PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Donatienne Van Weehaeghe AU - Evelien Van Schoor AU - Joke De Vocht AU - Michel Koole AU - Bala Attili AU - Sofie Celen AU - Lieven Declercq AU - Dietmar R. Thal AU - Philip Van Damme AU - Guy Bormans AU - Koen Van Laere TI - TSPO Versus P2X7 as a Target for Neuroinflammation: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study AID - 10.2967/jnumed.119.231985 DP - 2020 Apr 01 TA - Journal of Nuclear Medicine PG - 604--607 VI - 61 IP - 4 4099 - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/61/4/604.short 4100 - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/61/4/604.full SO - J Nucl Med2020 Apr 01; 61 AB - Neuroinflammation is important in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is a promising target for neuroinflammation. The objective of this study was to compare 18F-DPA714, a second-generation translocator protein tracer, with 11C-JNJ717, a novel P2X7R tracer, in vitro and in vivo in ALS. Methods: For the in vitro portion of the study, autoradiography with 18F-DPA714 and 11C-JNJ717 was performed on human ALS brain sections in comparison to immunofluorescence with Iba1 and GFAP. For the in vivo portion, 3 male patients with early-stage ALS (59.3 ± 7.2 y old) and 6 healthy volunteers (48.2 ± 16.5 y old, 2 men and 4 women) underwent dynamic PET/MR scanning with 18F-DPA714 and 11C-JNJ717. Volume-of-distribution images were calculated using Logan plots and analyzed on a volume-of-interest basis. Results: Autoradiography showed no difference in 11C-JNJ717 binding but did show increased 18F-DPA714 binding in the motor cortex correlating with Iba1 expression (glial cells). Similar findings were observed in vivo, with a 13% increase in 18F-DPA714 binding in the motor cortex. Conclusion: In symptomatic ALS patients, 18F-DPA714 showed increased signal whereas 11C-JNJ717 was not elevated.