@article {Kimjnumed.120.245290, author = {Dong-Yeon Kim and Ayoung Pyo and Misun Yun and Ramar Thangam and Sung-Hwan You and Ying Zhang and Ye-rim Jung and Dinh-Huy Nguyen and Akhil Venu and Hyeon Sik Kim and Mee Sun Yoon and Yeongjin Hong and Jung-Joon Min}, title = {Imaging calreticulin for early detection of immunogenic cell death during anticancer treatment}, elocation-id = {jnumed.120.245290}, year = {2021}, doi = {10.2967/jnumed.120.245290}, publisher = {Society of Nuclear Medicine}, abstract = {Surface-exposed calreticulin (ecto-CRT) is a well-known {\textquoteleft}eat-me{\textquoteright} signal exhibited by dying cells that contributes to their recognition and destruction by the immune system. We assessed the use of a CRT-specific binding peptide for imaging ecto-CRT during immunogenic cell death and its utility for the early prediction of treatment response. Methods: A synthetic CRT-specific peptide KLGFFKR (CRTpep) was labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate or 18F and characteristics of ecto-CRT was evaluated in colon cancer cell line in vitro and in vivo. Results: In vitro flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, and in vivo micro positron emission tomography imaging results showed that CRTpep detected pre-apoptotic cells treated with immunogenic drugs or radiation, but not those treated with the non-immunogenic drug or a non-therapeutic dose of immunogenic drug. Conclusion: The present results indicate that the CRT-specific peptide would enable the prediction of therapeutic response, thereby facilitating early decisions regarding the continuation or discontinuation of immunogenic treatment.}, issn = {0161-5505}, URL = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/early/2021/01/22/jnumed.120.245290}, eprint = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/early/2021/01/22/jnumed.120.245290.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine} }