Molecular Imaging of Arthritis in the Angiogenic Vasculature Using A 123I-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor Antibody

摘要

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor (VEGFR) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, which is angiogenesis dependent. Antibody-based molecular imaging improves targeting, and antibody radiolabeling is useful for monitoring biological events in vivo via PET or SPECT. We investigated the potential of molecular imaging to diagnose arthritis with VEGFR-2 in vivo. The 123I-VEGFR- 2 antibody was prepared by the iodogen tube method. The radioligand was injected into arthritic mice, and micro SPECT/CT was performed. The arthritic mice were examined by 4.7-T MRI and immunohistochemistry. The 123I-VEGFR-2 antibody showed high uptake in the arthritic region at 1 h postinjection on SPECT/CT but no uptake in the control animals after radioligand injection. In MR images, the arthritic tissue of the mice was correlated with regions labeled by the 123I-VEGFR-2 antibody. Immunohistochemical localization showed markedly increased expression of VEGFR-2 in the endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages of the arthritic mice.