standardized protocols may lead to idiosyncratic results, thus undermining replicability. Through the EQIPD consortium, a multi-lab collaboration between academic and industry partners, we aimed to elucidate parameters that impact the replicability of preclinical animal studies. To this end, 3 experimental protocols were implemented across 7 laboratories. The replicability of results was determined using the distance travelled in an open field after administration of pharmacological compounds known to modulate locomotor activity (MK-801, diazepam, and clozapine) in C57BL/6 mice as a worked example. The goal was to determine whether harmonization of study protocols across laboratories improves the replicability of the results and whether replicability can be further improved by systematic variation (heterogenization) of 2 environmental factors (time of testing and light intensity during testing) within laboratories. Protocols were tested in 3 consecutive stages and differed in the extent of harmonization across laboratories and standardization within laboratories: stage 1, minimally aligned across sites (local protocol); stage 2, fully aligned across sites (harmonized protocol) with and without systematic variation (standardized and heterogenized cohort); and stage 3, fully aligned across sites (standardized protocol) with a different compound. All protocols resulted in consistent treatment effects across laboratories, which were also replicated within laboratories across the different stages. Harmonization of protocols across laboratories reduced between-lab variability substantially compared to each lab using their local protocol. In contrast, the environmental factors chosen to introduce systematic variation within laboratories did not affect the behavioral outcome. Therefore, heterogenization did not reduce between-lab variability further compared to the harmonization of the standardized protocol. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that subtle variations between lab-specific study protocols may introduce variation across independent replicate studies even after protocol harmonization and that systematic heterogenization of environmental factors may not be sufficient to account for such between-lab variation. Differences in replicability of results within and between laboratories highlight the ubiquity of study-specific variation due to between-lab variability, the importance of transparent and fine-grained reporting of methodologies and research protocols, and the importance of independent study replication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Arroyo-Araujo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Voelkl
- Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Janja Novak
- Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Ann-Marie Waldron
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Isabel Seiffert
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Helen Stirling
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Muenchen, Germany
| | - Katharina Aulehner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Muenchen, Germany
| | | | - Sylvie Ramboz
- PsychoGenics Inc., New Jersey, Paramus, United States of America
| | - Heidrun Potschka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Muenchen, Germany
| | | | | | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Hanno Würbel
- Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Martien J. Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Buchecker V, Waldron AM, van Dijk RM, Koska I, Brendel M, von Ungern-Sternberg B, Lindner S, Gildehaus FJ, Ziegler S, Bartenstein P, Potschka H. [ 18F]MPPF and [ 18F]FDG μPET imaging in rats: impact of transport and restraint stress. EJNMMI Res 2020; 10:112. [PMID: 32990819 PMCID: PMC7524912 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-020-00693-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stress exposure can significantly affect serotonergic signaling with a particular impact on 5-HT1A receptor expression. Positron emission tomography (PET) provides opportunities for molecular imaging of alterations in 5-HT1A receptor binding following stress exposure. Considering the possible role of 5-HT1A receptors in stress coping mechanisms, respective imaging approaches are of particular interest. Material and methods For twelve consecutive days, Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to daily transport with a 1 h stay in a laboratory or daily transport plus 1 h restraint in a narrow tube. Following, animals were subjected to μPET imaging with 2′-methoxyphenyl-(N-2′-pyridinyl)-p-[18F]fluoro-benzamidoethylpiperazine ([18F]MPPF) and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG). Behavioral and biochemical parameters were analyzed to obtain additional information. Results In rats with repeated transport, hippocampal [18F]MPPF binding exceeded that in the naive group, while no difference in [18F]FDG uptake was detected between the groups. A transient decline in body weight was observed in rats with transport or combined transport and restraint. Thereby, body weight development correlated with [18F]MPPF binding. Conclusions Mild-to-moderate stress associated with daily transport and exposure to a laboratory environment can trigger significant alterations in hippocampal binding of the 5-HT1A receptor ligand [18F]MPPF. This finding indicates that utmost care is necessary to control and report transport and associated handling procedures for animals used in μPET studies analyzing the serotonergic system in order to enhance the robustness of conclusions and allow replicability of findings. In view of earlier studies indicating that an increase in hippocampal 5-HT1A receptor expression may be associated with a resilience to stress, it would be of interest to further evaluate 5-HT1A receptor imaging approaches as a candidate biomarker for the vulnerability to stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Buchecker
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Königinstr. 16, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Ann-Marie Waldron
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Königinstr. 16, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - R Maarten van Dijk
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Königinstr. 16, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Ines Koska
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Königinstr. 16, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Brendel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Simon Lindner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Franz Josef Gildehaus
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Sibylle Ziegler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Bartenstein
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Heidrun Potschka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Königinstr. 16, 80539, Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vollert J, Schenker E, Macleod M, Bespalov A, Wuerbel H, Michel M, Dirnagl U, Potschka H, Waldron AM, Wever K, Steckler T, van de Casteele T, Altevogt B, Sil A, Rice ASC. Systematic review of guidelines for internal validity in the design, conduct and analysis of preclinical biomedical experiments involving laboratory animals. BMJ Open Sci 2020; 4:e100046. [PMID: 35047688 PMCID: PMC8647591 DOI: 10.1136/bmjos-2019-100046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last two decades, awareness of the negative repercussions of flaws in the planning, conduct and reporting of preclinical research involving experimental animals has been growing. Several initiatives have set out to increase transparency and internal validity of preclinical studies, mostly publishing expert consensus and experience. While many of the points raised in these various guidelines are identical or similar, they differ in detail and rigour. Most of them focus on reporting, only few of them cover the planning and conduct of studies. The aim of this systematic review is to identify existing experimental design, conduct, analysis and reporting guidelines relating to preclinical animal research. A systematic search in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science retrieved 13 863 unique results. After screening these on title and abstract, 613 papers entered the full-text assessment stage, from which 60 papers were retained. From these, we extracted unique 58 recommendations on the planning, conduct and reporting of preclinical animal studies. Sample size calculations, adequate statistical methods, concealed and randomised allocation of animals to treatment, blinded outcome assessment and recording of animal flow through the experiment were recommended in more than half of the publications. While we consider these recommendations to be valuable, there is a striking lack of experimental evidence on their importance and relative effect on experiments and effect sizes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Vollert
- Pain Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Esther Schenker
- Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, Suresnes, Île-de-France, France
| | - Malcolm Macleod
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Anton Bespalov
- Partnership for Assessment and Accreditation of Scientific Practice, Heidelberg, Germany
- Valdman Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov First State Medical University of Saint Petersburg, Sankt Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Hanno Wuerbel
- Division of Animal Welfare, Vetsuisse Faculty, VPH Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Martin Michel
- Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
| | - Ulrich Dirnagl
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heidrun Potschka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
| | - Ann-Marie Waldron
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
| | - Kimberley Wever
- Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation, Department for Health Evidence, Nijmegen Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Annesha Sil
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Andrew S C Rice
- Pain Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Waldron AM, Wyffels L, Verhaeghe J, Richardson JC, Schmidt M, Stroobants S, Langlois X, Staelens S. Longitudinal Characterization of [18F]-FDG and [18F]-AV45 Uptake in the Double Transgenic TASTPM Mouse Model. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 55:1537-1548. [PMID: 27911309 PMCID: PMC5181675 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to monitor the timing of amyloid-β deposition in relation to changes in brain function using in vivo imaging with [18F]-AV45 and [18F]-FDG in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. TASTPM transgenic mice and wild-type controls were scanned longitudinally with [18F]-AV45 and [18F]-FDG before (3 months of age) and at multiple time points after the onset of amyloid deposition (6, 9, 12, and 15 months of age). As expected with increasing amyloidosis, TASTPM mice demonstrated progressive age-dependent increases in [18F]-AV45 uptake that were significantly higher than for WT from 9 months onwards and correlated to ex vivo measures of amyloid burden. The metabolism of [18F]-AV45 produces several brain penetrant radiometabolites and normalization to a reference region helps to negate this non-specific binding and improve the sensitivity of [18F]-AV45. The observed trajectory of [18F]-FDG alterations deviated from our proposed hypothesis of gradual decreases with worsening amyloidosis. While [18F]-FDG uptake in TASTPM mice was significantly lower than that of WT at 9 months, reduced [18F]-FDG was not associated with aging in TASTPM mice. Moreover, [18F]-FDG uptake did not correlate to measures of ex vivo amyloid burden. Our findings suggest that while amyloid-β is sufficient to induce hypometabolism, these pathologies are not linked in a dose-dependent manner in TASTPM mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Marie Waldron
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leonie Wyffels
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Verhaeghe
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Mark Schmidt
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Sigrid Stroobants
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Xavier Langlois
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Deleye S, Waldron AM, Verhaeghe J, Bottelbergs A, Wyffels L, Van Broeck B, Langlois X, Schmidt M, Stroobants S, Staelens S. Evaluation of Small-Animal PET Outcome Measures to Detect Disease Modification Induced by BACE Inhibition in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease. J Nucl Med 2017; 58:1977-1983. [PMID: 28611242 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.116.187625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic administration of an inhibitor of the β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) on Alzheimer-related pathology by multitracer PET imaging in transgenic APPPS1-21 (TG) mice. Methods: Wild-type (WT) and TG mice received vehicle or BACE inhibitor (60 mg/kg) starting at 7 wk of age. Outcome measures of brain metabolism, neuroinflammation, and amyloid-β pathology were obtained through small-animal PET imaging with 18F-FDG, 18F-peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (18F-PBR), and 18F-florbetapir (18F-AV45), respectively. Baseline scans were acquired at 6-7 wk of age and follow-up scans at 4, 7, and 12 mo. 18F-AV45 uptake was measured at 8 and 13 mo of age. After the final scans, histologic measures of amyloid-β (4G8), microglia (ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1), astrocytes (glial fibrillary acidic protein), and neuronal nuclei were performed. Results: TG mice demonstrated significant age-associated increases in 18F-AV45 uptake. An effect of treatment was observed in the cortex (P = 0.0014), hippocampus (P = 0.0005), and thalamus (P < 0.0001). Histology confirmed reduction of amyloid-β pathology in TG-BACE mice. Regardless of treatment, TG mice demonstrated significantly lower 18F-FDG uptake than WT mice in the thalamus (P = 0.0004) and hippocampus (P = 0.0332). Neuronal nucleus staining was lower in both TG groups in the thalamus and cortex. 18F-PBR111 detected a significant age-related increase in TG mice (P < 0.0001) but did not detect the treatment-induced reduction in activated microglia as demonstrated by histology. Conclusion: Although 18F-FDG, 18F-PBR111, and 18F-AV45 all detected pathologic alterations between TG and WT mice, only 18F-AV45 could detect an effect of BACE inhibitor treatment. However, changes in WT binding of 18F-AV45 undermine the specificity of this effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven Deleye
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ann-Marie Waldron
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Verhaeghe
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Leonie Wyffels
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Nuclear Medicine Department, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; and
| | | | - Xavier Langlois
- Foundational Neuroscience Center, Abbvie, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Mark Schmidt
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Sigrid Stroobants
- Nuclear Medicine Department, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; and
| | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Waldron AM, Fissers J, Van Eetveldt A, Van Broeck B, Mercken M, Pemberton DJ, Van Der Veken P, Augustyns K, Joossens J, Stroobants S, Dedeurwaerdere S, Wyffels L, Staelens S. In Vivo Amyloid-β Imaging in the APPPS1-21 Transgenic Mouse Model with a (89)Zr-Labeled Monoclonal Antibody. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:67. [PMID: 27064204 PMCID: PMC4815004 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The accumulation of amyloid-β is a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and is a target for molecular imaging probes to aid in diagnosis and disease monitoring. This study evaluated the feasibility of using a radiolabeled monoclonal anti-amyloid-β antibody (JRF/AβN/25) to non-invasively assess amyloid-β burden in aged transgenic mice (APPPS1–21) with μPET imaging. Methods: We investigated the antibody JRF/AβN/25 that binds to full-length Aβ. JRF/AβN/25 was radiolabeled with a [89Zr]-desferal chelate and intravenously injected into 12–13 month aged APPPS1–21 mice and their wild-type (WT) controls. Mice underwent in vivo μPET imaging at 2, 4, and 7 days post injection and were sacrificed at the end of each time point to assess brain penetrance, plaque labeling, biodistribution, and tracer stability. To confirm imaging specificity we also evaluated brain uptake of a non-amyloid targeting [89Zr]-labeled antibody (trastuzumab) as a negative control, additionally we performed a competitive blocking study with non-radiolabeled Df-Bz-JRF/AβN/25 and finally we assessed the possible confounding effects of blood retention. Results: Voxel-wise analysis of μPET data demonstrated significant [89Zr]-Df-Bz-JRF/AβN/25 retention in APPPS1–21 mice at all time points investigated. With ex vivo measures of radioactivity, significantly higher retention of [89Zr]-Df-Bz-JRF/AβN/25 was found at 4 and 7 days pi in APPPS1–21 mice. Despite the observed genotypic differences, comparisons with immunohistochemistry revealed that in vivo plaque labeling was low. Furthermore, pre-treatment with Df-Bz-JRF/AβN/25 only partially blocked [89Zr]-Df-Bz-JRF/AβN/25 uptake indicative of a high contribution of non-specific binding. Conclusion: Amyloid plaques were detected in vivo with a radiolabeled monoclonal anti-amyloid antibody. The low brain penetrance of the antibody in addition to non-specific binding prevented an accurate estimation of plaque burden. However, it should be noted that [89Zr]-Df-Bz-JRF/AβN/25 nevertheless demonstrated in vivo binding and strategies to increase brain penetrance would likely achieve better results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Marie Waldron
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of AntwerpAntwerp, Belgium; Translational Neurosciences, University of AntwerpAntwerp, Belgium
| | - Jens Fissers
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of AntwerpAntwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of AntwerpAntwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Bianca Van Broeck
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV Beerse, Belgium
| | - Marc Mercken
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV Beerse, Belgium
| | - Darrel J Pemberton
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Research and Development, A Division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV Beerse, Belgium
| | | | - Koen Augustyns
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jurgen Joossens
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Leonie Wyffels
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of AntwerpAntwerp, Belgium; Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital AntwerpAntwerp, Belgium
| | - Steven Staelens
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp Antwerp, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Deleye S, Waldron AM, Richardson JC, Schmidt M, Langlois X, Stroobants S, Staelens S. The Effects of Physiological and Methodological Determinants on 18F-FDG Mouse Brain Imaging Exemplified in a Double Transgenic Alzheimer Model. Mol Imaging 2016; 15:15/0/1536012115624919. [PMID: 27030402 PMCID: PMC5470082 DOI: 10.1177/1536012115624919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In this study, the influence of physiological determinants on 18F-fluoro-d-glucose (18F-FDG) brain uptake was evaluated in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease. Materials and Methods: TASTPM (Tg) and age-matched C57BL/6 J (WT) mice were fasted for 10 hours, while another group was fasted for 20 hours to evaluate the effect of fasting duration. The effect of repeatedly scanning was evaluated by scanning Tg and WT mice at days 1, 4, and 7. Brain 18F-FDG uptake was evaluated in the thalamus being the most indicative region. Finally, the cerebellum was tested as a reference region for the relative standard uptake value (rSUV). Results: When correcting the brain uptake for glucose, the effect of different fasting durations was attenuated and the anticipated hypometabolism in Tg mice was demonstrated. Also, with repeated scanning, the brain uptake values within a group and the hypometabolism of the Tg mice only remained stable over time when glucose correction was applied. Finally, hypometabolism was also observed in the cerebellum, yielding artificially higher rSUV values for Tg mice. Conclusion: Corrections for blood glucose levels have to be applied when semiquantifying 18F-FDG brain uptake in mouse models for AD. Potential reference regions for normalization should be thoroughly investigated to ensure that they are not pathologically affected also by afferent connections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven Deleye
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ann-Marie Waldron
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Mark Schmidt
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Xavier Langlois
- Neuroscience Department, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Sigrid Stroobants
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium Nuclear Medicine Department, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Waldron AM, Wintmolders C, Bottelbergs A, Kelley JB, Schmidt ME, Stroobants S, Langlois X, Staelens S. In vivo molecular neuroimaging of glucose utilization and its association with fibrillar amyloid-β load in aged APPPS1-21 mice. Alzheimers Res Ther 2015; 7:76. [PMID: 26666747 PMCID: PMC4678474 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-015-0158-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Radioligand imaging is a powerful in vivo method to assess the molecular basis of Alzheimer’s Disease. We therefore aimed to visualize the pathological deposition of fibrillar amyloid-β and neuronal dysfunction in aged double transgenic mice. Methods Using non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) we assessed brain glucose utilization with [18F]FDG and fibrillar amyloidosis with [11C]PiB and [18F]AV45 in 12 month old APPPS1-21 (n = 10) mice and their age-matched wild-type controls (n = 15). PET scans were analyzed with statistical parametric mapping (SPM) to detect significant differences in tracer uptake between genotypes. After imaging, mice were sacrificed and ex vivo measures of amyloid-β burden with immunohistochemistry as well as glucose utilization with [14C]-2DG autoradiography were obtained as gold standards. Results Voxel-wise SPM analysis revealed significantly decreased [18F]FDG uptake in aged APPPS1-21 mice in comparison to WT with the thalamus (96.96 %, maxT = 3.35) and striatum (61.21 %, maxT = 3.29) demonstrating the most widespread reductions at the threshold of p < 0.01. [11C]PiB binding was significantly increased in APPPS1-21 mice, most notably in the hippocampus (87.84 %, maxT = 7.15) and cortex (69.08 %, maxT = 7.95), as detected by SPM voxel-wise analysis at the threshold of p < 0.01. Using the same threshold [18F]AV45 uptake was comparably lower with less significant differences. Compared to their respective ex vivo equivalents [18F]FDG demonstrated significant positive correlation to [14C]2-DG autoradiography (r = 0.67, p <0.0001) while [11C]PiB and [18F]AV45 binding did not correlate to ex vivo immunohistochemistry for amyloid-β (r = 0.25, p = 0.07 and r = 0.17, p = 0.26 respectively). Lastly no correlation was observed between regions of high amyloid burden and those with decreased glucose utilization (r = 0.001, p = 0.99). Conclusions Our findings support that fibrillar amyloid-β deposition and reduced glucose utilization can be visualized and quantified with in vivo μPET imaging in aged APPPS1-21 mice. Therefore, the combined use of [18F]FDG and amyloid μPET imaging can shed light on the underlying relationship between fibrillar amyloid-β pathology and neuronal dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Marie Waldron
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Cindy Wintmolders
- Neuroscience Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Astrid Bottelbergs
- Neuroscience Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Jonathan B Kelley
- Neuroscience Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Mark E Schmidt
- Neuroscience Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Sigrid Stroobants
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium. .,Nuclear Medicine Department, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Xavier Langlois
- Neuroscience Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Waldron AM, Verhaeghe J, Wyffels L, Schmidt M, Langlois X, Van Der Linden A, Stroobants S, Staelens S. Erratum to: Preclinical Comparison of the Amyloid-β Radioligands [(11)C]Pittsburgh compound B and [(18)F]florbetaben in Aged APPPS1-21 and BRI1-42 Mouse Models of Cerebral Amyloidosis. Mol Imaging Biol 2015; 17:893. [PMID: 26514356 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-015-0905-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Marie Waldron
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Verhaeghe
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leonie Wyffels
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium.,Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mark Schmidt
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Xavier Langlois
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | | | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Waldron AM, Wyffels L, Verhaeghe J, Bottelbergs A, Richardson J, Kelley J, Schmidt M, Stroobants S, Langlois X, Staelens S. Quantitative μPET Imaging of Cerebral Glucose Metabolism and Amyloidosis in the TASTPM Double Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Curr Alzheimer Res 2015; 12:694-703. [DOI: 10.2174/1567205012666150710104713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
11
|
Waldron AM, Verhaeghe J, wyffels L, Schmidt M, Langlois X, Van Der Linden A, Stroobants S, Staelens S. Preclinical Comparison of the Amyloid-β Radioligands [(11)C]Pittsburgh compound B and [(18)F]florbetaben in Aged APPPS1-21 and BRI1-42 Mouse Models of Cerebral Amyloidosis. Mol Imaging Biol 2015; 17:688-96. [PMID: 25701131 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-015-0833-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare [(11)C]Pittsburgh compound B ([(11)C]PiB) and [(18)F]florbetaben ([(18)F]FBB) for preclinical investigations of amyloid-β pathology. PROCEDURES We investigated two aged animal models of cerebral amyloidosis with contrasting levels of amyloid-β relating to "high" (APPPS1-21 n = 6, wild type (WT) n = 7) and "low" (BRI1-42 n = 6, WT n = 6) target states, respectively. RESULTS APPPS1-21 mice (high target state) demonstrated extensive fibrillar amyloid-β deposition that translated to significantly increased retention of [(11)C]PiB and [(18)F]FBB in comparison to their wild type. The retention pattern of [(11)C]PiB and [(18)F]FBB in this cohort displayed a significant correlation. However, the relative difference in tracer uptake between diseased and healthy mice was substantially higher for [(11)C]PiB than for [(18)F]FBB. Although immunohistochemistry confirmed the high plaque load in APPPS1-21 mice, correlation between tracer uptake and ex vivo quantification of amyloid-β was poor for both tracers. BRI1-42 mice (low target state) did not demonstrate increased tracer uptake. CONCLUSIONS In cases of high fibrillar amyloid-β burden, both tracers detected significant differences between diseased and healthy mice, with [(11)C]PiB showing a larger dynamic range.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Marie Waldron
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Verhaeghe
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leonie wyffels
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
- Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mark Schmidt
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Xavier Langlois
- Department of Neuroscience, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | | | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken - UC, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wyffels L, Thomae D, Waldron AM, Fissers J, Dedeurwaerdere S, Van der Veken P, Joossens J, Stroobants S, Augustyns K, Staelens S. In vivo evaluation of (18)F-labeled TCO for pre-targeted PET imaging in the brain. Nucl Med Biol 2014; 41:513-23. [PMID: 24768149 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2014.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Revised: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The tetrazine-trans-cylooctene cycloaddition using radiolabeled tetrazine or radiolabeled trans-cyclooctene (TCO) has been reported to be a very fast, selective and bioorthogonal reaction that could be useful for in vivo radiolabeling of molecules. We wanted to evaluate the in vivo biodistribution profile and brain uptake of (18)F-labeled TCO ([(18)F]TCO) to assess its potential for pre-targeted imaging in the brain. METHODS We evaluated the in vivo behavior of [(18)F]TCO via an ex vivo biodistribution study complemented by in vivo μPET imaging at 5, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 240 min post tracer injection. An in vivo metabolite study was performed at 5 min, 30 min and 120 min post [(18)F]TCO injection by RP-HPLC analysis of plasma and brain extracts. Incubation with human liver microsomes was performed to further evaluate the metabolite profile of the tracer. RESULTS μPET imaging and ex-vivo biodistribution revealed an high initial brain uptake of [(18)F]TCO (3.8%ID/g at 5 min pi) followed by a washout to 3.0%ID/g at 30 min pi. Subsequently the brain uptake increased again to 3.7%ID/g at 120 min pi followed by a slow washout until 240 min pi (2.9%ID/g). Autoradiography confirmed homogenous brain uptake. On the μPET images bone uptake became gradually visible after 120 min pi and was clearly visible at 240 min pi. The metabolite study revealed a fast metabolization of [(18)F]TCO in plasma and brain into three main polar radiometabolites. CONCLUSIONS Although [(18)F]TCO has previously been described to be a useful tracer for radiolabeling of tetrazine modified targeting molecules, our study indicates that its utility for in vivo chemistry and pre-targeted imaging will be limited. Although [(18)F]TCO clearly enters the brain, it is quickly metabolized with a non-specific accumulation of radioactivity in the brain and bone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Wyffels
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; University Hospital Antwerp, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Edegem, Belgium
| | - David Thomae
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ann-Marie Waldron
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Translational Neurosciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jens Fissers
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jurgen Joossens
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sigrid Stroobants
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; University Hospital Antwerp, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Koen Augustyns
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|