18F-FP-CIT dopamine transporter PET findings in the striatum and retina of type 1 diabetic rats

• Published in: Annals of nuclear medicine 2023-04, Vol.37 (4), p.219-226
• Main Authors: Chen, Ping, Li, Jun, Li, Zhan, Yu, Duxia, Ma, Ning, Xia, Zian, Meng, Xianglei, Liu, Xingdang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomarkers; Brain; Brain injury; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic retinopathy; Diagnosis; Dopamine; Dopamine transporter; Fluorine isotopes; Head injuries; Imaging; Medical imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neostriatum; Neuroimaging; Nuclear Medicine; Original Article; Positron emission; Positron emission tomography; Radiology; Retina; Retinopathy; Streptozocin; Traumatic brain injury; Western blotting
• ISSN: 0914-7187; 1864-6433
• DOI: 10.1007/s12149-022-01818-5

Purpose Noninvasive methods used in clinic to accurately detect DA neuron loss in diabetic brain injury and diabetic retinopathy have not been reported up to now. 18 F-FP-CIT is a promising dopamine transporter (DAT) targeted probe. Our study first applies 18 F-FP-CIT PET imaging to assess DA neuron loss in the striatum and retina of T1DM rat model. Methods T1DM rat model was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg kg −1 , ip). 18 F-FP-CIT uptake in the striatum and retina was evaluated at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after STZ injection. The mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) were analyzed. Western blot was performed to confirm the DAT protein levels in the striatum and retina. Results PET/CT results showed that the SUV of 18 F-FP-CIT was significantly reduced in the diabetic striatum and retina compared with the normal one from 4-week to 12-week ( p