Longitudinal and multimodal in vivo imaging of tumor hypoxia and its downstream molecular events

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Aug 18;106(33):14004-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0901194106. Epub 2009 Jul 31.

Abstract

Tumor hypoxia and the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) play a central role in the development of cancer. To study the relationship between tumor growth, tumor hypoxia, the stabilization of HIF-1alpha, and HIF transcriptional activity, we have established an in vivo imaging tool that allows longitudinal and noninvasive monitoring of these processes in a mouse C51 allograft tumor model. We used positron emission tomography (PET) with the hypoxia-sensitive tracer [(18)F]-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) to measure tumor hypoxia over 14 days. Stabilization of HIF-1alpha and HIF transcriptional activity were assessed by bioluminescence imaging using the reporter constructs HIF-1alpha-luciferase and hypoxia response element-luciferase, respectively, stably expressed in C51 cells. Interestingly, we did not observe any major change in the level of tumor hypoxia throughout the observation period whereas HIF-1alpha levels and HIF activity showed drastic temporal variations. When comparing the readouts as a function of time we found a good correlation between HIF-1alpha levels and HIF activity. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between the [(18)F]-FMISO PET and HIF readouts. The tool developed in this work allows for the longitudinal study of tumor hypoxia and HIF-1alpha in cancer in an individual animal and will be of value when monitoring the efficacy of therapeutical interventions targeting the HIF pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia*
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Misonidazole / analogs & derivatives
  • Misonidazole / pharmacology
  • Models, Biological
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods
  • Response Elements
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • fluoromisonidazole
  • Misonidazole
  • Luciferases