Site-specifically 11C-labeled Sel-tagged annexin A5 and a size-matched control for dynamic in vivo PET imaging of protein distribution in tissues prior to and after induced cell death

► first site-specific 11C-labeling of AnxA5 in the C-terminus for PET studies of induced cell death ► first use of a size-matched protein to estimate non-specific uptake and retention ► use of Sel-tag to identically label both proteins, with retained Ca-dependent binding of AnxA5-ST to apoptotic cells ► comparable pharmacokinetics of AnxA5 and its control except in the kidney and urine ► uptake of AnxA5 increased but control protein decreased in induced cell death.