1
|
Buchler A, Ismailani US, MacMullin N, Abdirahman F, Adi M, Bi C, Jany C, Keillor JW, Rotstein BH. Quinazoline-2-Carboxamides as Selective PET Radiotracers for Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 Imaging in Atherosclerosis. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6682-6696. [PMID: 37158732 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) plays a critical role in the progression of unstable atherosclerosis. A series of highly potent and selective MMP-13 inhibitors were synthesized around a quinazoline-2-carboxamide scaffold to facilitate radiolabeling with fluorine-18 or carbon-11 positron-emitting nuclides and visualization of atherosclerotic plaques. In vitro enzyme inhibition assays identified three compounds as promising radiotracer candidates. Efficient automated radiosyntheses provided [11C]5b, [11C]5f, and [18F]5j and enabled pharmacokinetic characterization in atherosclerotic mice. The radiotracers displayed substantial differences in their distribution and excretion. Most favorably for vascular imaging, [18F]5j exhibited low uptake in metabolic organs with minimal retention of myocardial radioactivity, substantial renal clearance, and high metabolic stability in plasma. Ex vivo aortic autoradiography and competition studies revealed that [18F]5j specifically binds to MMP-13 within atherosclerotic plaques and localizes to lipid-rich regions. This study demonstrates the utility of the quinazoline-2-carboxamide scaffold for MMP-13 selective positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer development and identifies [18F]5j for imaging atherosclerosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Buchler
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9B4, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Uzair S Ismailani
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Nicole MacMullin
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Faduma Abdirahman
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9B4, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Myriam Adi
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9B4, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Christina Bi
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9B4, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Catherine Jany
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Jeffrey W Keillor
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9B4, Canada
| | - Benjamin H Rotstein
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9B4, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ismailani US, Buchler A, MacMullin N, Abdirahman F, Adi M, Rotstein BH. Synthesis and Evaluation of [ 11C]MCC950 for Imaging NLRP3-Mediated Inflammation in Atherosclerosis. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:1709-1716. [PMID: 36735877 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of the NLRP3 inflammasome has been attributed to the progressive worsening of a multitude of cardiovascular inflammatory diseases such as myocardial infarction, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and atherosclerosis. The recently discovered potent and selective NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 has shown promise in hindering disease progression, but NLRP3-selective cardiovascular positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has not yet been demonstrated. We synthesized [11C]MCC950 with no-carrier-added [11C]CO2 fixation chemistry using an iminophosphorane precursor (RCY 45 ± 4%, >99% RCP, 27 ± 2 GBq/μmol, 23 ± 3 min, n = 6) and determined its distribution both in vivo and ex vivo in C57BL/6 and atherogenic ApoE-/- mice. Small animal PET imaging was performed in both strains following intravenous administration via the lateral tail vein and revealed considerable uptake in the liver that stabilized by 20 min (7-8.5 SUV), coincident with secondary renal excretion. Plasma metabolite analysis uncovered excellent in vivo stability of [11C]MCC950 (94% intact). Ex vivo autoradiography performed on excised aortas revealed heterogeneous uptake in atherosclerotic plaques of ApoE-/- mice in comparison to C57BL/6 controls (48 ± 17 %ID/m2 vs 18 ± 8 %ID/m2, p = 0.002, n = 4-5). Treatment of ApoE-/- mice with nonradioactive MCC950 (5 mg/kg, iv) 10 min prior to radiotracer administration increased uptake in the intestine (5.3 ± 1.8 %ID/g vs 11.0 ± 3.7 %ID/g, p = 0.04, n = 4-6) and in aortic lesions (48 ± 17 %ID/m2 vs 104 ± 15 %ID/m2, p = 0.0002, n = 5) by 108% and 117%, respectively, without significantly increasing plasma free fraction (fp, 1.3 ± 0.4% vs 1.7 ± 0.8%, n = 2). These results suggest that [11C]MCC950 uptake demonstrates specific binding and may prove useful for in vivo NLRP3 imaging in atherosclerosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Uzair S Ismailani
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada.,University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Ariel Buchler
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada.,Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Nicole MacMullin
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Faduma Abdirahman
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada.,Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Myriam Adi
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada.,Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Benjamin H Rotstein
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada.,University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada.,Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ismailani US, Buchler A, Farber G, Pekošak A, Farber E, MacMullin N, Suuronen EJ, Vasdev N, Beanlands RSB, de Kemp RA, Rotstein BH. Cardiac Sympathetic Positron Emission Tomography Imaging with Meta-[ 18F]Fluorobenzylguanidine is Sensitive to Uptake-1 in Rats. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:4350-4360. [PMID: 34714061 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of the cardiac sympathetic nervous system contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases including ischemia, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Molecular imaging probes such as meta-[123I]iodobenzylguanidine have demonstrated the utility of assessing neuronal integrity by targeting norepinephrine transporter (NET, uptake-1). However, current radiotracers can report only on innervation due to suboptimal kinetics and lack sensitivity to NET in rodents, precluding mechanistic studies in these species. The objective of this work was to characterize myocardial sympathetic neuronal uptake mechanisms and kinetics of the positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer meta-[18F]fluorobenzylguanidine ([18F]mFBG) in rats. Automated synthesis using spirocyclic iodonium(III) ylide radiofluorination produces [18F]mFBG in 24 ± 1% isolated radiochemical yield and 30-95 GBq/μmol molar activity. PET imaging in healthy rats delineated the left ventricle, with monoexponential washout kinetics (kmono = 0.027 ± 0.0026 min-1, Amono = 3.08 ± 0.33 SUV). Ex vivo biodistribution studies revealed tracer retention in the myocardium, while pharmacological treatment with selective NET inhibitor desipramine, nonselective neuronal and extraneuronal uptake-2 inhibitor phenoxybenzamine, and neuronal ablation with neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine reduced myocardial retention by 33, 76, and 36%, respectively. Clearance of [18F]mFBG from the myocardium was unaffected by treatment with uptake-1 and uptake-2 inhibitors following peak myocardial activity. These results suggest that myocardial distribution of [18F]mFBG in rats is dependent on both NET and extraneuronal transporters and that limited reuptake to the myocardium occurs. [18F]mFBG may therefore prove useful for imaging intraneuronal dysfunction in small animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Uzair S. Ismailani
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Ariel Buchler
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, 10 Marie-Curie Private, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Gedaliah Farber
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | | | - Eadan Farber
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Nicole MacMullin
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Erik J. Suuronen
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Neil Vasdev
- Azrieli Centre for Neuro-Radiochemistry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Rob S. B. Beanlands
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Robert A. de Kemp
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Benjamin H. Rotstein
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, 40 Ruskin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4W7, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, 10 Marie-Curie Private, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Buchler A, Munch M, Farber G, Zhao X, Al-Haddad R, Farber E, Rotstein BH. Selective Imaging of Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 to Detect Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Atherosclerotic Lesions. Mol Imaging Biol 2021; 24:93-103. [PMID: 34231104 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-021-01626-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Overexpression and activation of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) within atheroma increases susceptibility to plaque rupture, a major cause of severe cardiovascular complications. In comparison to pan-MMP targeting [18F]BR-351, we evaluated the potential for [18F]FMBP, a selective PET radiotracer for MMP-13, to detect extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in vascular plaques possessing markers of inflammation. PROCEDURES [18F]FMBP and [18F]BR-351 were initially assessed in vitro by incubation with en face aortae from 8 month-old atherogenic ApoE-/- mice. Ex vivo biodistributions, plasma metabolite analyses, and ex vivo autoradiography were analogously performed 30 min after intravenous radiotracer administration in age-matched C57Bl/6 and ApoE-/- mice under baseline or homologous blocking conditions. En face aortae were subsequently stained with Oil Red O (ORO), sectioned, and subject to immunofluorescence staining for Mac-2 and MMP-13. RESULTS High-resolution autoradiographic image analysis demonstrated target specificity and regional concordance to lipid-rich lesions. Biodistribution studies revealed hepatobiliary excretion, low accumulation of radioactivity in non-excretory organs, and few differences between strains and conditions in non-target organs. Plasma metabolite analyses uncovered that [18F]FMBP exhibited excellent in vivo stability (≥74% intact) while [18F]BR-351 was extensively metabolized (≤37% intact). Ex vivo autoradiography and histology of en face aortae revealed that [18F]FMBP, relative to [18F]BR-351, exhibited 2.9-fold greater lesion uptake, substantial specific binding (68%), and improved sensitivity to atherosclerotic tissue (2.9-fold vs 2.1-fold). Immunofluorescent staining of aortic en face cross sections demonstrated elevated Mac-2 and MMP-13-positive areas within atherosclerotic lesions identified by [18F]FMBP ex vivo autoradiography. CONCLUSIONS While both radiotracers successfully identified atherosclerotic plaques, [18F]FMBP showed superior specificity and sensitivity for lesions possessing features of destructive plaque remodeling. The detection of ECM remodeling by selective targeting of MMP-13 may enable characterization of high-risk atherosclerosis featuring elevated collagenase activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Buchler
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada.,University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Maxime Munch
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Gedaliah Farber
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Xiaoling Zhao
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Rami Al-Haddad
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Eadan Farber
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada
| | - Benjamin H Rotstein
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada. .,University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada. .,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|