In vivo imaging of inflammation- and tumor-induced lymph node lymphangiogenesis by immuno-positron emission tomography.

ABSTRACT: Metastasis to regional lymph nodes (LN) is a prognostic indicator for cancer progression. There is a great demand for sensitive and noninvasive methods to detect metastasis to LNs. Whereas conventional in vivo imaging approaches have focused on the detection of cancer cells, lymphangiogenesis within tumor-draining LNs might be the earliest sign of metastasis. In mouse models of LN lymphangiogenesis, we found that systemically injected antibodies to lymphatic epitopes accumulated in the lymphatic vasculature in tissues and LNs. Using a (124)I-labeled antibody against the lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), we imaged, for the first time, inflammation- and tumor-draining LNs with expanded lymphatic networks in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET). Anti-LYVE-1 im

SUBMITTER: Mumprecht V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3398152 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature