Abstract
Riboflavin transporter 3 (RFVT3) represents a potential cardioprotective biotarget in energetic metabolism reprogramming after myocardial infarction/reperfusion (MI/R). This study investigated the feasibility of noninvasive real-time quantification of RFVT3 expression after MI/R with an radiolabeled probe 18F-RFTA in a preclinical rat model of MI/R. The tracer 18F-RFTA was radio-synthesized manually and characterized on the subjects of radiolabeling yield, radiochemical purity, and stability in vivo. MI/R and sham-operated rat models were confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) and single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with technetium-99m sestamibi (99mTc-MIBI). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of MI/R and sham-operated rat models were conducted with 18F-RFTA. Ex vivo autoradiography and RFVT3 immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were conducted to verify the RFVT3 expression in infarcted and normal myocardium. 18F-RFTA injection was prepared with high radiochemical purity (>95%) and kept stable in vitro and in vivo. 18F-RFTA PET revealed significant uptake in the infarcted myocardium at 8 h after reperfusion, as confirmed by lower 99mTc-MIBI perfusion and decreased intensity of cMRI. Conversely, there were only the tiniest uptakes in the normal myocardium and blocked infarcted myocardium, which was further corroborated by ex vivo autoradiography. The RFVT3 expression was further confirmed by IHC staining in the infarcted and normal myocardium. We first demonstrate the feasibility of imaging RFVT3 in infarcted myocardium. 18F-RFTA is an encouraging PET probe for imaging cardioprotective biotarget RFVT3 in mitochondrial energetic metabolism reprogramming after myocardial infarction. Noninvasive imaging of cardioprotective biotarget RFVT3 has potential value in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with MI.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
