放射性核素标记的凋亡显像剂的研究进展

细胞凋亡存在于多种病理过程中, 包括神经系统变性疾病、缺血性损伤、自身免疫性疾病和多种肿瘤等。凋亡检测的可视化对疾病的诊断、新的治疗方法的开发与疗效评价具有重要意义。传统的凋亡检测方法包括光学显微镜观察、原位末端标记法分析、流式细胞仪检测等, 但其侵入性方式限制了之后的随访研究。而活体内凋亡显像有助于无创观察、直观了解凋亡发生的体内过程。PET与SPECT的发展, 以及新的针对靶点的放射性核素标记显像剂的合成, 使核医学进入了分子影像学的新时代。近年来, 细胞凋亡PET与SPECT显像剂的研发应用, 使活体内无创PET与SPECT检测细胞凋亡成为现实。笔者主要介绍用于在体凋亡显像的放射性标记探针及其最新研究应用进展。

Recent advances in apoptosis imaging using radionuclide-labeled tracers

Apoptosis or programmed cell death is an important form of cell death. Apoptosis is involved in numerous human pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, ischemic damage, autoimmune disorders, and many types of cancer. Visualization of apoptosis is enormously beneficial in clinical diagnosis, development of new therapies, and therapeutic evaluation. The traditional methods of apoptosis detection include optical microscopy, TdT-mediated-dUTP nick end labeling analysis, and flow cytometry. However, these invasive techniques restrict the conduct of follow-up studies. Apoptosis imaging in living subjects has contributed to nondestructive observation and in understanding the biological process of apoptosis. The developments in PET and SPECT technologies, including the synthesis of targeted radionuclide tracers, led nuclear medicine into a new era of molecular imaging. The development and application of PET and SPECT as apoptosis imaging probes rendered the non-invasive detection of apoptosis in vivo a reality. This article reviewed the recent advances in apoptosis imaging using radionuclide-labeled tracers.