When injected intravenously, [99mTc]Tc-phytate forms particles in the nanometer range. This size can favor its extravasation into tumor and inflammation through pores of the vasculature. The aim of this work is the evaluation of the use of [99mTc]Tc-phytate to assess sterile inflammation in mouse models. Biodistribution studies of [99mTc]Tc-phytate were performed in two groups of male Swiss Albino mice. Sterile inflammation was induced after intramuscular injection of turpentine in the first group (chemically induced sterile inflammation model) and after implantation of sterile metal bolts in the second group (foreign-body induced sterile inflammation model). [99mTc]Tc-phytate was intravenously injected after the development of inflammation in both groups and ex vivo biodistribution of the radiolabelled complex followed at different time-points. Biodistribution was expressed as percent injected dose per gram (%ID/g). Target-to-background ratios were also recorded. For the chemically induced sterile inflammation model, ex vivo biodistribution evaluation measurements revealed a pronounced uptake in the inflamed muscle when compared to uptake in the control/non-inflamed muscle. Moreover, as expected, there is a high uptake in the liver and spleen. For the foreign-body induced sterile inflammation model, a significantly higher uptake was observed in the inflamed muscle post [99mTc]Tc-phytate injection, both for the 24 hours post-bolt implantation and for the 7 days post-bolt implantation groups. The nanoparticle properties of [99mTc]Tc-phytate are potentially useful in the imaging of different types of sterile inflammation with translational potential clinical SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging applications in humans.
Keywords: Technetium Tc 99m; foreign-body reaction; inflammation; nanoparticles; phytate; preclinical; radionuclide imaging.
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