Molecular MR imaging of fibrosis in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 14;7(1):8114. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-08838-6.

Abstract

Fibrosis with excessive amounts of type I collagen is a hallmark of many solid tumours, and fibrosis is a promising target in cancer therapy, but tools for its non-invasive quantification are missing. Here we used magnetic resonance imaging with a gadolinium-based probe targeted to type I collagen (EP-3533) to image and quantify fibrosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. An orthotopic syngeneic mouse model resulted in tumours with 2.3-fold higher collagen level compared to healthy pancreas. Animals were scanned at 4.7 T before, during and up to 60 min after i.v. injection of EP-3533, or of its non-binding isomer EP-3612. Ex-vivo quantification of gadolinium showed significantly higher uptake of EP-3533 compared to EP-3612 in tumours, but not in surrounding tissue (blood, muscle). Uptake of EP-3533 visualized in T1-weighted MRI correlated well with spatial distribution of collagen determined by second harmonic generation imaging. Differences in the tumour pharmacokinetic profiles of EP-3533 and EP-3612 were utilized to distinguish specific binding to tumour collagen from non-specific uptake. A model-free pharmacokinetic measurement based on area under the curve was identified as a robust imaging biomarker of fibrosis. Collagen-targeted molecular MRI with EP-3533 represents a new tool for non-invasive visualization and quantification of fibrosis in tumour tissue.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Contrast Media / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Fibrosis / metabolism
  • Fibrosis / pathology*
  • Gadolinium / metabolism
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Mice
  • Molecular Imaging / methods
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Contrast Media
  • Collagen
  • Gadolinium