Synthesis and biological evaluation of 17-[131I]iodo-9-telluraheptadecanoic acid, a potential imaging agent.

A method has been developed for the preparation of terminal halogenated tellurium fatty acids (X-R-Te-R'-COOH). The synthesis and physical properties of 17-bromo- and 17-iodo-9-telluraheptadecanoic acid (17-iodo-9-THDA) are described. The radiohalogenated agents are of interest as a result of their expected pronounced and prolonged heart uptake and potential use for evaluation of regional myocardial fatty acid metabolism. Evaluation in rats indicates that the myocardial uptake of 17-[131I]iodo-9-telluraheptadecanoic acid (17-[131I]iodo-9-THDA) is accompanied by significant in vivo deiodination. A comparison of the heart uptake and deiodination of 17-[131I]iodo-9-THDA and 16-[131I]iodopalmitic acid has demonstrated a close similarity in blood levels of radioactivity and thyroid uptake of radioiodide after administration of these agents to rats. These data suggest that the mechanism of deiodination of terminal radioiodinated alkanoic acids primarily results from direct cleavage of the carbon-iodine bond and not from loss of radioiodine from the final catabolite.

Potential tissue-imaging agents: 23-(trimethyl [117mSn]stannyl)-24-nor-5 alpha-cholan-3 beta-ol.

Tin-117m-labeled 23-(trimethylstannyl)-24-nor-5 alpha-cholan-3 beta-ol (2) has been prepared by reaction of trimethyl [117mSn]tin lithium with 3 beta-acetoxy-23-bromo-24-nor-5 alpha-cholane (1). Tin-117m (2) shows pronounced adrenal uptake (2.5% injected dose) in female rats 1 day after injection. Furthermore, the adrenal to liver (9.1:1) and adrenal to blood (33.7:1) ratios are high after this period. The absorbed radiation dose values from [117mSn]2 to human organs have also been estimated by using rat tissue distribution and excretion data. [117mSn]2 is the first reported tissue-specific organic radiopharmaceutical labeled with this nuclide and may have potential as an adrenal imaging agent.

New myocardial imaging agents: stabilization of radioiodine as a terminal vinyl iodide moiety on tellurium fatty acids.

To determine the myocardial uptake and retention properties of radioiodinated tellurium fatty acids, we prepared two new tellurium fatty acids in which iodine-125 has been chemically stabilized by attachment as a trans-vinyl iodide (I-CH = CH-R-Te-R'-COOH) and evaluated them in rats. Fabrication of 18-iodo-13-tellura-17-octadecenoic acid was accomplished by coupling 1,5-diiodo-1-pentene with sodium 12-(methoxycarbonyl)-n-dodecan-1-yl telluride. The [5-125I]-1,5-diiodo-1-pentene was prepared by an organoborane technique involving 125I+ treatment of 5-iodo-1-penten-1-ylboronic acid [I(CH2)3CH = CHB(OH)2]. The absolute heart uptake of this agent was moderate (1.47-2.52% dose/g after 60 min), but the heart/blood ratios were low (approximately 2.6:1). Only marginal in vivo deiodination occurred, since the thyroid uptake was low (15-18% dose/g after 60 min). The effect of tellurium in position 13 was unexpected. To determine if the low heart specificity and low heart/blood ratios were dependent upon the position of the tellurium, we prepared an analogue with the same chain length, 18-[125I]iodo-7-tellura-17-octadecenoic acid, in the same manner by reaction of [11-125I]-1,11-diiodo-1-undecene with sodium 6-(methoxycarbonyl)-n-hexan-1-yl telluride. This agent showed pronounced heart uptake (2.47-3.94% dose/g after 60 min) and prolonged retention (1.76-3.14% dose/g after 4 h) in rats. Furthermore, the heart/blood ratios remained high for several hours (13:1 after 60 min; 9:1 after 4 h). Iodine-123 labeled 18-iodo-7-tellura-17-octadecenoic acid is an attractive new compound for evaluation as a myocardial imaging agent.

Synthesis and evaluation of 24-(isopropyl[75Se]seleno)chol-5-en-3 beta-ol.

Selenium-75-labeled 24-(isopropylseleno)chol-5-en-3 beta-ol (4) has been prepared by reaction of sodium isopropyl-[75Se]selenol [( 75Se]2) with 3 beta-acetoxy-24-bromochol-5-ene (3). This new 75Se-labeled adrenal imaging agent shows pronounced adrenal uptake in rats. The concentration of radioactivity in rat adrenals increased steadily from 1 to 24 h after injection and then decreased slowly over the 21-day period. After 3 days the adrenal/blood and adrenal/liver ratios were 85:1 and 32:1, respectively, which are sufficient for adrenal imaging by single photon techniques. After 6 h the adrenal/blood ratio was 17:1 and the adrenal/liver ratio was 7:1. We propose that these ratios are sufficiently high for positron emission tomography of the adrenals. The absorbed radiation dose values to human organs have been estimated for the 75Se- and 73Se-labeled agent.

A new, well-retained myocardial imaging agent: radioiodinated 15-(p-lodophenyl)-6-tellurapentadecanoic acid.

A method involving the acid-catalyzed decomposition of a piperidyltriazene intermediate in the presence of radioiodide has been developed for the synthesis of radioiodinated 15-(p-iodophenyl)-6-tellurapentadecanoic acid. The iodine-125-labeled agent shows rapid, pronounced myocardial uptake in rats (5.30-6.45% injected dose/g after 5 min) and also exhibits the prolonged retention previously observed with 9-[123mTe]telluraheptadecanoic acid (9-123mTe]HDA). After 6 hr, the heart uptake remained high (3.89-5.33%) dose/g) and decreased only to 3.02-3.41% dose/g after 24 hr. Very low blood activity was detected (0.24-0.27% dose/g at 5 min; 0.29-0.32% dose/g at 6 hr) and the heart-to-blood ratios were high (22:1 at 5 min; 15:1 at 6 hr). Minimal deiodination was demonstrated by the low thyroid uptake (1.41-1.63% dose/g at 5 min; 5.33-7.08% dose/g at 6 hr). The rapid and pronounced uptake, prolonged myocardial retention, and low in vivo deiodination make this agent attractive for further evaluation.

Effects of chain length and tellurium position on the myocardial uptake of Te-123m fatty acids.

A series of Te-123m-labeled fatty acids has been synthesized and studied in rats. In the series of compounds studied, the position of the Te-123m heteroatom was not as important as the total chain length, which dramatically affected the heart uptake. Five minutes after injection, significant heart uptake (1.7-2.3% of injected dose) was observed for agents with C15, C17, and C21 chain lengths, in which Te-123m replaced a methylene group in either the 6, 9, 11, or 17 positions, and the heart-to-blood ratios were high. An important observation was the prolonged retention of radioactivity for at least one hour after injection. In contrast, agents with shorter C13 chain lengths, with Te-123m in either the 6 or the 9 position, exhibited only low heart uptake (0.1-0.3% of injected dose).