Longitudinal PET/CT evaluation of TNBS-induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease rat model

In this study, IBD was induced in rats using 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) and longitudinal [18F]FDG PET/CT scans were conducted to assess disease progression post-TNBS administration. Afterwards, [18F]FDG PET/CT scans were carried out after treatment with methylprednisolone to validate the model.In non-treated rats, SUVmax (Standardized Uptake Value) rapidly increased after IBD induction, being particularly significant (p<0.01) on days 7-13 after induction. There were no significant differences between non-treated and treated IBD rats from days 0-3. Nevertheless, treated IBD rats showed a significant decrease in SUVmax between days 7-13 (p<0.01). Histological examination showed descending and transverse colon as the most affected regions. There was a moderate (R2=0.61) and strong (R2=0.82) correlation of SUVmax with Nancy grade (parameter for histological assessment of disease activity) and weight changes, respectively.In this study, we have performed the first longitudinal [18F]FDG PET/CT assessment of TNBS-induced IBD in rats, demonstrating the potential role of preclinical molecular imaging for the evaluation of new therapies in combination with IBD rat models.Graphical abstract
Source: International Journal of Pharmaceutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research