Synthesis of carbon-11-labeled 4-(phenylamino)-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine derivatives as new potential PET tracers for imaging of p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase

The reference standards methyl 4-(2-methyl-5-(methoxycarbamoyl)phenylamino)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine-6-carboxylate (10a), methyl 4-(2-methyl-5-(ethoxycarbamoyl)phenylamino)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine-6-carboxylate (10b) and corresponding precursors 4-(2-methyl-5-(methoxycarbamoyl)phenylamino)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine-6-carboxylic acid (11a), methyl 4-(2-methyl-5-(ethoxycarbamoyl)phenylamino)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine-6-carboxylic acid (11b) were synthesized from methyl crotonate and 3-amino-4-methylbenzoic acid in multiple steps with moderate to excellent yields. The target tracer [(11)C]methyl 4-(2-methyl-5-(methoxycarbamoyl)phenylamino)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine-6-carboxylate ([(11)C]10a) and [(11)C]methyl 4-(2-methyl-5-(ethoxycarbamoyl)phenylamino)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine-6-carboxylate ([(11)C]10b) were prepared from their corresponding precursors with [(11)C]CH3OTf under basic condition through O-[(11)C]methylation and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method in 50-60% radiochemical yields at end of bombardment (EOB) with 185-555 GBq/μmol specific activity at end of synthesis (EOS).

Facile and high-yield synthesis of N-(4-diethylamino)benzyl-4-[¹¹C]methoxy-N-(p-tolyl)benzenesulfonamide as a new potential PET selective CB2 radioligand

The reference standard N-(4-diethylamino)benzyl-4-methoxy-N-(p-tolyl)benzenesulfonamide (3c) (CB2, Ki=0.5 nM; CB1, Ki=1297 nM; selectivity CB1/CB2=2594) and its corresponding precursor N-(4-diethylamino)benzyl-4-hydroxy-N-(p-tolyl)benzenesulfonamide (3d) were synthesized from 4-(diethylamino)benzaldehyde and p-toluidine in 3 steps with 75-84% overall chemical yield. The target tracer N-(4-diethylamino)benzyl-4-[(11)C]methoxy-N-(p-tolyl)benzenesulfonamide ([(11)C]3c) was synthesized from the phenol hydroxyl precursor by O-[(11)C]-methylation with [(11)C]CH3OTf, followed by HPLC combined with SPE purification in 40-50% decay corrected radiochemical yields with 370-740 GBq/μmol specific activity at the end of bombardment (EOB).

Apically extruded debris and irrigant with two Ni-Ti systems and hand files when removing root fillings: a laboratory study

AIM

To compare the amount of apically extruded debris and irrigant produced by two Ni-Ti instruments and hand files when removing root fillings, and to compare two experimental models.

METHODOLOGY

Sixty single straight root canals in human mandibular premolars were prepared with K-files and filled with gutta-percha and AH Plus sealer. The teeth were randomly divided into three groups of 20 for removal of the root filling material with Reciproc files (Group 1, RP), Mtwo retreatment files (Group 2, MR) or hand files (Group 3, H). Each group was then equally divided into experimental subgroups: A, with 1.5% agar gel model (AG); B, with empty tube model (ET). Apically extruded debris and irrigant was quantified by subtracting the initial weight of the test apparatus without a tooth from its weight after the root canal retreatment. Comparative analysis of the amount of apically extruded debris and irrigant for each of the instruments and the experimental models was performed. Time for gutta-percha removal was recorded. Data were statistically analysed using one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS

Removal of root fillings with two Ni-Ti instruments produced less apically extruded debris and irrigant than hand files in both experimental models (P < 0.05). More apically extruded debris and irrigant was produced with Reciproc files than Mtwo retreatment files using the 1.5% agar gel model (P > 0.05). Significantly more apically extruded debris and irrigant was produced with Reciproc files than Mtwo retreatment files using the empty tube model (P < 0.05). The time required to remove the root fillings followed Reciproc<Mtwo R<hand files (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

All the instruments produced apically extruded debris and irrigant. The two Ni-Ti instruments produced less apically extruded debris and irrigant than hand files. A 1.5% agar gel can provide resistance to apically extruded debris and irrigant and may represent the clinical situation better than the empty tube model.

Synthesis of 2-[11C]methoxy-3,17β-O,O-bis(sulfamoyl)estradiol as a new potential PET agent for imaging of steroid sulfatase (STS) in cancers

Steroid sulfatase (STS) catalyzes the hydrolysis of steroid sulfates to estrones, the main source of estrogens in tumors. Carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) is highly expressed in red blood cells through a coordination of the monoanionic form of the sulfamate moiety to the zinc atom in the enzyme active site, and CAII is highly expressed in several tumors. 2-Methoxy-3,17β-O,O-bis(sulfamoyl)estradiol (5) is a dual-function STS-CAII inhibitor inhibited STS with 39 nM IC(50) value selectively over CAII with 379 nM IC(50) value. This compound exhibited potent antiproferative activity with mean graph midpoint value of 87 nM in the NCI 60-cell-line panel, and antiangiogenic in vitro and in vivo activity in an early-stage Lewis lung model as well. The compound has been recently developed as a multitargeted anticancer agent. Both STS and CAII are over-expressed in cancers and have become attractive targets for cancer treatment and molecular imaging of cancer. Here we report the first design and synthesis of 2-[(11)C]methoxy-3,17β-O,O-bis(sulfamoyl)estradiol ([(11)C]5) as a new potential imaging agent for biomedical imaging technique positron emission tomography (PET) to image STS in cancers. The authentic standard 5 was synthesized from 17β-estradiol by published procedures in 5 steps with 40% overall chemical yield. The precursor 2-hydroxy-3,17β-O,O-bis(sulfamoyl)estradiol (14a) for radiolabeling was synthesized from 17β-estradiol in 10 steps with 5% overall chemical yield. The target tracer [(11)C]5 was prepared from the precursor 14a with [(11)C]CH(3)OTf through O-[(11)C]methylation and isolated by HPLC combined with solid-phase extraction (SPE) purification in 40-50% radiochemical yields based on [(11)C]CO(2) and decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB), with 370-740 GBq/μmol specific activity at EOB.

Facile radiosynthesis of new carbon-11-labeled propanamide derivatives as selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) radioligands for prostate cancer imaging

The androgen receptor (AR) is an attractive target for the treatment and molecular imaging of prostate cancer. New carbon-11-labeled propanamide derivatives were first designed and synthesized as selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) radioligands for prostate cancer imaging using the biomedical imaging technique positron emission tomography (PET). The target tracers, (S)-N-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-hydroxy-3-(2-[(11)C]methoxyphenoxy)-2-methylpropanamide ([(11)C]8a), (S)-2-hydroxy-3-(2-[(11)C]methoxyphenoxy)-2-methyl-N-(4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propanamide ([(11)C]8 e), (S)-N-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-hydroxy-3-(4-[(11)C]methoxyphenoxy)-2-methylpropanamide ([(11)C]8c) and (S)-2-hydroxy-3-(4-[(11)C]methoxyphenoxy)-2-methyl-N-(4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propanamide ([(11)C]8 g), were prepared by O-[(11)C]methylation of their corresponding precursors, (S)-N-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxyphenoxy)-2-methylpropanamide (9a), (S)-2-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxyphenoxy)-2-methyl-N-(4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propanamide (9b), (S)-N-(4-cyano-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)-2-methylpropanamide (9 c) and (S)-2-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)-2-methyl-N-(4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propanamide (9 d), with [(11)C]CH(3)OTf under basic conditions and isolated by a simplified C-18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) method in 55 ± 5% (n = 5) radiochemical yields based on [(11)C]CO(2) and decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB). The overall synthesis time from EOB was 23 min, the radiochemical purity was >99%, and the specific activity at end of synthesis (EOS) was 277.5 ± 92.5 GBq/μmol (n = 5).

Synthesis of [¹¹C]PBR06 and [¹⁸F]PBR06 as agents for positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging of the translocator protein (TSPO)

The translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) is an attractive target for molecular imaging of neuroinflammation and tumor progression. [(18)F]PBR06, a fluorine-18 labeled form of PBR06, is a promising PET TSPO radioligand originally developed at NIMH. [(11)C]PBR06, a carbon-11 labeled form of PBR06, was designed and synthesized for the first time. The standard PBR06 was synthesized from 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde in three steps with 71% overall chemical yield. The radiolabeling precursor desmethyl-PBR06 was synthesized from 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde in five steps with 12% overall chemical yield. The target tracer [(11)C]PBR06 was prepared by O-[(11)C]methylation of desmethyl-PBR06 with [(11)C]CH(3)OTf in CH(3)CN at 80°C under basic condition and isolated by HPLC combined with SPE purification with 40-60% decay corrected radiochemical yield and 222-740 GBq/μmol specific activity at EOB. On the similar grounds, [(18)F]PBR06 was also designed and synthesized. The previously described Br-PBR06 precursor was synthesized from 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde in two steps with 78% overall chemical yield. A new radiolabeling precursor tosyloxy-PBR06, previously undescribed tosylate congener of PBR06, was designed and synthesized from ethyl 2-hydroxyacetate, 4-methylbenzene-1-sulfonyl chloride, and N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzyl)-2-phenoxyaniline in four steps with 50% overall chemical yield. [(18)F]PBR06 was prepared by the nucleophilic substitution of either new tosyloxy-PBR06 precursor or known Br-PBR06 precursor in DMSO at 140°C with K[(18)F]F/Kryptofix 2.2.2 for 15 min and HPLC combined with SPE purification in 20-60% decay corrected radiochemical yield, >99% radiochemical purity, 87-95% chemical purity, and 37-222 GBq/μmol specific activity at EOB. Radiosynthesis of [(18)F]PBR06 using new tosylated precursor gave similar radiochemical purity, and higher specific activity, radiochemical yield and chemical purity in comparison with radiosynthesis using bromine precursor.

An automated SPE-based high-yield synthesis of [11C]acetate and [11C]palmitate: no liquid-liquid extraction, solvent evaporation or distillation required

INTRODUCTION

An automated method is described for the rapid and high-yield synthesis of two of the most commonly used radioactive fatty acids: [(11)C]acetate and [(11)C]palmitate.

METHODS

Reaction of [(11)C]CO(2) with the respective Grignard reagents in diethyl ether solution proceeded for 2 min at 40°C. Quenching of the reaction and liberation of nonreacted [(11)C]CO(2) occurred upon addition of a fourfold molar excess of aqueous 0.1 M HCl (acetate) or nonaqueous HCl/Et(2)O (palmitate). Labeled products were then purified by adsorption to an Alumina-N Sep-Pak Plus cartridge and eluted with either aqueous NaH(2)PO(4) solution (acetate) or 100% ethanol (palmitate).

RESULTS

High-performance liquid chromatography analysis confirmed that the radiochemical purity of each product was >98%, and decay-corrected radiochemical yields averaged 33% for [(11)C]palmitate and 40% for [(11)C]acetate.

CONCLUSION

The method requires no liquid-liquid extraction, solvent evaporation or distillation capabilities and can be readily adapted to existing radiosynthesis modules.

Striatal dopamine transporter availability in unmedicated bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Dopamine transmission abnormalities have been implicated in the etiology of bipolar disorder (BPD). However, there is a paucity of receptor imaging studies in BPD, and little information is available about the dopamine system in BPD. Reuptake of synaptic dopamine by the dopamine transporter (DAT) is the principal mechanism regulating dopamine neurotransmission, and is often used as a marker for presynaptic dopamine function. This positron emission tomography (PET) study investigated whether DAT availability differed between BPD and healthy control subjects.

METHODS

A total of 11 unmedicated BPD patients in either the euthymic or depressed phase and 13 closely matched healthy subjects underwent PET imaging with the DAT-selective radiotracer [(11) C]CFT and a structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Striatal binding potential (BP(ND) ) was estimated using the multilinear reference tissue model. Region of interest and analyses were conducted to test for differences in [(11) C]CFT BP(ND) between groups.

RESULTS

Unmedicated BPD subjects had significantly lower DAT availability relative to healthy controls in bilateral dorsal caudate.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study support the hypothesis that there are abnormalities in the dopaminergic system in BPD, and suggest that DAT availability may be related to the neuropathology of BPD. Future studies are needed to determine if DAT availability cycles with disease phase.

Synthesis and preliminary in vitro biological evaluation of new carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives as candidate PET tracers for imaging of COX-2 expression in cancer

The enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors. This study was designed to develop new radiotracers for imaging of COX-2 in cancer using biomedical imaging technique positron emission tomography (PET). Carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives, [(11)C]4a-c and [(11)C]8a-d, were prepared by O-[(11)C] methylation of their corresponding precursors using [(11)C]CH(3)OTf under basic conditions and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method in 52 ± 2% (n = 5) and 57 ± 3% (n = 5) radiochemical yields based on [(11)C]CO(2) and decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB). The overall synthesis time from EOB was 23 min, the radiochemical purity was >99%, and the specific activity at end of synthesis (EOS) was 277.5 ± 92.5 GBq/μmol (n = 5). The IC(50) values to block COX-2 for known compounds celecoxib (4d), 4a and 4c were 40, 290 and 8 nM, respectively, and preliminary findings from in vitro biological assay indicated that the synthesized new compounds 4b and 8a-d display similar strong inhibitory effectiveness in the MDA-MB-435 human cancer cell line in comparison with the parent compound 4d. These results encourage further in vivo evaluation of carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives as new potential PET radiotracers for imaging of COX-2 expression in cancer.

Radiosynthesis of [11C]Vandetanib and [11C]chloro-Vandetanib as new potential PET agents for imaging of VEGFR in cancer

Vandetanib (ZD6474) and its chlorine analogue chloro-Vandetanib are potent and selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors with low nanomolar IC(50) values. [(11)C]Vandetanib and [(11)C]chloro-Vandetanib, new potential PET agents for imaging of VEGFR in cancer, were first designed, synthesized and labeled at nitrogen and oxygen positions from their corresponding N- and O-des-methylated precursors, in 40-50% decay corrected radiochemical yield and 370-555GBq/μmol specific activity at end of bombardment (EOB).

Test-retest variability of [¹¹C]raclopride-binding potential in nontreatment-seeking alcoholics

Knowledge of the reproducibility of striatal [¹¹C]raclopride (RAC) binding is important for studies that use RAC PET paradigms to estimate changes in striatal dopamine (DA) during pharmacological and cognitive challenges. To our knowledge, no baseline test-retest data exist for nontreatment-seeking alcoholics (NTS). We determined the test-retest reproducibility of baseline RAC binding potential (BP(ND) ) in 12 male NTS subjects. Subjects were scanned twice with single-bolus RAC PET on separate days. Striatal RAC BP (BP(ND) ) for left and right dorsal caudate, dorsal putamen, and ventral striatum was estimated using the Multilinear Reference Tissue Method (MRTM) and Logan Graphical Analysis (LGA) with a reference region. Test-retest variability (TRV), % change in BP(ND) between scan days, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used as metrics of reproducibility. For MRTM, TRV for striatal RAC binding in NTS subjects was ±6.5% and ±7.1% for LGA. Average striatal ICCs were 0.94 for both methods (P < 0.0001). Striatal BP(ND) values were similar to those reported previously for detoxified alcoholics. The results demonstrate that baseline striatal RAC binding is highly reproducible in NTS subjects, with a low variance similar to that reported for healthy control subjects.

Synthesis of carbon-11-labeled casimiroin analogues as new potential PET agents for imaging of quinone reductase 2 and aromatase expression in breast cancer

Carbon-11-labeled casimiroin analogues were first designed and synthesized as new potential PET agents for imaging of quinone reductase (QR) 2 and aromatase expression in breast cancer. [(11)C]casimiroin (6-[(11)C]methoxy-9-methyl-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-h]quinolin-8(9H)-one, [(11)C]11) and its carbon-11-labeled analogues 5,6,8-trimethoxy-1-[(11)C]methyl-4-methylquinolin-2(1H)-one ([(11)C]17), 8-methoxy-1-[(11)C]methyl-4-methylquinolin-2(1H)-one ([(11)C]21a), 6,8-dimethoxy-1-[(11)C]methyl-4-methylquinolin-2(1H)-one ([(11)C]21b), and 5,8-dimethoxy-1-[(11)C]methyl-4-methylquinolin-2(1H)-one ([(11)C]21c), were prepared from their corresponding precursors with [(11)C]methyl triflate ([(11)C]CH(3)OTf) under basic conditions (NaH) through either O- or N-[(11)C]methylation and isolated by semi-preparative HPLC method in 40-50% radiochemical yields decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB), based on [(11)C]CO(2), and 111-185GBq/mumol specific activity at the end of synthesis (EOS).

The first synthesis of [(11)C]SB-216763, a new potential PET agent for imaging of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3)

SB-216763 is a novel, potent and selective glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) inhibitor with an IC(50) value of 34 nM. [(11)C]SB-216763 (3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-(1-[(11)C]methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione), a new potential PET agent for imaging of GSK-3, was first designed and synthesized in 20-30% decay corrected radiochemical yield and 370-555 GBq/μmol specific activity at end of bombardment (EOB). The synthetic strategy was to prepare a carbon-11-labeled maleic anhydride intermediate followed by the conversion to maleimide.

Facile synthesis of carbon-11-labeled cholesterol-based cationic lipids as new potential PET probes for imaging of gene delivery in cancer

Gene therapy based on gene delivery is a promising strategy for the treatment of various human diseases such as cancer. Cationic lipids represent one of the important synthetic gene delivery systems. There is a great interest in imaging of gene therapy using the biomedical imaging technique positron emission tomography (PET). Carbon-11-labeled cholesterol-based cationic lipids were first designed and synthesized as new potential PET probes for imaging of gene delivery in cancer. The [(11)C-methyl]quaternary amine target tracers, N-[(11)C]methyl-N-[4-(cholest-5-en-3beta-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]pyrrolidinium iodide ([(11)C]4a), N-[(11)C]methyl-N'-[4-(cholest-5-en-3beta-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]imidazolium iodide ([(11)C]4b), N-[(11)C]methyl-N-[4-(cholest-5-en-3beta-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]piperidinium iodide ([(11)C]4c), N-[(11)C]methyl-N-[4-(cholest-5-en-3beta-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]-4-methylpiperidinium iodide ([(11)C]4d), and N-[(11)C]methyl-N-[4-(cholest-5-en-3beta-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]morpholinium iodide ([(11)C]4e), were prepared from their corresponding tertiary amine precursors with [(11)C]methyl iodide ([(11)C]CH(3)I) through N-[(11)C]methylation and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using a Silica Sep-Pak cartridge in 50-60% radiochemical yields decay corrected to end-of-bombardment (EOB), based on [(11)C]CO(2), and 111-185GBq/mumol specific activity at the end of synthesis (EOS).