PET imaging of cyclooxygenases in neuroinflammation

Abstract

Neuroinflammation has detrimental effects on brain functions and plays critical roles in the pathogenesis and progression of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and dementia. Cyclooxygenase isoenzymes COX-1 and COX-2 are responsible for the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostanoids such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and prostacyclins. Aberrant expression and function of COX-1 and COX-2 isoforms in the brain are linked to various inflammatory conditions leading to neural death and manifestation of neurodegenerative disorders. Consequently, COX-1 and COX-2 have emerged as important biomarkers for functional imaging of neuroinflammation and associated neurodegenerative diseases with positron-emission tomography (PET). This chapter reviews recent advances of PET imaging agents for the noninvasive visualization and characterization of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes in neuroinflammation.