Biodistribution study of the anaesthetic sodium phenobarbital labelled with technetium-99m in Swiss mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni Sambon, 1907

Streptozotocin (STZ) and schistosomiasis mansoni change the biodistribution of radiopharmaceutical sodium (99m)Tc-pertechnetate in mice

INTRODUCTION

Technetium-99m ((99m)Tc) is a radionuclide commonly used in nuclear medicine to obtain (99m)Tc-radiopharmaceuticals, which can be used to evaluate either physiological processes or changes related to diseases. It is also used in some experimental studies. Streptozotocin (STZ) administration to rodents causes lesions in very early stages and induces severe and permanent diabetes. Most morbidity of schistosomiasis mansoni is attributed to a granulomatous inflammatory response and associated liver fibrosis. This study was designed to investigate whether STZ administration and schistosomiasis modify the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical sodium (99m)Tc-pertechnetate.

METHODS

Adult female mice were infected by exposure to 100Schistosoma mansoni cercariae (BH strain, Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and euthanized after nine weeks. STZ was administered by a single intraperitoneal injection of 100mg/kg body weight, 3 or 15days before euthanasia. Each animal received 100μl of sodium (Na) (99m)Tc-pertechnetate ((99m)TcO4(-)) (740kBq). The animals were divided into four groups: A, uninfected; B, infected; C, uninfected + STZ; and D, infected + STZ. Blood, brain, thyroid, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, pancreas and kidneys were removed. The radioactivity was counted and the percentage of the injected dose of Na(99m)TcO4 per gram of the organ (% ID/g) was determined.

RESULTS

Three days after the STZ injection, there was a decrease of Na(99m)TcO4 uptake by the liver, lungs, pancreas and kidneys (p<0.05) in group D when compared with group A. After 15days, the decrease of Na(99m)TcO4 uptake occurred also in the brain, thyroid, heart, spleen and blood (p<0.05) in group D.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated modifications on the biodistribution of Na(99m)TcO4 due to STZ administration and schistosomiasis, possibly due to physiological alterations in some organs.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PATIENT CARE

The biodistribution of radiopharmaceutical Na(99m)TcO4 should be carefully evaluated in subjects with diabetes and/or schistosomiasis infection.

Technetium-99m labeling anti-amastigote polyclonal antibodies of Leishmania amazonensis

Anti-amastigote polyclonal antibody (IgG) was incubated with solutions of stannous chloride and sodium borohidride. After that, 3.7 MBq of technetium-99m (99mTc) was added. A labeling yield of the antibody about 84% was obtained. After filtration of 99mTc-IgG, the radiochemical purity increased from 84 to 95%. The labeling of IgG with 99mTc did not modify the immunoreactivity of the antibody, since it was able to identify in vitro and in vivo the specific antigen of Leishmania amazonensis.