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Aims: D-deprenyl is a useful positron emission tomography tracer for visualization of inflammatory processes. Studies with [C-11]-D-deprenyl showed robust uptake in peripheral painful sites of patients with rheumatoid arthritis or chronic whiplash injury. The mechanism of preferential D-deprenyl uptake is not yet known, but the existence of a specific binding site was proposed. Thus, in the present study, we sought to identify the binding site for D-deprenyl and verify the hypothesis about the possibility of monoamine oxidase enzymes as major targets for this molecule. Main methods: A high-throughput analysis of D-deprenyl activity towards 165 G-protein coupled receptors and 84 enzyme targets was performed. Additionally, binding studies were used to verify the competition of [H-3]D-deprenyl with ligands specific for targets identified in the high-throughput screen. Key findings: Our high-throughput investigation identified monoamine oxidase-B, monoamine oxidase-A and angiotensin converting enzyme as potential targets for D-deprenyl. Further competitive [3H] D-deprenyl binding studies with specific inhibitors identified monoamine oxidase-B as the major binding site. No evident high-affinity hits were identified among G-protein coupled receptors. Significance: Our study was the first to utilize a high-throughput screening approach to identify putative D-deprenyl targets. It verified 249 candidate proteins and confirmed the role of monoamine oxidase - B in D-deprenyl binding. Our results add knowledge about the possible mechanism of D-deprenyl binding, which might aid in explaining the increased uptake of this compound in peripheral inflammation. Monoamine oxidase-B will be further investigated in future studies utilizing human inflamed synovium.

Aims: D-Deprenyl when used as a positron emission tomography tracer visualizes peripheral inflammation. The major aim of the current study was to identify and investigate the properties of the binding target for D-deprenyl in synovial membrane explants from arthritic patients.

Main methods: Thirty patients diagnosed with arthritis or osteoarthritis were enrolled into the study. Homologous and competitive radioligand binding assays utilizing [H-3]D-deprenyl were performed to investigate the biochemical characteristics of the binding site and assess differences in the binding profile in synovial membranes exhibiting varying levels of inflammation.

Key findings: The [H-3]D-deprenyl binding assay confirmed the existence of a single, saturable population of membrane-bound protein binding sites in synovial membrane homogenates. The macroscopically determined level of inflammation correlated with an increase in [H-3]D-deprenyl binding affinity, without significant alterations in binding site density. Selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, selegiline competed for the same site as [H-3]D-deprenyl, but failed to differentiate the samples with regard to their inflammation grade. A monoamine oxidase A inhibitor, pirlindole mesylate showed only weak displacement of [H-3]D-deprenyl binding. No significant alterations in monoamine oxidase B expression was detected, thus it was not confirmed whether it could serve as a marker for ongoing inflammation.

Significance: Our study was the first to show the biochemical characteristics of the [H-3]D-deprenyl binding site in inflamed human synovium. We confirmed that d-deprenyl could differentiate between patients with varying severity of synovitis in the knee joint by binding to a protein target distinct from monoamine oxidase B.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Positron emission tomography (PET) with the radioligand [(11)C]-D-deprenyl has shown increased signal at location of pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic whiplash injury. The binding site of [(11)C]-D-deprenyl in peripheral tissues is suggested to be mitochondrial monoamine oxidase in cells engaged in post-traumatic inflammation and tissue repair processes. The association between [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake and the transition from acute to chronic pain remain unknown. Further imaging studies of musculoskeletal pain at the molecular level would benefit from establishing a clinical model in a common and well-defined injury in otherwise healthy and drug-naïve subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate if [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake would be acutely elevated in unilateral ankle sprain and if tracer uptake would be reduced as a function of healing, and correlated with pain localizations and pain experience.

METHODS: Eight otherwise healthy patients with unilateral ankle sprain were recruited at the emergency department. All underwent [(11)C]-D-deprenyl PET/CT in the acute phase, at one month and 6-14 months after injury.

RESULTS: Acute [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake at the injury site was a factor of 10.7 (range 2.9-37.3) higher than the intact ankle. During healing, [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake decreased, but did not normalize until after 11 months. Patients experiencing persistent pain had prolonged [(11)C]-D-deprenyl uptake in painful locations.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The data provide further support that [(11)C]-D-deprenyl PET can visualize, quantify and follow processes in peripheral tissue that may relate to soft tissue injuries, inflammation and associated nociceptive signaling. Such an objective correlate would represent a progress in pain research, as well as in clinical pain diagnostics and management.

The understanding of etiological mechanisms of whiplash associated disorder is still inadequate. Objective visualization and quantification of peripheral musculoskeletal injury and possible painful inflammation in whiplash associated disorder would facilitate diagnosis, strengthen patients’ subjective pain reports and aid clinical decisions eventually leading to better treatments. In the current study, we further evaluated the potential to use [¹¹C]D-deprenyl PET/CT to visualize inflammation after whiplash injury. Sixteen patients with whiplash injury grade II were recruited at the emergency department and underwent [¹¹C]D-deprenyl PET/CT in the acute phase and at 6 months after injury. Subjective pain levels, self rated neck disability and active cervical range of motion were recorded at each imaging session. Results showed that the molecular aspects of inflammation and possible tissue injuries after acute whiplash injury could be visualized, objectively quantified and followed over time with [¹¹C]-D-deprenyl PET/CT. An altered [¹¹C]D-deprenyl uptake in the cervical bone structures and facet joints was associated with subjective pain levels and self rated disability during both imaging occasions. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of affected peripheral structures in whiplash injury and strengthens the idea that PET/CT detectable organic lesions in peripheral tissue may be relevant for the development of persistent pain and disability in whiplash injury.

Perspective: This article presents a novel way of objectively visualizing possible structural damage and inflammation that cause pain and disability in whiplash injury. This PET method can bring an advance in pain research and eventually would facilitate the clinical management of patients in pain.

Purpose: Positron emission tomography with the radioligand [¹¹C]D-deprenyl has shown an increased signal at the location of pain in patients with ankle sprains, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic whiplash injury, but the mechanism of this tracer uptake and its exact binding site in inflammation or tissue injury is still unclear. The aim of this study was to further evaluate [¹¹C]D-deprenyl´s usefulness as a marker of acute inflammation.

Methods: An animal PET/CT study was performed three days after the induction of a rat model of inflammatory or surgical pain. Fourteen adult male Sprague-Dawley rats and three tracers [¹¹C]D-deprenyl, [¹¹C]L-dideuterumdeprenyl and [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose were used.

Results: No [¹¹C]D-deprenyl accumulation was seen in a rat model of musculoskeletal pain. In the rat model of inflammatory pain all three ligands were shown to visualize the inflamed ankle joint with much lower uptake in the control ankle joint. The uptake was largest with [¹¹C]D-deprenyl and [¹¹C]L- dideuteriumdeprenyl, where approximately 1 % of the injected dose could be found in the affected ankle joint during the first minutes, whereas the uptake of [¹⁸F]FDG was approximately 0.5 % of the injected dose. However, the ratio of uptake of the injected ankle joint versus the control ankle joint was much higher for [¹⁸F]FDG (around 10 fold increase) than for the two deprenyl enantiomers (2 – 3 fold increase). The uptake pattern of [¹¹C]D-deprenyl and [¹¹C]L-dideuteriumdeprenyl did not show signs of specific binding or irreversible trapping.

Conclusions: Contrary to our expectations, of the three tracers only [¹⁸F]FDG may be used as markers of peripheral inflammation in a rat model of inflammatory pain. However, as a high site-specificity is required, [¹¹C]D-deprenyl and [¹¹C]L-dideyteriumdeprenyl deserve further exploration regarding sensitivity, specificity and uptake mechanisms in human pain syndromes.