(99m)Tc-daunorubicin a potential brain imaging and theranostic agent: synthesis, quality control, characterization, biodistribution and scintigraphy.

Daunorubicin is a chemotherapeutic antibiotic of the anthracycline family used for the treatment of many type of cancers when doxorubicin or other less effective drugs cannot be used. The aim of the present study was labeling of Daunorubicin with (99m)Tc, quality control, characterization, and biodistribution of radiolabeled Daunorubicin. Labeling efficiency was determined by ascending paper chromatography. All the experiments were performed at room temperature (25°C±2°C). More than 96% labeling efficiency with (99m)Tc was achieved at pH 5-6, 2-4 µg stannous chloride and 300 µg of ligand in few minutes. The characterization of the compound was performed by using HPLC, electrophoresis and shake flask assay. Electrophoresis indicates that Tc-99m-Daunorubicin is neutral, HPLC confirms the single specie of the labeled compound, while shake flask assay confirms high lipophilicity. The biodistribution studies of (99m)Tc-Daunorubicin were performed in rats. Significantly higher accumulation of (99m)Tc-Daunorubicin was seen in brain of normal rats. Scintigraphy was also indicating higher accumulation of (99m)Tc-Daunorubicin in brain of normal rabbits.

Pathology of suspected acquired immune deficiency syndrome in children: a study of eight cases.

Biopsy and/or autopsy material from lymphoreticular and other organs was studied in 8 children with suspected acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). One or both parents of each of these children had one or more of the recognized risk factors for AIDS, such as intravenous drug abuse, prostitution, Haitian origin. The following histologic patterns were noted in the lymph nodes: (1) follicular hyperplasia with normocellular paracortex, (2) follicular hyperplasia with depletion of paracortex, and (3) atrophy of follicles with depletion of paracortex. Lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP), a previously unreported lesion in AIDS, was present in 4 cases. It is suggested that the pulmonary lymphoid lesion may be part of a more generalized lymphoid hyperplasia involving B cells. The gross and microscopic features of the thymus, available in 2 of the 8 cases, indicated that the immunologic defect in these children was not of congenital type. Pathologic findings can be helpful in the diagnosis of the syndrome when correlated with clinical and immunologic features of suspected cases and of the pulmonary lesion. The latter is of importance in deciding the type of therapy to be given for the pulmonary disease process.