99mTc-glucarate for detection of isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats.

Infarct-avid radiopharmaceuticals are necessary for rapid and timely diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. The animal model used to produce infarction implies artery ligation but chemical induction can be easily obtained with isoproterenol. A new infarct-avid radiopharmaceutical based on glucaric acid was prepared in the hospital radiopharmacy of the INCMNSZ. 99mTc-glucarate was easy to prepare, stable for 96 h and was used to study its biodistribution in rats with isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction. Histological studies demonstrated that the rats developed an infarct 18 h after isoproterenol administration. The rat biodistribution studies showed a rapid blood clearance via the kidneys. Thirty minutes after 99mTc-glucarate administration the standardised heart uptake value S(h)UV was 4.7 in infarcted rat heart which is six times more than in normal rats. ROIs drawn over the gamma camera images showed a ratio of 4.4. The high image quality suggests that high contrast images can be obtained in humans and the 96 h stability makes it an ideal agent to detect, in patients, early cardiac infarction.

Uptake of (188)Re-beta-naphthyl-peptide in cervical carcinoma tumours in athymic mice.

Radiolabelled somatostatin analogues have been used in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine to treat cancerous tumours. Lanreotide, a cyclic octapeptide, beta-naphthyl-peptide, with antiproliferative action on human small cell lung carcinoma was (188)Re labelled and characterised, and its biodistribution was studied in mice. Molecular modelling indicates that the lipophilic radiopharmaceutical might be an oxo-rhenium (V) penta-coordinated complex. The implanted human cervical tumour of epidermoid origin was positive for cytokeratins and Vimentin. Uptake of (188)Re-labelled peptide in the implanted tumour in athymic mice was 6.2+/-2.9% and was rapidly cleared via the hepatobiliary system. (188)Re-beta-naphthyl-peptide might be a potential therapeutic agent.

Endothelin inhibits vasopressin action in rat inner medullary collecting duct via the ETB receptor.

We characterized the endothelin (ET) receptor subtype responsible for the inhibition of vasopressin (AVP)-induced increases in osmotic water permeability (Pf) and cAMP accumulation in rat inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCD). ET-1 (10 nM) produced a rapid and transient decrease in AVP-stimulated Pf from 1241 +/- 112 to 224 +/- 38 microns/sec. At the same concentration (10 nM), the selective ETB receptor agonist sarafotoxin 6c (S6c) produced the same degree of inhibition with a time course identical to that of ET-1. Exposure of IMCDs to the ETA-selective antagonist BQ123 (100 nM) had no effect on ET-1-induced inhibition of AVP-dependent Pf. In suspensions of IMCD cells, ET-1, ET-3 or S6c produced concentration-dependent inhibition of AVP-stimulated cAMP accumulation to the same extent and with similar potencies (IC50 = 10-30 nM). BQ123 (1 nM to 10 microM) had no effect on ET-1-induced inhibition of AVP-stimulated cAMP formation. Saturation binding experiments with radiolabeled ET-1 and the selective ETB agonist IRL1620 and competition binding studies with selective ETA and ETB receptor ligands demonstrated that > or = 80% of the ET-1 binding sites in IMCD membranes were of the ETB subtype. Therefore, results from functional, biochemical and binding studies suggest that the ETB receptor is the ET receptor subtype that inhibits AVP action in the rat IMCD.