Early Detection of Aβ Deposition in the 5xFAD Mouse by Amyloid PET

Purpose. (18)F-FC119S is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for imaging β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of (18)F-FC119S in quantitating Aβ deposition in a mouse model of early amyloid deposition (5xFAD) by PET. Method. Dynamic (18)F-FC119S PET images were obtained in 5xFAD (n = 5) and wild-type (WT) mice (n = 7). The brain PET images were spatially normalized to the M. Mirrione T2-weighted mouse brain MR template, and the volumes of interest were then automatically drawn on the cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and cerebellum. The specific binding of (18)F-FC119S to Aβ was quantified as the distribution volume ratio using Logan graphical analysis with the cerebellum as a reference tissue. The Aβ levels in the brain were also confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis. Result. For the 5xFAD group, radioactivity levels in the cortex, the hippocampus, and the thalamus were higher than those for the WT group. In these regions, specific binding was approximately 1.2-fold higher in 5xFAD mice than in WT. Immunohistochemistry supported these findings; the 5xFAD showed severe Aβ deposition in the cortex and hippocampus in contrast to the WT group. Conclusion. These results demonstrated that (18)F-FC119S PET can successfully distinguish Aβ depositions in 5xFAD mice from WT.