Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

The Korean Society of Nuclear Medicine (대한핵의학회)
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Small Animal PET Imaging with [$^{124}I$]FIAU for Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Thymidine Kinase Gene Expression in a Hepatoma Model

간암 동물 모델에서 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-${\beta}$-D-arabinofuranosyl-5-[$^{124}I$iodo-uracil ($[^{124}I]FIAU$) 소동물 PET 영상 연구

  • Chae, Min-Jeong (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Lee, Tae-Sup (Department of Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Kim, June-Youp (Department of Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Woo, Gwang-Sun (Department of Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Jumg, Wee-Sup (Department of Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Chun, Kwon-Soo (Department of Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Kim, Jae-Hong (Department of Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Lee, Ji-Sup (Department of Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Ryu, Jin-Sook (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine) ;
  • Cheon, Gi-Jeong (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Choi, Chang-Woon (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences) ;
  • Lim, Sang-Moo (Department of Nuclear Medicine, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences)
  • Published : 2008.06.30
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Abstract

Purpose: The HSV1-tk gene has been extensively studied as a type of reporter gene. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), only a small proportion of patients are eligible for surgical resection and there is limitation in palliative options. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new treatment modalities and gene therapy is a leading candidate. In the present study, we investigated the usefulness of substrate, 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-${\beta}$-D-arabino-furanosyi-5-[$^{124/125}I$]iodo- uracil ([$I^{124/125}I$]FIAU) as a non-invasive imaging agent for HSV1-tk gene therapy in hepatoma model using small animal PET. Material and Methods: With the Morris hepatoma MCA cell line and MCA-tk cell line which was transduced with the HSV1-tk gene, in vitro uptake and correlation study between [$^{125}I$]FIAU uptake according to increasing numeric count of percentage of MCA-tk cell were performed. The biodistribution data and small animal PET images with [$^{124}I$]FIAU were obtained with Balb/c-nude mice bearing both MCA and MCA-tk tumors. Results:, Specific accumulation of [[$^{125}I$]FIAU was observed in MCA-tk cells but uptake was low in MCA cells. Uptake in MCA-tk cells was 15 times higher than that of MCA cells at 480 min. [$^{125}I$]FIAU uptake was linearly correlated (R2 =0.964, p =0.01) with increasing percentage of MCA-tk numeric cell count. Biodistribution results showed that [$^{125}I$]FIAU was mainly excreted via the renal system in the early phase. Ratios of MCA-tk tumor to blood acting were 10, 41, and 641 at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h post-injection, respectively. The maximum ratio of MCA-tk to MCA tumor was 192.7 at 24 h. Ratios of MCA-tk tumor to liver were 13.8, 66.8, and 588.3 at 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h, respectively. On small animal PET, [$^{124}I$]FIAU accumulated in substantial higher levels in MCA-tk tumor and liver than MCA tumor. Conclusion: FIAU shows selective accumulation to HSV1-tk expressing hepatoma cell tumors with minimal uptake in normal liver. Therefore, radiolabelled FIAU is expected to be a useful substrate for non-invasive imaging of HSV1-tk gene therapy and therapeutic response monitoring of HCC.

목적: 간암은 치명적인 질환으로 유전자 치료가 기존 치료의 대체적 치료로 기대되고 있으며, 이러한 치료법의 발달과 함께 유전자의 발현을 평가할 수 있는 보고 유전자 시스템의 필요하다. 그 중 HSV1-tk 유전자는 보고 유전자로서 필요한 조건을 두루 만족시키고 있을 뿐만 아니라 별도의 치료유전자를 따로 이입할 필요가 없다는 장점을 가지고 있어 가장 많이 사용되는 방법이다. 이 연구는 간암의 유전자 치료를 위해 간암 동물 모델에서 유전자로 HSV1-tk를 사용하고 보고 기질로 방사성 요오드 표지 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-${\beta}$-D-arabinofuranosyl-5-iodouracil (FIAU)를 사용하여 소동물 양전자 방출영상(positron emission tomography, PET)을 얻어 비침습적 생체 유전자 발현 영상의 가능성을 확인하고 자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: HSV1-tk 보고 유전자 이입 간암세포주인 MCA-tk와 MCA 세포주를 이용하여 in vitro 상에서의 [$^{125}I$]FIAU의 섭취실험과 섭취량과 발현량의 상관성평가를 위해 세포수 백분율에 따른 섭취실험을 실시하였다. 피하 간암 동물모델을 이용하여 [$^{125}I$]FIAU의 생체분포를 평가하였으며 [$^{125}I$]FIAU를 이용하여 소동물 PET을 통한 생체영상을 분석하였다. 결과: HSV1-tk 유전자가 이입된 MCA-tk 세포에서는 특이적인 동위원소의 집적이 발생하였으며 대조군인 MCA에서는 거의 집적이 이루어지지 않았다. 섭취 후 480 분에서 두 세포주의 섭취비는 15 배로 나타났다. MCA-tk 세포주의 백분율이 증가함에 따라 [$^{125}I$]FIAU의 섭취량도 직선적 상관관계($R^2=0.9644$)에 따라 증가하여 기질의 섭취량이 유전자 발현량을 잘 반영하고 있음이 확인되었다. 피하 종양 동물모델의 생체분포 결과 [$^{125}I$]FIAU는 초기에 신장으로 빠르게 배출되며 1 시간 이후 생체내 deiodinase에 의하여 분해되어 위와 갑상선의 섭취가 증가된 값을 보였다. MCA-tk 종양 대 혈액 비와 MCA-tk 종양 대 근육 비는 투여 후 24 시간 사이에 최대 641의 값을 나타내었다. 또한 HSV1-tk 유전자가 발현하지 않은 MCA종양에 비하여 MCA-tk 종양은 192.7 배 높은 섭취를 보여 [$^{125}I$]FIAU의 섭취는 HSV1-tk 유전자 발현에 특이적임을 확인하였다. MCA-tk 종양 대 간의 집적의 경우에도 초기 1시간에 13.8 배, 4 시간에 66.8 배, 24 시간에 혈액 비와 비슷한 정도의 588.3배 이상의 대조도를 보여 주었다. [$^{124}I$]FIAU를 보고 기질로 사용한 소동물 PET 생체영상에서 대조군인 MCA 종양과 보고 유전자가 이입된 MCA-tk 종양에의 집적이 차이가 매우 큰 대조도를 보여주었으며 생체분포 결과와 일치하는 양상을 나타내었다. 결론: $^{125}I$-FIAU가 세포 섭취율 시험과 생체 분포에서 MCA-tk 종양에 높은 집적을 나타내었고 $^{124}I$-FIAU를 이용한 소동물 PET 영상에서 MCA-tk 종양이 표적장기인 간이나 MCA 종양에 비하여 매우 높은 대조도를 나타냈다. 향후, 간암의 유전자 치료에서 FIAU은 HSV1-tk를 보고 유전자로 사용할 때 적절한 기질로서 비침습적으로 핵의학 영상을 이용한 유전자 발현의 평가를 가능하게 할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

Keywords

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