Fluorine-18 Labeling of S100 Proteins for Small Animal Positron Emission Tomography.

The interaction of S100 proteins (S100s), a multigenic family of Ca2+-binding and Ca2+-modulated proteins, with pattern recognition receptors, e.g., Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), or scavenger receptors (SR), is hypothesized to be of high relevance in the pathogenesis of various diseases. This includes chronic inflammatory conditions, atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathies, neurodegeneration, and progression of cancers. However, data concerning the role of circulating S100s in these pathologies are scarce. One reason for this is the shortage of suitable radiolabeling methods for direct assessment of the metabolic fate of circulating S100s in vivo. We report a radiotracer approach using radiolabeling of recombinant human S100s with the positron emitter fluorine-18 (18F) by conjugation with N-succinimidyl 4-[18F]fluorobenzoate ([18F]SFB). The methodological radiochemical part focuses on an optimized and automated synthesis of [18F]SFB comprising HPLC purification to achieve higher chemical purity. The respective radioligands, [18F]fluorobenzoylated S100s ([18F]FB-S100s), were obtained with appropriate radiochemical purities, yields, and effective molar activities. Biological applications comprise cell and tissue binding experiments in vitro, biodistribution and metabolite studies in rodents in vivo/ex vivo, and dynamic positron emission tomography studies using dedicated small animal PET systems. Radiolabeling of S100s with 18F and, particularly, the use of small animal PET provide novel probes to delineate both their metabolic fate and the functional expression of their specific receptors under normal and pathophysiological conditions in rodent models of disease.

Autoimmune hepatitis induced by syngeneic liver cytosolic proteins biotransformed by alcohol metabolites.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Aldehydes that are produced following the breakdown of ethanol (acetaldehyde) and lipid peroxidation of membranes (malondialdehyde) have been shown to bind (adduct) proteins. Additionally, these two aldehydes can combine (MAA) on nonsyngeneic and syngeneic proteins to initiate numerous immune responses to the unmodified part of the protein in the absence of an adjuvant. Therefore, these studies provide a potential mechanism for the development of antigen-specific immune responses resulting in liver damage should syngeneic liver proteins be adducted with MAA. METHODS: This study sought to test whether MAA-modified syngeneic liver cytosolic proteins administered daily in the absence of adjuvant into C57BL/6 mice abrogates tolerance to initiate a MAA-induced autoimmune-like hepatitis. RESULTS: In mice immunized with MAA-modified cytosols, there was an increase in liver damage as assessed by aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase levels that correlated with liver pathology scores and the presence of the pro-fibrotic factors, smooth muscle actin, TGF-ß, and collagen. IgG antibodies and T-cell proliferative responses specific for cytosolic proteins were also detected. Pro-inflammatory cytokines were produced in the livers of animals exposed to MAA-modified cytosols. Finally, transfer of immunized T cells to naïve animals caused biochemical and histological evidence of liver damage. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that a disease with an autoimmune-like pathophysiology can be generated in this animal model using soluble MAA-modified syngeneic liver cytosols as the immunogen. These studies provide insight into potential mechanism(s) that the metabolites of alcohol may play in contributing to the onset of an autoimmune-like disease in patients with alcoholic liver disease.