Automated radiosynthesis of [11 C]MTP38-a phosphodiesterase 7 imaging tracer-using [11 C]hydrogen cyanide for clinical applications.

We have developed 8-amino-3-(2S,5R-dimethyl-1-piperidyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrazine-5-[11 C]carbonitrile ([11 C]MTP38) as a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for the imaging of phosphodiesterase 7. For the fully automated production of [11 C]MTP38 routinely and efficiently for clinical applications, we determined the radiosynthesis procedure of [11 C]MTP38 using [11 C]hydrogen cyanide ([11 C]HCN) as a PET radiopharmaceutical. Radiosynthesis of [11 C]MTP38 was performed using an automated 11 C-labeling synthesizer developed in-house within 40 min after the end of irradiation. [11 C]MTP38 was obtained with a relatively high radiochemical yield (33 ± 5.5% based on [11 C]CO2 at the end of irradiation, decay-corrected, n = 15), radiochemical purity (>97%, n = 15), and molar activity (47 ± 12 GBq/µmol at the end of synthesis, n = 15). All the results of the quality control (QC) testing for the [11 C]MTP38 injection complied with our in-house QC and quality assurance specifications. We successfully automated the radiosynthesis of [11 C]MTP38 for clinical applications using an 11 C-labeling synthesizer and sterile isolator. Taken together, this protocol provides a new radiopharmaceutical [11 C]MTP38 suitable for clinical applications.

Synthesis and preclinical evaluation of [11C]MTP38 as a novel PET ligand for phosphodiesterase 7 in the brain.

PURPOSE: Phosphodiesterase (PDE) 7 is a potential therapeutic target for neurological and inflammatory diseases, although in vivo visualization of PDE7 has not been successful. In this study, we aimed to develop [11C]MTP38 as a novel positron emission tomography (PET) ligand for PDE7. METHODS: [11C]MTP38 was radiosynthesized by 11C-cyanation of a bromo precursor with [11C]HCN. PET scans of rat and rhesus monkey brains and in vitro autoradiography of brain sections derived from these species were conducted with [11C]MTP38. In monkeys, dynamic PET data were analyzed with an arterial input function to calculate the total distribution volume (VT). The non-displaceable binding potential (BPND) in the striatum was also determined by a reference tissue model with cerebellar reference. Finally, striatal occupancy of PDE7 by an inhibitor was calculated in monkeys according to changes in BPND. RESULTS: [11C]MTP38 was synthesized with radiochemical purity ≥99.4% and molar activity of 38.6 ± 12.6 GBq/µmol. Autoradiography revealed high radioactivity in the striatum and its reduction by non-radiolabeled ligands, in contrast with unaltered autoradiographic signals in other regions. In vivo PET after radioligand injection to rats and monkeys demonstrated that radioactivity was rapidly distributed to the brain and intensely accumulated in the striatum relative to the cerebellum. Correspondingly, estimated VT values in the monkey striatum and cerebellum were 3.59 and 2.69 mL/cm3, respectively. The cerebellar VT value was unchanged by pretreatment with unlabeled MTP38. Striatal BPND was reduced in a dose-dependent manner after pretreatment with MTP-X, a PDE7 inhibitor. Relationships between PDE7 occupancy by MTP-X and plasma MTP-X concentration could be described by Hill's sigmoidal function. CONCLUSION: We have provided the first successful preclinical demonstration of in vivo PDE7 imaging with a specific PET radioligand. [11C]MTP38 is a feasible radioligand for evaluating PDE7 in the brain and is currently being applied to a first-in-human PET study.

Intestinal Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 1 Inhibition Enhances Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Secretion in Normal and Diabetic Rodents.

The sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 1 plays a major role in glucose absorption and incretin hormone release in the gastrointestinal tract; however, the impact of SGLT1 inhibition on plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels in vivo is controversial. We analyzed the effects of SGLT1 inhibitors on GLP-1 secretion in normoglycemic and hyperglycemic rodents using phloridzin, CGMI [3-(4-cyclopropylphenylmethyl)-1-(ß-d-glucopyranosyl)-4-methylindole], and canagliflozin. These compounds are SGLT2 inhibitors with moderate SGLT1 inhibitory activity, and their IC50 values against rat SGLT1 and mouse SGLT1 were 609 and 760 nM for phloridzin, 39.4 and 41.5 nM for CGMI, and 555 and 613 nM for canagliflozin, respectively. Oral administration of these inhibitors markedly enhanced and prolonged the glucose-induced plasma active GLP-1 (aGLP-1) increase in combination treatment with sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitor, in normoglycemic mice and rats. CGMI, the most potent SGLT1 inhibitor among them, enhanced glucose-induced, but not fat-induced, plasma aGLP-1 increase at a lower dose compared with canagliflozin. Both CGMI and canagliflozin delayed intestinal glucose absorption after oral administration in normoglycemic rats. The combined treatment of canagliflozin and a DPP4 inhibitor increased plasma aGLP-1 levels and improved glucose tolerance compared with single treatment in both 8- and 13-week-old Zucker diabetic fatty rats. These results suggest that transient inhibition of intestinal SGLT1 promotes GLP-1 secretion by delaying glucose absorption and that concomitant inhibition of intestinal SGLT1 and DPP4 is a novel therapeutic option for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Synthesis and evaluation of a radioiodinated lumiracoxib derivative for the imaging of cyclooxygenase-2 expression.

INTRODUCTION: Despite extensive attempts to develop cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 imaging radiotracers, no suitable positron emission tomography (PET)/single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) tracers are currently available for in vivo imaging of COX-2 expression. The aims of this study were to synthesize and evaluate a radioiodinated derivative of lumiracoxib, 2-[(2-fluoro-6-iodophenyl)-amino]-5-methylphenylacetic acid (FIMA), which is structurally distinct from other drugs in the class and has weakly acidic properties, as a SPECT tracer for imaging COX-2 expression. METHODS: The COX inhibitory potency was assessed by measuring COX-catalyzed oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. Cell uptake characteristics of (125)I-FIMA were assessed in control and linterfero/interferon-gamma-stimulated macrophages. The biodistribution of (125)I-FIMA was determined by the ex vivo tissue counting method in rats. RESULTS: The COX-2 inhibitory potency of FIMA (IC(50)=2.46 microM) was higher than that of indomethacin (IC(50)=20.9 microM) and was comparable to lumiracoxib (IC(50)=0.77 microM) and diclofenac (IC(50)=0.98 microM). The IC(50) ratio (COX-1/COX-2=182) indicated FIMA has a high isoform selectivity for COX-2. (125)I-FIMA showed a significantly higher accumulation in COX-2 induced macrophages than in control macrophages, which decreased with nonradioactive FIMA in a concentration dependent manner. The biodistribution study showed rapid clearance of (125)I-FIMA from the blood and most organs including the liver and kidneys. No significant in vivo deiodination was observed with radioiodinated FIMA. CONCLUSIONS: FIMA showed high inhibitory potency and selectivity for COX-2. Radioiodinated FIMA showed specific accumulation into COX-2 induced macrophages, no significant in vivo deiodination and rapid blood clearance. Radioiodinated FIMA deserves further investigation as a SPECT radiopharmaceutical for imaging COX-2 expression.

PET O-15 cerebral blood flow and metabolism after acute stroke in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Hypertension is a major stroke risk factor and is correlated with worse outcome after stroke. Thus, the effects of hypertension on cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism within an hour after stroke must be evaluated in detail. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) and cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) were measured 1 h after the occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and male normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). Physiological responses were determined by positron emission tomography (PET) using 15O-H2O and radiolabeled 15O-O2 blood (methodology previously developed in this laboratory) and by autoradiography (ARG) using 18F-FDG. The right hemisphere of SHR showed lower CBF values than the left hemisphere after stroke (right: 0.17+/-0.07 mL/min/g; left: 0.29+/-0.08 mL/min/g), CMRO2 (right: 2.55+/-0.80 mL/min/100 g; left: 4.11+/- 0.84 mL/min/100 g) and CMRglc (right: 52.4+/-16.2 mg/min/100 g; left: 65.6+/-10.2 mg/min/100 g). WKY rats exhibited significant decreases only in CBF and CMRO2. These results suggest greater underlying physiologic disturbances in SHR. Also, the occlusion significantly reduced CBF in both hemispheres of SHR compared with WKY, suggesting a disturbance of the autoregulatory mechanism in SHR. In summary, our results indicate that hypertension intensifies metabolic disturbances after the onset of stroke, at least in the first hour. Therefore, we suggest that hypertension not only increases the incidence of stroke but also exacerbates stroke-mediated damage.