Imaging brain inflammation in Parkinson's disease with a new PET tracer
Investigate neuroinflammation in the brain of PD using S1P1 radioligands
This project uses a new PET scan tracer that binds an inflammation-related receptor to look for brain inflammation in people with Parkinson's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285353 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be offered a PET scan that uses a tracer called [11C]CS1P1 to highlight the S1PR1 receptor, which is linked to inflammation in brain cells like astrocytes and microglia. The research team already got FDA approval to use this tracer in people and has performed whole-body scans in healthy volunteers and brain scans in people with multiple sclerosis. They compared tracer uptake in animal models with a known nigrostriatal injury and will apply similar imaging to Parkinson's disease to compare affected and unaffected brain regions. The scans aim to measure how much inflammation is present and to create a measurable marker that could be used in future treatment testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who can travel to Washington University in St. Louis and tolerate PET imaging procedures.
Not a fit: People without Parkinson's disease, those who cannot undergo PET scans (for example, pregnant individuals or those with contraindications), or those unable to travel to St. Louis are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give doctors a way to detect and measure brain inflammation in Parkinson's disease to guide anti-inflammatory treatments and clinical trials.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work showed this S1PR1 PET tracer detects inflammation in animal models and in people with multiple sclerosis, but using it specifically in Parkinson's disease is a newer application.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tu, Zhude — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Tu, Zhude
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.