Diagnostic value of 13 N-ammonia PET/CT imaging targeting glutamine synthetase expression in pa-tients with prostate cancer / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression of glutamine synthetase ( GS ) in prostate cancer and the utility of 13 N?NH3 PET/CT in detecting prostate cancer. Methods The uptake ratio of 13 N?NH3 and the expression of GS in PC3 and DU145 cells were measured by Western blot and PCR methods. A total of 34 patients with suspected prostate cancer underwent 13 N?NH3 PET/CT imaging and prostate biopsy. Immunohistochemistry staining of GS was performed and Gleason scores of tumors were evaluated. One?way analysis of variance, the least significant difference?t test and Spearman correlation analysis were used to an?alyze data. Results The uptake of 13 N?ammonia in PC3 and DU145 cells elevated along with the decrease of glutamine in medium. The expression of GS mRNA and protein also increased when glutamine was de?creased. In biopsy samples, the mean GS expression scores of prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis were 7.76±2.57, 3.98±2.60, 3.34±0.36, respectively (F=36.85, t1=7.97, t2=4?45, all P<0.05), which had a weak correlation with Gleason scores (rs=0.52, P<0.05). In 34 patients, the mean SUVmax of prostate cancer segments (1.56±0.58 and 1.14±0.22;F=5.966, t1=2.63, t2=2.65, all P<0.05). There was a weak correlation between GS expression scores and the uptake of 13 N?ammonia in prostate cancer (rs=0.47, P<0.05). Conclusions Up?regulated expression of GS is common in prostate cancer cells. GS is the main reason for the uptake of 13 N?ammonia, which is a useful tracer for prostate cancer imaging.