Ga-WRWWWW Is a Potential Positron Emission Tomography Probe for Imaging Inflammatory Diseases by Targeting Formyl Peptide Receptor 2.

Inflammation plays a significant role in many physiological and pathological processes. Molecular imaging could provide functional as well as anatomical information for visualizing various inflammatory diseases. Advancements in imaging tracers for inflammation would improve the accuracy of diagnosis and monitoring, thus facilitating patient care. The positron emission tomography (PET) imaging tracer, Ga-labeled antagonist peptide Trp-Arg-Trp-Trp-Trp-Trp (WRWWWW, WRW), targets formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2), which is in turn widely distributed in a variety of tissues and is associated with many inflammatory diseases. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the potential of Ga-WRW for detecting and monitoring inflammatory lesions in mice. We established an inflammation mouse model by the intramuscular injection of turpentine oil into the left thigh. WRW was labeled with Ga with an overall radiochemical yield >90% and radiochemical purity >99%. Ga-WRW uptake in inflamed muscle peaked on day 2 (1.14 ± 0.01 percentage of the injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g)) and the uptake ratio of inflammatory/normal muscle also reached a maximum (12.36 ± 2.35). Strong PET signals were detected in the left thigh at 60 min after the injection of Ga-WRW in experimental mice, but weak or no signals were detected in mice in the blocking and control groups. Ga-WRW uptake was in agreement with the dynamics of immune cell infiltration during the inflammatory reaction. These results suggest that Ga-WRW is a promising PET tracer suitable for the noninvasive detection of FPR2 expression and for monitoring inflammatory activity in inflammation-bearing mice.