{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "ea2885d63eb74d3c84019dfa0fdc983c", "timestamp": "2026-08-23T09:24:58.318Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/ea2885d63eb74d3c84019dfa0fdc983c.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/ea2885d63eb74d3c84019dfa0fdc983c"}}, "title": "Non-invasive PET imaging of liver fibrogenesis using a RESCA-conjugated Affibody molecule.", "authors": [{"family": "Wegrzyniak", "given": "Olivia", "initials": "O"}, {"family": "Lechi", "given": "Francesco", "initials": "F"}, {"family": "Mitran", "given": "Bogdan", "initials": "B"}, {"family": "Cheung", "given": "Pierre", "initials": "P"}, {"family": "Bitzios", "given": "Athanasios", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Persson", "given": "Jonas", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "L\u00f6fblom", "given": "John", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "Nordstr\u00f6m", "given": "Helena", "initials": "H"}, {"family": "Eriksson", "given": "Jonas", "initials": "J"}, {"family": "Frejd", "given": "Fredrik Y", "initials": "FY"}, {"family": "Korsgren", "given": "Olle", "initials": "O"}, {"family": "Zhang", "given": "Bo", "initials": "B"}, {"family": "Eriksson", "given": "Olof", "initials": "O"}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2024-05-17", "journal": {"title": "iScience", "issn": "2589-0042", "volume": "27", "issue": "5", "pages": "109688", "issn-l": null}, "abstract": "Non-invasive assessment of fibrogenic activity, rather than fibrotic scars, could significantly improve the management of fibrotic diseases and the development of anti-fibrotic drugs. This study explores the potential of an Affibody molecule (Z09591) labeled with the Al(18)F-restrained complexing agent (RESCA) method as a tracer for the non-invasive detection of fibrogenic cells. Z09591 was functionalized with the RESCA chelator for direct labeling with [18F]AlF. In vivo positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scans on U-87 tumor-bearing mice exhibited high selectivity of the resulting radiotracer, [18F]AlF-RESCA-Z09591, for platelet-derived growth factor receptor \u03b2 (PDGFR\u03b2), with minimal non-specific background uptake. Evaluation in a mouse model with carbon tetrachloride-induced fibrotic liver followed by a disease regression phase, revealed the radiotracer's high affinity and specificity for fibrogenic cells in fibrotic livers (standardized uptake value [SUV] 0.43 \u00b1 0.05), with uptake decreasing during recovery (SUV 0.29 \u00b1 0.03) (p < 0.0001). [18F]AlF-RESCA-Z09591 accurately detects PDGFR\u03b2, offering non-invasive assessment of fibrogenic cells and promising applications in precise liver fibrogenesis diagnosis, potentially contributing significantly to anti-fibrotic drug development.", "doi": "10.1016/j.isci.2024.109688", "pmid": "38660405", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC11039342"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "S2589-0042(24)00910-6"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-20T07:57:58.729Z", "modified": "2026-08-20T07:57:58.770Z"}