Molecular recognition and metal ion template synthesis.

Methods for the design and synthesis of ligands intended to be specific for a metal ion have been a recent chemical development. This article describes how this process can be inverted so that the specifics of the coordination environment around the metal ion can be used as a template in large-scale ligand synthesis. The synthesis of macrobicyclic ligands for ferric ion has been accomplished by using active esters of catechol ligands in which catecholate coordination to iron is a prelude to the organic chemical reactions that link the coordination subunits together into one ligand system surrounding a central metal ion coordination site. The lanthanide(III) ions, which are among the most labile metal ions known, have coordination numbers of 8 or higher, and thus their encapsulation into a macrobicyclic structure is a challenging problem. Lanthanide amine complexes have been used as metal templates in the synthesis of such macrobicyclic lanthanide complexes. There is evidence that such a complex is inert to exchange in aqueous solution.

Physical parameters and biological stability of yttrium(III) diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid derivative conjugates.

The solution equilibria, acid dissociation, and serum stability of a series of Y(III) complexes of DTPA ligands functionalized with p-nitrobenzyl, methyl, and trans-cyclohexyl substituents were studied. The thermodynamic stability of the complexes studied ranged from log K = 21.53 to 24.7. Acid dissociation rates were found to decrease as the substitution on the carbon backbone increased, and significant differences in dissociation rates were observed for the Y(III) complexes of a pair of diasteriomeric cyclohexyl-DTPA ligands. While one diastereomer was found to have the slowest acid dissociation rate of the entire DTPA series, it was remarkably labile in both serum stability and in vivo studies.

Evaluation of the serum stability and in vivo biodistribution of CHX-DTPA and other ligands for yttrium labeling of monoclonal antibodies.

UNLABELLED: Serum stability and in vivo biodistribution of both A and B isomers of the 2-(p-isothiocyanatobenzyl) (p-SCN-Bz)-cyclohexyldiethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid ligand (CHX-DTPA), a recently developed backbone-substituted derivative of DTPA, were evaluated and compared to those of 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-6-methyl-DTPA (1B4M-DTPA) and 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane tetra-acetic acid (2B-DOTA). METHODS: Stability of 88Y-labeled ligands (0.1 microM) was evaluated in serum for up to 17 days. For biodistribution, ligands were conjugated to monoclonal antibody (Mab) B3, a murine IgG1k, and labeled with 88Y at 0.1-0.3 mCi/mg. Nontumor-bearing nude mice were injected intravenously with 1-2 microCi/4-10 micrograms of 88Y-labeled B3-conjugates and killed at 6 hr and daily up to 168 hr postinjection. Indium-111-(1B4M)-B3 was co-injected in all mice as internal control. RESULTS: Serum stability of 88Y-DOTA failed to show any significant release of activity, whereas pseudo-first-order dissociation rate constants of 3.97 x 10(-3), 2.54 x 10(-3) and 1.46 x 10(-2) (day-1) were calculated for 88Y-1B4M, 88Y-CHX-A and 88Y-CHX-B, respectively. Accordingly, cortical bone uptake of 88Y was significantly higher for all DTPA-derivative chelates than for DOTA. CONCLUSIONS: While none of the DTPA-derivative chelates could challenge DOTA in its ability to hold the radioytrium, significant differences were observed in the kinetic inertness of the A and B isomers of CHX, indicating that the CHX-B ligand is not as suitable for 90Y-labeling of Mabs.

Synthesis of 2-(p-thiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid: application of the 4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonamide protecting group in the synthesis of macrocyclic polyamines.

A synthesis of the bifunctional chelator 2-(p-thiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid [2-(p-NCS-Bz)-NOTA] is described which illustrates the especial utility of the (4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)sulfonyl (Mtr) protecting group as an alternative to the p-tolylsulfonyl (Ts) moiety commonly used for Richman-Atkins type cyclizations. Reaction of N,N'-bis(p-tolylsulfonyl)-1-(p-benzamidobenzyl)ethylenediami ne with N,N-bis[2-[(p-tolylsulfonyl)oxy]ethyl]-p-toluenesulfonamide gave 2-(p-benzamidobenzyl)-1,4,7-tris(p-tolylsulfonyl)-1,4,7-tria zacyclononane in 55% yield, whereas the analogous reaction using the Mtr-protected starting materials gave the corresponding Mtr-protected macrocycle in 34% yield. However, deprotection of the Ts- and Mtr-protected macrocycles (H2SO4, 90 degrees C) afforded 2-(p-benzamidobenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane in 23% and 60% yield, respectively, illustrating the relatively facile cleavage of the Mtr moiety. A modest improvement in overall percent conversion of (p-nitrobenzyl)ethylenediamine into substituted macrocyclic polyamine was observed when comparing the Mtr vs Ts protection (12.6 vs 10.6%). The macrocyclic triamine was converted to 2-(p-NCS-Bz)-NOTA by alkylation with bromoacetic acid (pH 9, 73%) followed by hydrolysis of the benzamide protecting group (6 M HCl, 70 degrees C, 87%) and reaction with thiophosgene (90%). The serum stability of the 67Cu complexes of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (I), 2-(p-nitrobenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacy-clododecane (II), 2-(p-nitrobenzyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (III), 2-(p-PhCONH-Bz)-NOTA (IV), 2-(p-nitrobenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (V), 2-(p-nitrobenzyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazatetradecane-1,4,8,11-tetraaceti c acid (VI), and the acyclic ligand 1-(p-nitrobenzyl)-4-methyldiethylenetriamine-N,N,N',N", N"-pentaacetic acid (VII) was measured at 37 degrees C (5% CO2) and showed the following order of relative stability: I < VII << VI << IV < V approximately equal to II approximately equal to III.

Convenient synthesis of bifunctional tetraaza macrocycles.

A convenient synthesis of 4-nitrobenzyl-substituted macrocyclic tetraamines and their conversion to bifunctional poly(amino carboxylate) chelating agents is described. Cyclization of (4-nitrobenzyl)-ethylenediamine with appropriate BOC-protected amino disuccinimido esters in dioxane at 90 degrees C resulted in the formation of 12- and 14-membered ring diamides in 40% and 44% yield, respectively. A 12-membered macrocyclic triamide was also prepared in 44% yield by cyclization of N-(2-aminoethyl)-4-nitrophenylalaninamide with disuccinimidyl N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)iminodiacetate. Deprotection (HCl/dioxane) and reduction with borane gave the substituted macrocyclic amines which were then alkylated with either bromoacetic acid or tert-butyl bromoacetate. Preparation of the isothiocyanate derivatives and 14C labeled chelating agents are described. Attempts to prepare a 9-membered macrocyclic diamide using this cyclization technique resulted instead in a 20% yield of a 10:1 mixture of isomeric fused 5,6 ring acylamidines. Deprotection (HCl/dioxane) and reduction with borane gave a substituted piperazine derivative in 55% yield.

Spectrophotometric method for the determination of a bifunctional DTPA ligand in DTPA-monoclonal antibody conjugates.

A simple spectrophotometric method was developed to quantitate micromolar concentrations of a bifunctional DTPA ligand in DTPA monoclonal antibody (mAb) conjugates. Titration of a brightly colored 1:2 yttrium (III) complex of arsenazo III with the ligand 1B4M-DTPA obeyed Beer's law over the concentration range 0-2.0 microM 1B4M-DTPA at 652 nm. From a calibration plot of absorbance versus 1B4M molarity, concentrations of 1B4M-DTPA conjugated to mAb were determined. Mole ratios of 1B4M-DTPA to mAb agreed satisfactorily with the ratios obtained by a radioanalytical technique using carbon-14-labeled 1B4M-DTPA and a binding assay using 111In. The spectrophotometric method was applied successfully to the preparation of 1B4M-DTPA mAb anti-TAC, a mAb conjugate used in clinical trials of 90Y radioimmunotherapy.

Thermodynamic stability and kinetic inertness of MS-325, a new blood pool agent for magnetic resonance imaging.

Stability constants were measured for complexes formed between a modified DTPA ligand and the metal ions Gd(III), Eu(III), Fe(III), Ca(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) at 25 degrees C in 0.1 M NaClO4. The gadolinium complex of this ligand is MS-325, a novel blood pool contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging currently undergoing clinical trials. Stability constants were determined by 4 different methods: direct pH titration, pH titration with competition by EDTA, competition with DTPA using an HPLC-MS detection system, and competition with Eu(III) by monitoring equilibrium by luminescence spectroscopy. The 1:1 stability constants, log beta101, are the following: Gd, 22.06 (23.2 in 0.1 M Me4NCl); Eu, 22.21; Fe, 26.66; Ca, 10.45; Cu, 21.3; Zn, 17.82. The exchange kinetics of the Gd complex, MS-325, with the radioactive tracer (152,154)Eu were studied at 25 degrees C in 0.1 M NaClO4. The exchange reaction has acid-dependent and acid-independent terms. The rate expression is given by the following: R = k(a)[GdL][H]2 + kb[GdL][Gd][H] + kc[GdL][Gd]. The rate constants were determined to be the following: k(a) = 1.84 x 10(6) M(-2) x min(-1), kb = 2.87 x 10(3) M(-2) x min(-1), kc = 3.72 x 10(-3) M(-1) x min(-1). MS-325 is 2-3 times more stable than GdDTPA at pH 7.4 and is 10-100 times more kinetically inert.

Comparative biodistribution of indium- and yttrium-labeled B3 monoclonal antibody conjugated to either 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-6-methyl-DTPA (1B4M-DTPA) or 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane tetraacetic acid (2B-DOTA).

The biodistribution of indium-111/yttrium-88-labeled B3 monoclonal antibody, a murine IgG1k, was evaluated in non-tumor-bearing mice. B3 was conjugated to either 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-6-methyl-DTPA (1B4M) or 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-1,4,7,10 tetraazacyclododecane tetra-acetic acid (2B-DOTA) and labeled with 111In at 1.4-2.4 mCi/mg and 88Y at 0.1-0.3 mCi/mg. Non-tumor-bearing nude mice were co-injected i.v. with 5-10 microCi/4-10 micrograms of 111In/88Y-labeled B3 conjugates and sacrificed at 6 h and daily up to 168 h post-injection. Mice injected with 111In/88Y-(1B4M)-B3 showed a similar biodistribution of the two radiolabels in all tissues except the bones, where significantly higher accretion of 88Y than 111In was observed, with 2.8% +/- 0.2% vs 1.3% +/- 0.16% ID/g in the femur at 168 h, respectively (P < 0.0001). In contrast, mice receiving the 111In/88Y-(DOTA)-B3 conjugate showed significantly higher accumulation of 111In than 88Y in most tissues, including the bones, with 2.0% +/- 0.1% vs 1.2% +/- 0.09% ID/g in the femur at 168 h, respectively (P < 0.0001). Whereas the ratios of the areas underneath the curve (%ID x h/g) in the blood, liver, kidney and bone were 0.96, 1.12, 1.13, and 0.74 for 111In/88Y-(1B4M)-B3 and 0.84, 1.23, 1.56, and 1.31 for 111In/88Y-(DOTA)-B3, respectively, ratios approximately 1 were observed between 111In-(1B4M)-B3 and 88Y-(DOTA)-B3. In summary, while neither 1B4M nor DOTA was equally stable for 111In and 88Y, the fate of 88Y-(DOTA)-B3 could be closely traced by that of 111In-(1B4M)-B3.

MS-325: albumin-targeted contrast agent for MR angiography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the protein-binding and signal enhancement characteristics of MS-325, a gadolinium-based magnetic resonance (MR) imaging blood pool agent that binds to albumin, and compare results with those obtained with existing gadolinium- and iron oxide-based agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Protein binding in human plasma was measured by means of ultrafiltration. T1 relaxation times (20 MHz) were measured in human plasma or ex vivo samples from rabbits and monkeys injected with 0.1 mmol of MS-325 per kilogram of body weight. Imaging (three-dimensional fast imaging with steady-state precession, or FISP) was performed at 1.0 T in phantoms, which contained varying concentrations of different agents, or rabbits after injection of 0.015-0.100 mmol/kg MS-325. RESULTS: MS-325 is 80%-96% bound in human plasma and exhibits a relaxivity approximately six to 10 times that of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). Images of phantoms containing MS-325 were significantly brighter than those containing existing gadolinium chelates or iron particles (monocrystalline iron oxide nanoparticle, or MION) at equivalent concentrations. Findings of in vivo studies indicated strong, persistent plasma T1 reduction with MS-325 for 1 hour (T1 of MS-325, 50-100 msec; T1 of Gd-DTPA, 200-400 msec) and strong vascular enhancement on MR images. CONCLUSION: MS-325 is highly protein bound after injection and provides vascular signal enhancement superior to that provided with other agents. As the first gadolinium-based blood pool agent in human trials, MS-325 has the potential to enhance both dynamic and steady-state MR angiograms.

X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies of high valent iron porphyrins. Horseradish peroxidase compounds I and II and synthetic models.

X-ray absorption edge and extended x-ray absorption fine structure studies have been undertaken on resting (ferric) horseradish peroxidase, HRP compound I (HRP-I), HRP compound II (HRP-II), and several highly oxidized synthetic iron porphyrins that may have relevance as models for the iron site in horseradish peroxidase. The energies of the absorption edges are consistent with an Fe(IV) formulation for the highly oxidized species. The shapes of the absorption edges further support the assignment of HRP-I and one of the model compounds as Fe(IV)-porphyrin pi-cations. The edge shapes also demonstrate that the iron sites in the model porphyrins are not identical to the iron sites in the enzyme. Preliminary curve fitting analysis of the extended x-ray absorption fine structure clearly indicates the presence of two different nearest neighbor distances for the iron, both in HRP-I and HRP-II, as well as in two of the highly oxidized model porphyrins. These distances are interpreted as an iron-porphyrin nitrogen distance and as a short (approximately 1.6 A) iron-oxygen distance.