Rapid spread of mannan to the immune system, skin and joints within 6 hours after local exposure

Summary Psoriasis (Ps), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are common diseases dependent on environmental factors that activate the immune system in unknown ways. Mannan is a group of polysaccharides common in the environment; they are potentially pathogenic, because at least some of them induce Ps‐, PsA‐ and RA‐like inflammation in mice. Here, we used positron emission tomography/computed tomography to examine in‐vivo transport and spread of mannan labelled with fluorine‐18 [ 18 F]. The results showed that mannan was transported to joints (knee) and bone marrow (tibia) of mice within 6 h after intraperitoneal injection. The time it took to transport mannan, and its presence in blood, indicated cellular transport of mannan within the circulatory system. In addition, mannan was filtered mainly through the spleen and liver. [ 18 F]fluoromannan was excreted via kidneys, small intestine and, to some extent, the mouth. In conclusion, mannan reaches joints rapidly after injection, which may explain why mannan‐induced inflammatory disease is targeted to these tissues.