Evaluation of N-(6-[18F]Fluoropyridin-3-yl)glycine PET renography to detect renal function progression in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy

Objective Given the limitation of biomarkers to predict the renal function progression in diabetic nephropathy , N-(6-[ 18 F]Fluoropyridin-3-yl)glycine (6-[ 18 F]FPyGly) was used to evaluate renal function progression in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy. Methods Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, including the healthy control group (HC group), diabetic nephropathy group (DNM group), routine diet treated diabetic nephropathy group (RDNM group), and high fat/high sucrose -diet-fed diabetic nephropathy group (HDNM group). All renal function parameters were determined from animal PET renograms . P and T max represent the curve peak counts and the time to the curve peak counts of 6-[ 18 F]FPyGly in kidneys after injection, C 1/2 and the 15 min/Peak ratio represent the time from peak to 1/2 peak in the clearance phase, and the ratio of the curve counts at 15 min to the curve peak counts. Results P, T max , C 1/2 , and 15 min/peak ratio of each rat were significantly correlated with S-Cr, BUN . There were significant differences in T max , P, serum creatinine (S Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels between HC and DNM groups. P and the 15 min/Peak ratio were significantly different among DNM, RDNM, and HDNM groups, while T max and C 1/2 were only significantly different between DNM and RDNM or HDNM groups. There only was a significant difference in BUN between the DNM and HDNM groups. Conclusion The renal function parameters P, T max , C 1/2 and 15 min/peak value obtained by dynamic renal imaging based on 6-[ 18 F]FPyGly could reflect changes of renal function in rats, which had a good correlation with S Cr and BUN, and showed more efficient in the diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy and renal function classification than S Cr and BUN.