Validation of 99mTc-labeled “4+1” fatty acids for myocardial metabolism and flow imaging: Part 2. Subcellular distribution

Abstract

Introduction: Our group has synthesized technetium-labeled fatty acids (FA) that are extracted into the myocardium and sequestered due to heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) binding. In this article, we further address the detailed subcellular distribution and potential myocardial metabolism of [Tc-99m]"4+1" FA. Methods: Experiments were conducted using isolated hearts of Wistar rats, as well as of wild-type and H-FABP(-/-) mice. Myocardium samples underwent subcellular fractionation [subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SM), intermyofibrillar mitochondria (IM), cytosol with microsomes, and nuclei and crude membranes] and analysis by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The largest fraction of tissue radioactivity was associated with cytosol [79.69+/-8.88% of infused dose]. About 9.07+/-0.95% and 3.43+/-1.38% of the infused dose were associated with SM and IM fractions, respectively. In the rat heart, etomoxir, an inhibitor of carnitin-palmitoyl transferase I, did not significantly decrease radioactivity associated with mitochondrial fractions, whereas myocardial extraction of [I-121] -labeled 15-(p-iodophenyl)-pentadecanoic acid (13.26% vs. 49.49% in controls) and the radioactivity associated with the SM and IM fractions were blunted. The percentage of the infused dose in the mitochondrial and crude fractions increased with the number of NH-amide groups of the FA derivative. Absence of H-FABP significantly decreased radioactivity count in the cytosolic fraction (P<001). No metabolic product of [Tc-99m]"4+1" FA could be detected in any isolated heart. Conclusions: Myocardial [Tc-99m]"4+1" FA extraction reflects binding to H-FABP and membrane structures (including the mitochondrial membrane). However, the compounds do not undergo mitochondrial metabolism because they do not reach the mitochondrial matrix. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.