Longitudinal Amyloid Imaging in Mouse Brain with 11C-PIB: Comparison of APP23, Tg2576, and APPswe-PS1dE9 Mouse Models of Alzheimer Disease

Unlabelled: Follow-up of β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer disease (AD) would be a valuable translational tool in the preclinical evaluation of potential antiamyloid therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of the clinically used PET tracer (11)C-Pittsburgh compound B ((11)C-PIB) to detect changes over time in Aβ deposition in the brains of living mice representing the APP23, Tg2576, and APP(swe)-PS1(dE9) transgenic mouse models of AD.

Methods: Mice from each transgenic strain were imaged with 60-min dynamic PET scans at 7-9, 12, 15, and 18-22 mo of age. Regional (11)C-PIB retention was quantitated as distribution volume ratios using Logan graphical analysis with cerebellar reference input, as radioactivity uptake ratios between the frontal cortex (FC) and the cerebellum (CB) during the 60-min scan, and as bound-to-free ratios in the late washout phase (40-60 min). Ex vivo autoradiography experiments were performed after the final imaging session to validate (11)C-PIB binding to Aβ deposits. Additionally, the presence of Aβ deposits was evaluated in vitro using staining with thioflavin-S and Aβ1-40, Aβ1-16, and AβN3(pE) immunohistochemistry.

Results: Neocortical (11)C-PIB retention was markedly increased in old APP23 mice with large thioflavin-S-positive Aβ deposits. At 12 mo, the Logan distribution volume ratio for the FC was 1.03 and 0.93 (n = 2), increasing to 1.38 ± 0.03 (n = 3) and 1.34 (n = 1) at 18 and 21 mo of age, respectively. An increase was also observed in bound-to-free ratios for the FC between young (7- to 12-mo-old) and old (15- to 22-mo-old) APP23 mice. Binding of (11)C-PIB to Aβ-rich cortical regions was also evident in ex vivo autoradiograms of APP23 brain sections. In contrast, no increases in (11)C-PIB retention were observed in aging Tg2576 or APP(swe)-PS1(dE9) mice in vivo, although in the latter, extensive Aβ deposition was already observed at 9 mo of age with immunohistochemistry.

Conclusion: The results suggest that (11)C-PIB binding to Aβ deposits in transgenic mouse brain is highly dependent on the AD model and the structure of its Aβ plaques. Longitudinal in vivo (11)C-PIB uptake studies are possible in APP23 mice.