PET Imaging of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 with a Fluorine-18 Labeled Tryptophan Radiotracer

Xuyi Yue; Erik Stauff; Shriya Boyapati; Sigrid A. Langhans; Wenqi Xu; Sokratis Makrogiannis; Uchenna J. Okorie; Azubuike M. Okorie; Vinay V. R. Kandula; Heidi H. Kecskemethy; Rahul M. Nikam; Lauren W. Averill; Thomas H. Shaffer

doi:10.3390/ph17060685

Pharmaceuticals (May 2024)

PET Imaging of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 with a Fluorine-18 Labeled Tryptophan Radiotracer

Xuyi Yue,
Erik Stauff,
Shriya Boyapati,
Sigrid A. Langhans,
Wenqi Xu,
Sokratis Makrogiannis,
Uchenna J. Okorie,
Azubuike M. Okorie,
Vinay V. R. Kandula,
Heidi H. Kecskemethy,
Rahul M. Nikam,
Lauren W. Averill,
Thomas H. Shaffer

Affiliations

Xuyi Yue: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Erik Stauff: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Shriya Boyapati: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Sigrid A. Langhans: Diagnostic & Research PET/MR Center, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Wenqi Xu: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Sokratis Makrogiannis: Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA
Uchenna J. Okorie: Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA
Azubuike M. Okorie: Division of Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA
Vinay V. R. Kandula: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Heidi H. Kecskemethy: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Rahul M. Nikam: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Lauren W. Averill: Department of Radiology, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
Thomas H. Shaffer: Nemours Biomedical Research, Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17060685
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 17, no. 6
p. 685

Abstract

Read online

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a neurocutaneous disorder. Plexiform neurofibromas (PNFs) are benign tumors commonly formed in patients with NF1. PNFs have a high incidence of developing into malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) with a 5-year survival rate of only 30%. Therefore, the accurate diagnosis and differentiation of MPNSTs from benign PNFs are critical to patient management. We studied a fluorine-18 labeled tryptophan positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer, 1-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tryptophan (L-[18F]FETrp), to detect NF1-associated tumors in an animal model. An ex vivo biodistribution study of L-[18F]FETrp showed a similar tracer distribution and kinetics between the wild-type and triple mutant mice with the highest uptake in the pancreas. Bone uptake was stable. Brain uptake was low during the 90-min uptake period. Static PET imaging at 60 min post-injection showed L-[18F]FETrp had a comparable tumor uptake with [1⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). However, L-[18F]FETrp showed a significantly higher tumor-to-brain ratio than FDG (n = 4, p 18F]FETrp is warranted to further investigate differentiating malignant NF1 tumors from benign PNFs. The study may reveal the tryptophan–kynurenine pathway as a therapeutic target for treating NF1.

Published in Pharmaceuticals

ISSN: 1424-8247 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Pharmacy and materia medica
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/pharmaceuticals/

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords