Browsing by Author "Jackson, T"

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    Central nervous system expression and PET imaging of the translocator protein in relapsing–remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
    (Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 2013-01-15) Mattner, F; Staykova, M; Berghofer, PJ; Wong, HJ; Fordham, S; Callaghan, PD; Jackson, T; Pham, TQ; Grégoire, MC; Zahra, D; Rahardjo, GL; Linares, D; Katsifis, A
    Glial neuroinflammation is associated with the development and progression of multiple sclerosis. PET imaging offers a unique opportunity to evaluate neuroinflammatory processes longitudinally in a noninvasive and clinically translational manner. (18)F-PBR111 is a newly developed PET radiopharmaceutical with high affinity and selectivity for the translocator protein (TSPO), expressed on activated glia. This study aimed to investigate neuroinflammation at different phases of relapsing-remitting (RR) experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the brains of SJL/J mice by postmortem histologic analysis and in vivo by PET imaging with (18)F-PBR111. METHODS: RR EAE was induced by immunization with PLP(139-151) peptide in complete Freund's adjuvant. Naive female SJL/J mice and mice immunized with saline-complete Freund's adjuvant were used as controls. The biodistribution of (18)F-PBR111 was measured in 13 areas of the central nervous system and compared with PET imaging results during different phases of RR EAE. The extents of TSPO expression and glial activation were assessed with immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and a real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: There was significant TSPO expression in all of the central nervous system areas studied at the peak of the first clinical episode and, importantly, at the preclinical stage. In contrast, only a few TSPO-positive cells were observed at the second episode. At the third episode, there was again an increase in TSPO expression. TSPO expression was associated with microglial cells or macrophages without obvious astrocyte labeling. The dynamics of (18)F-PBR111 uptake in the brain, as measured by in vivo PET imaging and biodistribution, followed the pattern of TSPO expression during RR EAE. CONCLUSION: PET imaging with the TSPO ligand (18)F-PBR111 clearly reflected the dynamics of microglial activation in the SJL/J mouse model of RR EAE. The results are the first to highlight the discrepancy between the clinical symptoms of EAE and TSPO expression in the brain, as measured by PET imaging at the peaks of various EAE episodes. The results suggest a significant role for PET imaging investigations of neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis and allow for in vivo follow-up of antiinflammatory treatment strategies. © 2013 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.
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    Synthesis and enantiomeric evaluation of radiolabelled methyl phenidate for the study of dopamine reuptake sites
    (Australasian Environmental Isotope Conference, 2002-04-29) Katsifis, A; Mattner, F; Mardon, K; Dikic, B; Papazian, V; Jackson, T; Greguric, I
    Neurological diseases such as Parkinson's Disease and associated Movement Disorders have been characterised by reductions in the number of dopamine re-uptake sites or dopamine transporters (DAT) on presynaptic neurons in the striatum. Radiolabelled drugs which display specific and selective binding to the DAT has thus found clinical utility in medical imaging. The psychomotor stimulant methyl phenidate (MP) or Ritalin 1 and several derivatives have demonstrated high affinity binding to these DAT where they exert their pharmacological action. MP possesses two chiral centers with its pharmacological activity being attributed to the dl-threo diastereomer, the dl-erythro being inactive. Furthermore, imaging studies using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with carbon-11 radiolabelled MP confirmed the d-threo enantiomer to be most active. In vitro studies indicate that compounds substituted with either bromine or iodine in the 3 position of the aromatic ring exhibit high affinity and selective binding to DAT and were thus targeted for radiolabelling with both the PET tracer Bromine-76 as well as the SPECT tracer lodione-123. Threo methyl phenidate and its halogenated derivatives were prepared by the condensation of 3-bromophenylacetonitrile and 2-bromopyridine according to modified literature methods. Radiohalogenation with either 76Br or 123I was achieved by halodestannylation reactions of the corresponding tributyl stannane precursor in the presence of chloramine-T as the oxidant. Purification by C-18 reverse phase HPLC gave the dl-threo product in 70-80% radiochemical yield and in greater than 95% radiochemical purity. Separation of the d and / enantiomers was achieved by chiral HPLC. Biodistribution studies in rodents indicated high uptake of radioactivity in tissues with known DAT sites. PET and SPECT imaging studies in primates indicated high uptake in the striatum compared to the cerebellum reference tissue. The synthesis, diastereomeric separation, structure activity studies, radiolabelling and biological studies of these compounds will be presented,