HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tzen, K.-Y. Articles by Tsan, M.-F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tzen, K.-Y. Articles by Tsan, M.-F.

Role of Iron-Binding Proteins and Enhanced Capillary Permeability on the Accumulation of Gallium-67

The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland

Correspondence: For reprints contact: Min-Fu Tsan, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205.

ABSTRACT

We studied the role of the iron-binding proteins transferrin and lactoferrin and of increased capillary permeability on the accumulation of gallium-67 in rabbits.

Intramuscular injection of histamine caused accumulation of gallium-67 (injected i.v. as citrate), and of Tc-99m DTPA, at the i.m. injection site. Normal saline and albumin did not. Intramuscular injection of transferrin or lactoferrin similarly caused Ga-67 uptake. No accumulation of Tc-99m DTPA was observed at the site of transferrin injection but there was a slight accumulation at the site of lactoferrin injection. Prior saturation of transferrin or lactoferrin with ferric ion abolished their effect on Ga-67 accumulation. Gallium-67, pre-bound to transferrin in vitro, did not accumulate at the site of histamine or transferrin injection, but there was a slight accumulation at the lactoferrin site.

Our results suggest that either increased capillary permeability or iron-binding proteins can cause local uptake of Ga-67. Since these factors are present at sites of inflammation, they may contribute to the accumulation of gallium in inflammatory lesions.