Mike Ming-Qiang Wenn
Research Scientist in Radiology and Biomedical ImagingCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Discovery of the First Brain-Penetrant Radioligands for Visualizing the GABA Transporter 1 (GAT-1): Synthesis, In Vitro Screening, and In Vivo Evaluation in Nonhuman Primates
Gu J, Wang C, Gobbi L, Honer M, Zheng M, Gravel P, Gao H, Zhang L, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Borroni E, Tamagnan G, Carson R, Huang Y. Discovery of the First Brain-Penetrant Radioligands for Visualizing the GABA Transporter 1 (GAT-1): Synthesis, In Vitro Screening, and In Vivo Evaluation in Nonhuman Primates. Journal Of Medicinal Chemistry 2026, 69: 8852-8868. PMID: 41945380, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c03014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositron emission tomographyGAT-1GABA transporter 1Efflux liabilitiesMetabolic stabilityTransporter 1Synaptic GABA levelsNonhuman primatesIn vitro screeningG-aminobutyric acidPositron emission tomography imagingCentral nervous systemSynthesisNeuronal excitabilityGABA levelsIn vivo evaluationBrain uptakeEmission tomographyRadioligandNervous systemLigandLipophilicityMultiple sources of β2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding are differentially affected during tobacco smoking abstinence as revealed by Independent Component Analysis of [18F]Flubatine PET images
Raval N, Calakos K, Zheng M, Huttner A, Esterlis I, Huang H, Calhoun V, Picciotto M, Cosgrove K, Hillmer A. Multiple sources of β2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding are differentially affected during tobacco smoking abstinence as revealed by Independent Component Analysis of [18F]Flubatine PET images. Neuropsychopharmacology 2026, 1-10. PMID: 41559453, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-025-02311-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates how smoking affects brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes, showing distinct changes that could guide treatments for smoking cessation.
2025
Characterization of [ 18 F]PF-NB1 Enantiomers for Imaging NMDA GluN2B Receptors in Nonhuman Primates and Comparison with Analogous 18 F‑labeled Radiotracers
Alluri S, Zheng M, Holden D, Ahmed H, Felchner Z, Kapinos M, Carson R, Ametamey S, Huang Y. Characterization of [ 18 F]PF-NB1 Enantiomers for Imaging NMDA GluN2B Receptors in Nonhuman Primates and Comparison with Analogous 18 F‑labeled Radiotracers. ACS Chemical Neuroscience 2025, 17: 251-259. PMID: 41392471, DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5c00840.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVolume of distributionNondisplaceable volumeGluN2B expressionRegional volumesRegional volume of distributionNMDA GluN2B receptorBrain uptakeNondisplaceable binding potentialGluN2B-selective antagonistNonhuman primatesRegional time-activity curvesDynamic PET scansGlutamate-mediated excitotoxicityTime-activity curvesOne-tissue compartmentNeuropsychiatric disordersBrain regionsSelective antagonistGluN2B subunitGluN2B receptorsBinding potentialPET scansArterial input functionBlocking studiesSynaptic plasticityEffects of Age and BMI on Histamine H3 Receptor Availability in Healthy Humans
Yang Y, Ibrahim W, Gravel P, Pittman B, Hoye J, Cool R, Sadabad F, Zheng M, Pittenger C, Gallezot J, Carson R, Huang H, Radhakrishnan R, Matuskey D. Effects of Age and BMI on Histamine H3 Receptor Availability in Healthy Humans. Molecular Imaging And Biology 2025, 27: 832-838. PMID: 40938339, DOI: 10.1007/s11307-025-02047-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHigh-resolution research tomographBody mass indexPositron emission tomographyEffects of ageAnterior cingulate cortexPotential confounding effects of ageAge-related declineTwo-tissue compartment modelCingulate cortexReceptor availabilityFrontal cortexParietal cortexOlfactory cortexSubcortical regionsHealthy humansRegional VTCortexConfounding effects of ageCerebellum cortexEmission tomographyTwo-tissueMass indexHealthy individualsInsulaAssessed alterationsToward Imaging of the GABA Transporter Type 1 In Vivo: Quantitative Evaluation of 4 Novel PET Radiotracers in Nonhuman Primates
Gravel P, Gu J, Wang C, Volpi T, Gallezot J, Holden D, Fowles K, Zheng M, Zhang L, Borroni E, Honer M, Gobbi L, Tamagnan G, Huang Y, Carson R. Toward Imaging of the GABA Transporter Type 1 In Vivo: Quantitative Evaluation of 4 Novel PET Radiotracers in Nonhuman Primates. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2025, 66: 1652-1658. PMID: 40908122, PMCID: PMC12487869, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.125.270332.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGABA transporter type 1Nonhuman primatesGAT-1Brain uptakeNondisplaceable binding potentialSubcortical gray matter regionsHuman studiesG-aminobutyric acidLow brain uptakeGray matter structuresLow specific bindingConclusion:Methods:Gray matter regionsType 1Results:Neuropsychiatric disordersPET radiotracersBinding potentialGABA signalingVolume of distributionMatter structuresRhesus monkeysBlock scanningGABA receptorsAssessment of test-retest reproducibility by [18F]Bavarostat for PET imaging of HDAC6
Naganawa M, Zheng M, Gallezot J, Bonomi R, Gu J, Gao H, Jacutin-Porte S, Nabulsi N, Koole M, Van Laere K, Matuskey D, Huang Y, Carson R. Assessment of test-retest reproducibility by [18F]Bavarostat for PET imaging of HDAC6. EJNMMI Research 2025, 15: 76. PMID: 40542929, PMCID: PMC12182542, DOI: 10.1186/s13550-025-01268-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAbsolute test-retest variabilityMultilinear analysis-1Time-activity curvesTest-retest variabilityRegional time-activity curvesTest-retest reproducibilityVT valuesTwo-tissue compartment modelEffect of scan durationInterscan intervalRegional VT valuesTest-retest scansScan durationArterial blood samplesBrain bindingOne-tissuePET/CT scannerCentrum semiovaleDistribution volumePET imagingAnalysis-1Blood samplesTherapeutic targetBrain regionsHDAC6 inhibitorsEvaluation of radio-thin-layer chromatography as an alternative to radio-HPLC for [18F]SynVesT-1 metabolism analysis in rats
Balayeva T, Asch R, Tan P, Mennie W, Tong J, Chen B, Zhuang Z, Zheng C, Zheng M, Toyonaga T, Cai Z. Evaluation of radio-thin-layer chromatography as an alternative to radio-HPLC for [18F]SynVesT-1 metabolism analysis in rats. Nuclear Medicine And Biology 2025, 146: 109029. PMID: 40383020, PMCID: PMC12228526, DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2025.109029.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPositron emission tomographyParent fractionSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ANeuropsychiatric disordersBrain regionsRadiometabolite analysisPET imaging dataLongitudinal studyRadiometabolitesRadio-HPLCArterial blood samplesEmission tomographyBrainMetabolic correctionIntravenous infusionPlasma concentrationsPET quantificationSV2AKinetic modelBlood samplesRadio-high-performance liquid chromatographyPost-injectionRatsRadio-HPLC methodRadio thin layer chromatographyVenous blood sampling for less invasive in vivo quantification of synaptic density with constant infusion of [18F]SynVesT-1 and PET
Asch R, Naganawa M, Moisieienko K, Weed M, Kapinos M, Zheng M, Hillmer A, Carson R, Pietrzak R, Esterlis I. Venous blood sampling for less invasive in vivo quantification of synaptic density with constant infusion of [18F]SynVesT-1 and PET. EJNMMI Research 2025, 15: 8. PMID: 39900828, PMCID: PMC11790547, DOI: 10.1186/s13550-025-01200-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPET Imaging of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 1 with [18F]TZ4877 in Nonhuman Primates
Gu J, Zheng M, Holden D, Fowles K, Qiu L, Felchner Z, Zhang L, Ropchan J, Gropler R, Carson R, Tu Z, Huang Y, Hillmer A. PET Imaging of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 1 with [18F]TZ4877 in Nonhuman Primates. Molecular Imaging And Biology 2025, 27: 54-63. PMID: 39779653, PMCID: PMC12207061, DOI: 10.1007/s11307-024-01979-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1Absorbed radiation dose estimatesReceptor 1Nonhuman primatesFree fractionPlasma free fractionRadiation dose estimatesMetabolite-corrected input functionF-18 labeled radiotracersArterial blood samplesCritical organsPET/CT systemBolus injectionF-18Anesthetized nonhuman primatesDosimetry studiesHuman studiesDose estimatesVT/fPPET imaging dataS1PR1PET imagingInput functionBlood samplesPonesimod
2024
Quantification of Multi-Organ 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Enzyme Levels in a Zucker Fatty Rat Model: A PET Imaging Study
Bini J, Strober J, Kapinos M, Zheng M, Li S, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Perry R, Vatner D, Carson R. Quantification of Multi-Organ 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Enzyme Levels in a Zucker Fatty Rat Model: A PET Imaging Study. Molecular Imaging 2024, 23: 15353508241301584. PMID: 40270581, PMCID: PMC12014946, DOI: 10.1177/15353508241301584.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImage-derived input functionTime-activity curvesRat modelIntracellular glucocorticoid actionZucker fatty (ZFZucker fatty rat modelFatty acid metabolismInactive 11-dehydrocorticosteroneMetabolic disease statusFatty (ZFPET imaging studiesAcid metabolismObesity pathophysiologyPreclinical modelsLevels in vivoZF ratsGlucocorticoid actionRadioligand bindingRodent modelsImaging studiesObesityProtein expressionPET imagingMeasurement of glucoseDisease status