In vivo evaluation of 5-[ (18) F]fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine as tracer for positron emission tomography in a murine pancreatic cancer model
Seitz, U.; Wagner, M.; Vogg, A.T.; Glatting, G.; Neumaier, B.; Greten, F.R.; Schmid, R.M.; Reske, S.N.
Cancer Research 61(10): 3853-3857
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-5472 PMID: 11358795 Document Number: 531444
We used a murine tumor progression model for the evaluation of potential proliferation markers using positron emission tomography (PET). 5-[(18)F]-2'-deoxyuridine ([(18)F]FdUrd) was synthesized with >98% radiochemical purity and investigated in a pancreatic cancer model, transforming growth factor alpha transgenic mice crossbred to p53 deficient mice. Thymidylate synthase was increased already in premalignant lesions, whereas thymidine kinase 1 mRNA levels were up-regulated 4-fold in the pancreatic cancer specimen of these mice. PET imaging was performed after injection of 1 MBq of [(18)F]FdUrd and 1 MBq of [(18)F]fluoro-deoxyglucose. Animals with pancreatic cancer displayed focal uptake of both tracers. The [(18)F]FdUrd uptake ratio closely correlated with the proliferation index as evaluated in morphometric and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. These results indicate the potential of our tumor model for the evaluation of PET tracers and suggest [(18)F]FdUrd as a tracer for the assessment of proliferation in vivo.