Elisabeth Eppard

Radiolabeling of DOTATOC with the long-lived positron emitter 44Sc

The positron-emitting radionuclide (44)Sc with a half-life of 3.97 h and a β(+) branching of 94.3% is of potential interest for clinical PET. As so far it is available from a (44)Ti/(44)Sc generator in Mainz, where long-lived (44)Ti decays to no-carrier-added (nca) (44)Sc. The (44)Sc is a trivalent metal cation and should be suitable for complexation with many well established bifunctional chelators conjugated to peptides or other molecular targeting vectors. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the potential of (44)Sc for labeling of DOTA-conjugated peptides. DOTA-D-Phe(1)-Tyr(3)-octreotide (DOTATOC) was used as a model molecule to study and optimize labeling procedure. Reaction parameters such as buffer conditions, concentration of peptide, pH range, reaction temperature and time were optimized. Addition of 21 nmol of DOTATOC to (44)Sc in ammonium acetate buffer pH 4.0 provided labeling yields >98% within 25 min of heating in an oil-bath at 95°C. This time can be reduced to 3 min only by applying microwave supported heating. (44)Sc-DOTATOC was found to be stable in 0.9% NaCl, PBS pH 7.4, fetal calf and human serums, and also in the presence of competing metal cations (Fe(3+), Ca(2+), Cu(2+), Mg(2+)), as well as other ligand competitors, like EDTA and DTPA, even after almost 25 h incubation at 37°C. Present study shows that nca (44)Sc forms stable complexes with the macrocyclic ligand DOTA and that (44)Sc-DOTATOC and analog targeting vectors may be synthesized for further preclinical and clinical investigations.

Targeting of gelatinase activity in malignant tumors with a 68Ga-labeled gelatinase inhibitor cyclic peptide

Post-processing by means of a cation-exchanger–based protocol is an efficient strategy for purification and concentration of generator-derived 68Ga. It ensures the removal of 68Ge before 68Ga-radiopharmaceutical preparation and high labeling yields of 68Ga-labeled radiopharmaceuticals for routine medical application. Methods: In an effort to overcome the problem associated with acetone in the currently applied method, we have investigated the feasibility of replacing it with ethanol. The purification of 68Ga from coeluted metallic impurities (68Ge4+, Fe3+, Zn2+, and Ti4+) on various cation-exchange columns has been investigated with a variety of post-processing solutions. As a proof of principle, the post-processed 68Ga was used to radiolabel DOTATOC in combination with high-purity water and various buffer solutions. Results: An effective protocol for the processing of generator-produced 68Ga on the basis of cation-exchange chromatography using EtOH/HCl medium has been developed. Up to 95% of the initially eluted 68Ga activity can be collected in a 1-mL fraction of 90% EtOH/0.9N HCl after removal of 68Ge-breakthrough in a washing step. The post-processed eluate has been used to radiolabel DOTATOC in yields of approximately 97% ± 0.25% at 80°C in 5 min. Conclusion: The described novel protocol improves the radiolabeling efficiency and efficacy of DOTATOC, providing yields of greater than 99% (decay-corrected). As a result, further purification to separate the desired product from uncomplexed 68Ga is not necessary. The developed post-processing and labeling protocols permit reliable and high-yield preparation of injectable 68Ga-DOTATOC (or other 68Ga-labeled radiopharmaceuticals) that are suitable for routine application. It is possible to incorporate this protocol into existing automated modules.

Radiolabelling and preliminary evaluation of 68Ga-tetrapyrrole derivatives as potential tracers for PET.

Tetrapyrroles are multisided natural products which are of relevance in clinical medicine. Owing to their specific accumulation in tumour tissue, porphyrins, metalloporphyrins and chlorins have been used as in photodynamic therapy and optical imaging. Moreover, their specific uptake into inflammatory atheromatous plaques via LDL endocytosis has been reported. The present study is concerned with the synthesis of (68)Ga labelled porphyrin derivatives and an in vitro assessment of the utility of radiotracers in positron emission tomography. A set of five porphyrin derivatives were labelled using (68)Ga from a commercially obtained radionuclide generator. Dedicated post-processing of the generator eluate was conducted to allow for labelling in aqueous media and also under anhydrous conditions. Challenge studies and incubation in human serum confirmed the stability of the tracers. Plasma protein binding was investigated in order to confirm the presence of freely diffusible radioligand in plasma. A preliminary microPET study in a tumour-bearing rat resulted in a clear visualisation of the tumour.

Cation exchange-based post-processing of 68Ga-eluate: A comparison of three solvent systems for labelling of DOTATOC, NO2APBP and DATAm

Interest in (68)Ga has led to a number of innovations for its provision suitable for clinical application. Several post-processing methods are available to reduce eluate volume and remove metal trace impurities. In this work three cation exchange resin based post-processing methods (acetone, ethanol and NaCl) have been compared, using three model precursors (DOTATOC, NO2AP(BP) and DATA(m)), in terms of labelling yield and reproducibility. The acetone and ethanol based methods provided greater reproducibility and yields that makes subsequent purification unnecessary.

Quantitative online isolation of 68Ge from 68Ge/68Ga generator eluates for purification and immediate quality control of breakthrough

The breakthrough of ⁶⁸Ge from a ⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga-generator is one of the most sensitive parameters in the context of the clinical application of ⁶⁸Ga-radiopharmaceuticals. The difficulty in its determination lies in the spectroscopic invisibility of ⁶⁸Ge within an excess of ⁶⁸Ga. The introduced method for determining the ⁶⁸Ge content of the ⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga-generator eluate involves the quantitative separation of ⁶⁸Ga from ⁶⁸Ge, using a cation-exchanger. The eluate contains ⁶⁸Ga free of ⁶⁸Ge, which can be determined immediately, i.e. prior to the application of the ⁶⁸Ga-radiopharmaceutical.

In vitro and in vivo structure-property relationship of (68)Ga-labeled Schiff base derivatives for functional myocardial pet imaging.

PurposeSPECT (e.g., with 99mTc-sestamibi) is routinely used for imaging myocardial damage, even though PET could offer a higher spatial resolution. Using the generator-gained isotope 68Ga would allow a rapid supply of the tracer in the diagnostic unit. For this reason, the aim of the study was to develop 68Ga-labeled PET tracers based on different Schiff base amines and to evaluate the cardiomyocyte uptake in vitro as well as the biodistribution of the tracers in vivo.ProceduresFifteen different Schiff bases (basing on 3 different backbones) were synthesized and labeled with 68Ga. Lipophilicity varied between 0.87u2009±u20090.24 and 2.72u2009±u20090.14 (logD value). All tracers were positively charged and stable in plasma and apo-transferrin solution. In vitro uptake into cardiomyocytes was assessed in HL-1 cells in the absence and presence of the ionophor valinomycin. In vivo accumulation in the heart and in various organs was assessed by small animal PET imaging as well as by ex vivo biodistribution. The results were compared with 99mTc-sestamibi and 18F-flurpiridaz.ResultsAll cationic Schiff bases were taken up into cardiomyocytes but the amount varied by a factor of 10. When destroying the membrane potential, the cellular uptake was markedly reduced in most of the tracers, indicating the applicability of these tracers for identifying ischemic myocardium. PET imaging revealed that the in vivo myocardial uptake reached a constant value approximately 10xa0min after injection but the intracardial amount of the tracer varied profoundly (SUV 0.46 to 3.35). The most suitable tracers showed a myocardial uptake which was comparable to that of 99mTc-sestamibi.Conclusions68Ga-based Schiff bases appear suitable for myocardial PET images with uptake comparable to 99mTc-sestamibi but offering higher spatial resolution. By systematical variation of the backbone and the side chains, tracers with optimal properties can be identified for further clinical evaluation.

68Ge content quality control of 68Ge/68Ga-generator eluates and 68Ga radiopharmaceuticals – A protocol for determining the 68Ge content using thin-layer chromatography

(68)Ge breakthrough from a (68)Ge/(68)Ga-generator appears to be one of the most critical parameters for the routine clinical application of this generator and (68)Ga-radiopharmaceuticals. We report a TLC-based (thin-layer chromatography) protocol which allows the (68)Ge breakthrough of a generator to be determined within 1 h post-initial elution. The protocol can also be adapted to allow the (68)Ge content of a (68)Ga-radiopharmaceutical preparation to be determined prior to in vivo application.

Improved Efficacy of Synthesizing∗MIII-Labeled DOTA Complexes in Binary Mixtures of Water and Organic Solvents. A Combined Radio- and Physicochemical Study

Typically, the synthesis of radiometal-based radiopharmaceuticals is performed in buffered aqueous solutions. We found that the presence of organic solvents like ethanol increased the radiolabeling yields of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA (DOTA = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacatic acid). In the present study, the effect of organic cosolvents [ethanol (EtOH), isopropyl alcohol, and acetonitrile] on the radiolabeling yields of the macrocyclic chelator DOTA with several trivalent radiometals (gallium-68, scandium-44, and lutetium-177) was systematically investigated. Various binary water (H2O)/organic solvent mixtures allowed the radiolabeling of DOTA at a significantly lower temperature than 95 °C, which is relevant for the labeling of sensitive biological molecules. Simultaneously, much lower amounts of the chelators were required. This strategy may have a fundamental impact on the formulation of trivalent radiometal-based radiopharmaceuticals. The equilibrium properties and formation kinetics of [M(DOTA)]- (MIII= GaIII, CeIII, EuIII, YIII, and LuIII) complexes were investigated in H2O/EtOH mixtures (up to 70 vol % EtOH). The protonation constants of DOTA were determined by pH potentiometry in H2O/EtOH mixtures (0-70 vol % EtOH, 0.15 M NaCl, 25 °C). The log K1H and log K2H values associated with protonation of the ring N atoms decreased with an increase of the EtOH content. The formation rates of [M(DOTA)]- complexes increase with an increase of the pH and [EtOH]. Complexation occurs through rapid formation of the diprotonated [M(H2DOTA)]+ intermediates, which are in equilibrium with the kinetically active monoprotonated [M(HDOTA)] intermediates. The rate-controlling step is deprotonation (and rearrangement) of the monoprotonated intermediate, which occurs through H2O (*M(HL) kH2O) and OH- (*M(HL) kOH) assisted reaction pathways. The rate constants are essentially independent of the EtOH concentration, but the M(HL) kH2O values increase from CeIII to LuIII. However, the log KM(HL)H protonation constants, analogous to the log KH2 value, decrease with increasing [EtOH], which increases the concentration of the monoprotonated M(HDOTA) intermediate and accelerates formation of the final complexes. The overall rates of complex formation calculated by the obtained rate constants at different EtOH concentrations show a trend similar to that of the complexation rates determined with the use of radioactive isotopes.

Optimization of labeling PSMAHBED with 68Ga and its quality control systems

Radiolabeling of the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) inhibitor Glu-NH-CO-NH-Lys(Ahx) using the 68Ga chelator HBED-CC (PSMAHBED) allows imaging of prostate cancer lesions because of high expression of PSMA in prostate carcinoma cells and in bone metastases and lymph nodes related to the disease. The aim of this work was to optimize labeling of 68Ga-PSMAHBED using the efficient cation-exchange postprocessing of 68Ga as well as the development of a thin-layer chromatography (TLC)–based quality control system. Methods: Labeling was optimized for online ethanol-postprocessed 68Ga eluate investigating various parameters, such as buffer molarity (0.1–1 M), temperature (25°C–90°C), tracer amount (0.11–0.74 nmol), and labeling time. In addition, purification of the crude product was tested. For radio-TLC quality control, various mobile phases were analyzed using silica gel 60 plates and the results were validated using high-performance liquid chromatography. The most superior mobile phases were also applied on instant thin-layer chromatography (ITLC) silica gel plates. Results: Using optimized conditions, labeling yields of more than 95% were obtained within 10 min when ethanol-based postprocessing was applied using PSMAHBED amounts as low as 0.1 nmol. A higher precursor concentration (0.7 nmol) further increased labeling and quantitative yields to more than 98% within 5 min. In clinical routine, patient batches (>200 applications) with radiochemical purity greater than 98% and specific activities of 326 ± 20 MBq/nmol are obtained reproducibly. When TLC quality control was performed on silica gel 60 plates, 4 mobile phases with suitable separation properties and complementary Rf values were identified. Two systems showed equivalent separation on ITLC silica gel plates, with ITLC analysis finished within 5 min, in contrast to 20 min for the TLC system. Labeling of PSMAHBED was optimized for cation-exchange postprocessing methods, ensuring almost quantitative labeling and high nuclide purity of final 68Ga-PSMAHBED, making subsequent purification steps unnecessary. Conclusion: The new radio-TLC method allows quality control in a short time using a fast, reliable, low-cost method with little equipment complexity. Using this approach, the synthesis is easily adopted by automated synthesis modules.