Positron Emission Tomography Imaging for In Vivo Measuring of Myelin Content in the Lysolecithin Rat Model of Multiple Sclerosis
February 28th, 2021
This protocol has the aim of monitoring in vivo myelin changes (demyelination and remyelination) by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in an animal model of multiple sclerosis.
This protocol has the name of monitoring in-vivo myelin chains by PET imaging with PIB labeled with carbonyl in the lysolecithin rat model of multiple sclerosis. This imaging technique has the ability of allowing in-vivo images of positions in different points. Getting point touch of the data of mining chains over time.
In this video, We show how to induce the animal model by stereotactic injection and how to acquire and analyze. The mining PIP images. Take out needed material for the lysolecithin solution preparation Take the lysolecithin solution weight in an electronic balance using a glass tube take the glass tube out from the electric balance open the cell line and take the right volume for prepare 1%lysolecithin solution.
Put the cell line in the plastic tube close the plastic tube and shake it using your fingers. Prepare for the surgery with the animal in the right position inject Put the eye cream the animal eyes are protecting against the hydration. use a 5%codoxygen solution for cleaning the incision area of the surgery inject lidocaine where the incision will be made.
Shave the hair in the heads of their skull make an incision of about two centimeters expose the scope era with udak clamps clean area with a swab and mark the bregma position the hemato syringe on the bregma injection will be made in this three marked areas through in the right coordinate. Take the hemato needle through the drute area Go to the ventrical coordinate for start the injection, Finishing the surgery, Suture the incision. Use an appropriate place for the tracer injection.
The tracer must be injected intravenously, and it can be done either, In the penile vein or in the tail vein. Image acquisition of baseline time point is performed before stereotactic surgery. And the other two time points one week and four weeks after the stereotactic surgery.
Open the PET scanner software and chose the field of view to be scanned during image acquisition. Position the animal in the bed. Be sure that the animal is straight.
Take the eye cream to protect the animal eyes. Cover the animal bed. Push the animal bed inside the pet scanner and start acquisition.
Check the animal griefing until the end of the PET scan. When one day image acquisition is finished. Take animal out of the bed.
Open remote software and choose Fuse It'model select image bio at and open with operations. Use a cylinder orientation and load the image. Go to matching and open the PET image.
Adjust color scale to make the brain visible. Press crop'to crop the image and adjust the window size to cover the whole brain. It's parameters are on the bottom right side of the screen press blue shift'Be sure that the animal is positioned right in the software.
Select the correct MRI template. if you need it, you can adjust the coverage restriction between PET and MRI template. Press device'button.
Select the right brain template. Then you can look at different brain regions available and you can select or unselect all of them. Go to outline guides, and they will be all selected.
In the top button, you can select any parameter you want to appear in this statistic data. You can touch the statistic button and then you can choose between KilobeckerCSS or SUV. Copy to clipboard and close.
Your data can be pasted in an Excel sheet. For quantifying the and delusion Go to the new board, select these few and apply. You can create a new void in the contralateral side.
And then go to the statistic button S2B4. It is possible to see the lesion one week after injection and the lesions covered four weeks after injection. Significant difference are seen between cell lining one week and four.
Following this protocol, you'll get the three steps of taking the region of interest, being the injection site and that the principle area to be analyzed. As a large student of protocol, thus taking lesion presents the mining chains over time, where the mining nation is represented by decreased trace uptake and reimagination trace uptake. It's important to emphasize that the laser listing injection must be very slow, avoiding tissue damaging and causing only mining chains which will be detect by peep PIP imaging.
View the full transcript and gain access to thousands of scientific videos
Overview
This protocol demonstrates the use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 11C-PIB to monitor in vivo myelin changes in a lysolecithin-induced rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The method enables quantification of demyelination and remyelination processes over time, providing a valuable tool for studying disease progression and therapeutic response in demyelinating disorders.
Key Study Components
Area of Science
- Neuroscience
- Neuroimaging
- Experimental neurology
Background
- Multiple sclerosis is characterized by neuroinflammation, axonal degeneration, and demyelination in the central nervous system.
- These pathological changes lead to motor dysfunction, physical disability, and cognitive impairment.
- PET imaging allows for in vivo quantification of cellular and molecular alterations.
- Radiotracers targeting myelin enable detection of both demyelination and remyelination.
Purpose of Study
- To establish a protocol for monitoring myelin content changes in vivo using PET imaging in a rat model of MS.
- To quantify focal demyelination and subsequent remyelination following lysolecithin-induced lesions.
- To provide a method for assessing disease progression and therapeutic interventions in demyelinating diseases.
Methods Used
- Preparation of 1% lysolecithin solution for stereotactic injection.
- Stereotactic surgery to induce focal demyelination in the right striatum and corpus callosum of rats.
- Intravenous injection of 11C-PIB radiotracer via penile or tail vein.
- PET imaging performed at baseline, 1 week, and 4 weeks post-injection.
- Image acquisition, processing, and analysis using dedicated PET software and MRI templates for anatomical reference.
- Quantification of tracer uptake in regions of interest to assess demyelination and remyelination.
Main Results
- Successful induction of focal demyelination was observed at the injection site one week after lysolecithin administration.
- PET imaging detected decreased tracer uptake corresponding to demyelination and increased uptake indicating remyelination at four weeks.
- Significant differences in tracer uptake were quantified between the acute and recovery phases.
- The protocol enabled clear visualization and measurement of myelin changes over time.
Conclusions
- PET imaging with 11C-PIB is effective for monitoring in vivo myelin dynamics in experimental models of MS.
- This approach allows for longitudinal assessment of demyelination and remyelination processes.
- The protocol provides a valuable tool for evaluating disease progression and therapeutic efficacy in demyelinating disorders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Executive Industry Relevance
Quantitative PET imaging of myelin dynamics in the lysolecithin rat model enables direct, non-invasive assessment of demyelination and remyelination in vivo. This capability supports predictive confidence in preclinical evaluation of disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis and related demyelinating disorders. Integrating longitudinal imaging readouts at key inflection points enhances translational continuity and portfolio decision-making.
Strategic Applications in Biopharma R&D
Early Discovery & Target Validation
- Enables direct interrogation of therapeutic hypotheses targeting myelin repair or protection.
- Provides functional validation of candidate targets by quantifying myelin changes over time.
- Supports mechanistic de-risking by distinguishing demyelination from remyelination processes in vivo.
- Facilitates portfolio triage by linking molecular interventions to measurable biological outcomes.
Screening & Assay Development
- Establishes a validated in vivo system for evaluating compound effects on myelin content.
- Delivers standardized, quantitative imaging outputs suitable for cross-study comparison.
- Enables reproducible assessment of demyelination and remyelination kinetics in response to interventions.
- Supports screening readiness for compounds targeting myelin integrity or repair pathways.
Translational & Preclinical Research
- Aligns preclinical imaging endpoints with disease-relevant biomarkers for MS and related disorders.
- Provides continuity from discovery through preclinical validation by enabling longitudinal monitoring.
- Supports risk-adjusted advancement decisions based on quantitative, translationally relevant data.
- Enhances predictive value for therapeutic efficacy in demyelinating disease models.
Pipeline & Workflow Integration
This PET imaging protocol integrates from early discovery through preclinical validation, enabling hypothesis testing, target de-risking, and translational biomarker alignment in demyelination models.
- Discovery Biology: Supports hypothesis-driven testing of myelin-targeted interventions and pathway clarification.
- Screening: Provides reproducible, quantitative imaging outputs for compound evaluation.
- Analytics: Delivers region-specific tracer uptake measurements to compare demyelination and remyelination across time points.
- Translational Research: Aligns imaging readouts with clinical biomarker strategies for MS.
- Enterprise Reuse: Offers a reusable imaging platform for diverse myelin-targeted R&D programs.
Operational & Enterprise Impact
- Scientific Value: Increases predictive confidence and reduces mechanistic ambiguity in myelin-targeted research.
- Operational Value: Standardizes imaging workflows and enables scalable, reproducible data generation.
- Strategic Value: Improves go/no-go decisions and capital allocation by providing robust, quantitative endpoints.
- Portfolio Impact: Supports risk-adjusted prioritization and advancement of myelin-modulating candidates.
Implementation Considerations
- Requires expertise in stereotactic surgery, PET imaging, and quantitative image analysis.
- Demands access to PET scanners, radiotracer synthesis, and compatible MRI templates for anatomical reference.
- Necessitates cross-team standardization of imaging protocols and data analysis workflows.
- Adaptation may be needed for different animal models or brain regions depending on research focus.
- Careful control of injection parameters is critical to avoid confounding tissue damage.
