Un estudio completo sobre la obtención de 99mTc-UBI 29-41 y su comportamiento in vitro e in vivo: su potencial uso en imágenes de infecciones / A complete study about the procurement of 99mTc-UBI 29-41 and its in vitro and in vivo behaviour: potential use in infection imaging

El objetivo del presente trabajo es investigar como se modifica el comportamiento in vitro e in vivo (localización de sitios de infección experimental con Staphilococcus aureus (S.a.)) del UBI 29-41 cuando es marcado con 99mTc por cuatro métodos distintos: a) con borohidruro de potasio y pirofosfato de estaño, b) con hidróxido de sodio y cloruro estañoso (métodos directos), c) con NHS-MAG3 y d) con NHS-HYNIC (métodos indirectos). En segundo lugar comparar los valores PI/PN (Pata Infectada / Pata Normal) del 99mTc-UBI 29-41 (método a), con el 99mTc-scrambled (Sc) UBI 29-41 (péptido control) y con 99mTc-IgG (radiofármaco no específico para infecciones) en ratones infectados con S.a. viables; y los valores pata inflamada/ PN del 99mTc-UBI 29-41 99mTc (método a) con 99mTc-IgG en ratones con inflamación estéril. Cuando el 99mTc-UBI 29-41 fue obtenido por el método a, se obtuvieron los mejores resultados in vitro y las biodistribuciones mostraron la máxima acumulación en sitios con S.a. viables y muy baja acumulación en sitios con inflamación estéril, demostrando su potencial uso en el diagnóstico de infecciones.

N-acetylaspartylglutamate acetoxymethyl triester (NAAG.AM) as a tool for loading the neuropeptides NAAG and succinimidyl-NAAG into intact cells: effect on [3H]-dopamine exocytosis

Although N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) is one of the neuropeptides found in highest concentrations in the mammalian central nervous system, its functional role in neuronal signaling has not been definitively established. In some neuronal populations, NAAG is concentrated in nerve terminals and thus, it may play a role in the cytoplasmic events underlying neurotransmitter exocytosis. In the present study we have validated the use of the synthetic derivative NAAG-acetoxymethyl triester (NAAG.AM) as a tool to increase the intracellular levels of the peptide and assessed the ability of NAAG to regulate [3H]-dopamine ([3H]-DA) secretion in PC12 cells. Enzymatic degradation of NAAG.AM by nonspecific brain esterases resulted in the progressive formation of NAAG and succinimidyl-NAAG (Asu-NAAG). However, only 8 percent of NAAG.AM was converted to NAAG. Significant amounts of NAAG (1 nmol/mg protein) were demonstrable in cultures of the neuroblastoma cell line N2A following incubation with NAAG.AM for 2 h, with the concentration of (Asu)-NAAG being at least 100-fold higher. The pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 was used to assess the influence of loaded NAAG derivatives on [3H]-DA exocytosis. Incubation with 0.1-1 mM NAAG.AM did not affect the basal efflux or total content of [3H]-DA. However, it induced a dose-dependent decrease of [3H]-DA secretion in response to 56 mM KCI depolarization reaching an inhibition of 49 percent with 1 mM NAAG.AM. In contrast, NAAG.AM did not affect secretion induced by the calcium ionophore A23187 (100 microM). The present study validates the use of NAAG.AM as a tool to load NAAG derivatives into intact cells and provides preliminary evidence for an intracellular role of the peptide.