Human primary endothelial cells incorporate increased levels of [18F]FDG under hypoxic conditions


Human primary endothelial cells incorporate increased levels of [18F]FDG under hypoxic conditions

Oswald, J.; Haase, C.; Wüst, F.; Bergmann, R.

Aim:

Hypoxia is a common feature of various human tumor entities and the enhanced uptake of specific radiotracers in hypoxic tissues can be visualized by means of positron emission tomography (PET). In this study we analyzed the influence of experimental hypoxia on the [18F]FDG uptake of various primary endothelial cells and tumor cell lines.
Material and Methods:
Experimental hypoxia was induced by cultivating cells for 24 hours in presence of 2% oxygen in a special incubator (Gasboy C40, Labotect). Cellular [18F]FDG uptake was determined after one hour incubation and measured after cell lysis with a Cobra II spectrometer (Packard). [18F]FDG uptake was correlated to protein concentration. Three types of primary endothelial cells were used: human umbilical cord endothelial cells (HUVEC), human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC) and human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) as well as the two tumor cell lines, being FaDu (squamous cell carcinoma) and HT29 (colorectal adenocarcinoma), respectively.
Results:
In our experiments we found that primary endothelial cells incorporate significant higher amounts of [18F]FDG under experimental hypoxic conditions in comparison to normoxic conditions. Especially HDMECs showed a marked response to hypoxia with an approximately two-fold higher [18F]FDG uptake. Also HUVECs and HAECs responded to experimental hypoxia, whereas tumor cell lines FaDu and HT29 showed only moderate increase of [18F]FDG uptake under hypoxic conditions.
Conclusion:
Experimental hypoxia represents a much higher stimulus for primary endothelial cells than for cultivated tumor cells to incorporate [18F]FDG. Our data emphasize the relevance of endothelial cells as one important part of the tumor micromilieu and stimulate further studies on the different patterns of radiotracer uptake in neoplastic or neovascularized lesions.

  • Lecture (Conference)
    Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine, 15.-19.10.2005, Istanbul, Turkey
  • Abstract in refereed journal
    European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 32(2005)Suppl. 1, S44

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Publ.-Id: 7513