Rerouting the metabolic pathway of (18)F-labeled peptides: the influence of prosthetic groups.

Current translational cancer research is directed to the development of high affinity peptide ligands for targeting neuropeptide receptors overexpressed in different types of cancer. Besides their desired high binding affinity to the receptor, the suitability of radiolabeled peptides as targeting vectors for molecular imaging and therapy depends on additional aspects such as high tumor-to-background ratio, favorable clearance pattern from nontarget tissue, and sufficient metabolic stability in vivo. This study reports how a switch from the prosthetic group, N-succinimidyl-4-[(18)F]fluorobenzoate ([(18)F]SFB), to 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-d-glucose ([(18)F]FDG) effects the metabolic pathway of an (18)F-labeled bombesin derivative, QWAV-Sar-H-FA01010-Tle-NH2. (18)F-Labeled bombesin derivatives represent potent peptide ligands for selective targeting of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receptor-expressing prostate cancer. Radiosynthesis of (18)F-labeled bombesin analogues [(18)F]FBz-Ava-BBN2 and [(18)F]FDG-AOAc-BBN2 was achieved in good radiochemical yields of ~50% at a specific activity exceeding 40 GBq/µmol. Both nonradioactive compounds FBz-Ava-BBN2 and FDG-AOAc-BBN2 inhibited binding of [(125)I]Tyr(4)-bombesin(1-14) in PC3 cells with IC50 values of 9 and 16 nM, respectively, indicating high inhibitory potency. Influence of each prosthetic group was further investigated in PC3 mouse xenografts using dynamic small animal PET imaging. In comparison to [(18)F]FBz-Ava-BBN2, total tumor uptake levels were doubled after injection of [(18)F]FDG-AOAc-BBN2 while renal elimination was increased. Blood clearance and in vivo metabolic stability were similar for both compounds. The switch from [(18)F]SFB to [(18)F]FDG as the prosthetic group led to a significant reduction in lipophilicity which resulted in more favorable renal clearance and increased tumor uptake. The presented single step radiolabeling-glycosylation approach represents an innovative strategy for site-directed peptide labeling with the short-lived positron emitter (18)F while providing a favorable pharmacokinetic profile of (18)F-labeled peptides.

Synthesis and evaluation of an 18F-labelled norbornene derivative for copper-free click chemistry reactions.

The copper-free click chemistry reaction between norbornene and tetrazine species is known to proceed in a rapid, reliable and selective manner under mild conditions. Due to these attractive properties, this reaction has recently been explored as a generally applicable method of bioconjugation. Here, we report a convenient synthetic procedure towards a novel (18)F-labelled norbornene derivative ([(18)F]NFB) and have evaluated its ability to undergo strain-promoted copper-free click chemistry reactions with two model tetrazine species: an asymmetric dipyridyl tetrazine derivative (Tz) and a tetrazine thiourea-coupled stabilised bombesin peptide (TT-BBN). In both cases, [(18)F]NFB was found to undergo rapid and high-yielding click chemistry reactions. Furthermore, as reactions of this type could also potentially be used in vivo to facilitate the development of a novel pretargeting approach for tumour imaging and therapy, we have also assessed the radiopharmacological profile (bioavailability, biodistribution, blood clearance and metabolic stability) of [(18)F]NFB in normal BALB/c mice. This radiolabelled compound exhibits both high bioavailability and metabolic stability with approximately 90% remaining intact up to 30 min following administration.

Synthesis and pre-clinical evaluation of an (18)F-labeled single-chain antibody fragment for PET imaging of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Anti-CA125 antibodies have been used in immunoassays to quantify levels of shed antigen in the serum of patients who are under surveillance for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, there is currently no molecular imaging probe in the clinic for the assessment of CA125 expression in vivo. The present study describes the development of an (18)F-labeled single-chain variable fragment (scFv) for PET imaging of CA125 in preclinical EOC models. Anti-CA125 scFv was derived from MAb-B43.13 by recombinant expression of the fragment in E.coli. Fragment scFv-B43.13 was purified via immobilized metal affinity chromatography and characterized for antigen binding via immuno-staining and flow cytometry. Prosthetic group N-succinimidyl 4-[(18)F]fluorobenzoate ([(18)F]SFB) was used for radiolabeling of scFv-B43.13. Preclinical ovarian cancer models were developed based on ovarian cancer cell lines OVCAR3 (CA125-positive) and SKOV3 (CA125-negative) in NIH-III mice. The radiopharmacological profile of (18)F-labeled scFv-B43.13 ([(18)F]FBz-scFv-B43.13) was studied with PET. [(18)F]FBz-scFv-B43.13 was prepared in radiochemical yields of 3.7 ± 1.8% (n = 5) at an effective specific activity of 3.88 ± 0.76 GBq/µmol (n = 5). The radiotracer demonstrated selective uptake in CA125-positive OVCAR3 cells and virtually no uptake in CA125-negative SKOV3 cells. Standardized uptake values (SUV) of radioactivity uptake in OVCAR3 tumors was 0.5 (n = 3) and 0.3 (n = 2) in SKOV3 tumors after 60 min post injection (p.i.).

PET imaging of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a pre-clinical colorectal cancer model.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is the inducible isoform of the cyclooxygenase enzyme family. COX-2 is involved in tumor development and progression, and frequent overexpression of COX-2 in a variety of human cancers has made COX-2 an important drug target for cancer treatment. Non-invasive imaging of COX-2 expression in cancer would be useful for assessing COX-2-mediated effects on chemoprevention and radiosensitization using COX-2 inhibitors as an emerging class of anti-cancer drugs, especially for colorectal cancer. Herein, we describe the radiopharmacological analysis of [(18)F]Pyricoxib, a novel radiolabeled COX-2 inhibitor, for specific PET imaging of COX-2 in colorectal cancer. METHODS: Uptake of [(18)F]Pyricoxib was assessed in human colorectal cancer cell lines HCA-7 (COX-2 positive) and HCT-116 (COX-2 negative). Standard COX-2 inhibitors were used to test for specificity of [(18)F]Pyricoxib for COX-2 binding in vitro and in vivo. PET imaging, biodistribution, and radiometabolite analyses were included into radiopharmacological evaluation of [(18)F]Pyricoxib. RESULTS: Radiotracer uptake in COX-2 positive HCA-7 cells was significantly higher than in COX-2 negative HCT-116 cells (P < 0.05). COX-2 inhibitors, celecoxib, rofecoxib, and SC58125, blocked uptake of [(18)F]Pyricoxib in HCA-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The radiotracer was slowly metabolized in mice, with approximately 60 % of intact compound after 2 h post-injection. Selective COX-2-mediated tumor uptake of [(18)F]Pyricoxib in HCA-7 xenografts was confirmed in vivo. Celecoxib (100 mg/kg) selectively blocked tumor uptake by 16 % (PET image analysis; P < 0.05) and by 51 % (biodistribution studies; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The novel PET radiotracer [(18)F]Pyricoxib displays a promising radiopharmacological profile to study COX-2 expression in cancer in vivo.

Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction with 4-[18F]fluoroiodobenzene for rapid 18F-labelling of peptides.

The study describes the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction with 4-[(18)F]fluoroiodobenzene ([(18)F]FIB) as novel and efficient method for rapid labelling of peptides with the short-lived positron emitter fluorine-18.

Synthesis and evaluation of 2-amino-5-(4-[(18)F]fluorophenyl)pent-4-ynoic acid ([(18)F]FPhPA): a novel (18)F-labeled amino acid for oncologic PET imaging.

INTRODUCTION: (18)F-labeled amino acids are important PET radiotracers for molecular imaging of cancer. This study describes synthesis and radiopharmacological evaluation of 2-amino-5-(4-[(18)F]fluorophenyl)pent-4-ynoic acid ([(18)F]FPhPA) as a novel amino acid radiotracer for oncologic imaging. METHODS: (18)F]FPhPA was prepared using Pd-mediated Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction between 4-[(18)F]fluoroiodobenzene ([(18)F]FIB) and propargylglycine. The radiopharmacological profile of [(18)F]FPhPA was evaluated in comparison with O-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ([(18)F]FET) using the murine breast cancer cell line EMT6 involving cellular uptake studies, radiotracer uptake competitive inhibition experiments and small animal PET imaging. RESULTS: (18)F]FPhPA was prepared in 42±10% decay-corrected radiochemical yield with high radiochemical purity >95% after semi-preparative HPLC purification. Cellular uptake of L-[(18)F]FPhPA reached a maximum of 58±14 % radioactivity/mg protein at 90 min. Lower uptake was observed for racemic and D-[(18)F]FPhPA. Radiotracer uptake inhibition studies by synthetic and naturally occurring amino acids suggested that Na(+)-dependent system ASC, especially ASCT2, and Na(+)-independent system L are important amino acid transporters for [(18)F]FPhPA uptake into EMT6 cells. Small animal PET studies demonstrated similar high tumor uptake of [(18)F]FPhPA in EMT6 tumor-bearing mice compared to [(18)F]FET reaching a maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) of 1.35 after 60 min p.i.. Muscle uptake of [(18)F]FPhPA was higher (SUV30min=0.65) compared to [(18)F]FET (SUV30min=0.40), whereas [(18)F]FPhPA showed a more rapid uptake and clearance from the brain compared to [(18)F]FET. CONCLUSION: L-[(18)F]FPhPA is the first (18)F-labeled amino acid prepared through Pd-mediated cross-coupling reaction. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PATIENT CARE: L-[(18)F]FPhPA displayed promising properties as a novel amino acid radiotracer for molecular imaging of system ASC and system L amino acid transporters in cancer.

Comparison of peak integration methods for the determination of enantiomeric fraction in environmental samples.

Enantiomeric fractions (EFs) are used extensively in environmental pollutant research because of the insights on biochemical weathering available from quantifying enantiomeric composition. While this analysis is powerful, it can also be subject to significant error, depending on how chromatographic peaks are integrated. Two methods of integration, the common valley drop method (VDM) and the deconvolution method (DM) were compared using both instrumental and simulated chromatograms to assess their performance when integrating pairs of enantiomers. The effect of peak parameters such as true EF, peak resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and asymmetry were also investigated. The VDM biased EFs by up to +6% to -4% (relative to the 0-1 EF scale) for symmetric peaks, and as low as -20% for asymmetric peaks. For both instrumental and simulated data, biases tended to increase with decreasing resolution and more extreme (nonracemic) EFs. In contrast, the DM produced biases that were less than 1% in most cases, including at very low resolutions. Estimates from previously published studies based on EF, such as biotransformation rate and source apportionment, could be dramatically affected by small errors in EF. Our results suggest that a deconvolution-based integration method is preferable for the handling of enantiomer compositions. Caution is also advised when comparing published studies on chiral environmental pollutants as most do not specify how chromatographic data is processed.