Laura Ravasi

Fluoro-, bromo-, and iodopaclitaxel derivatives: synthesis and biological evaluation

Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a clinically important chemotherapeutic agent. We describe the synthesis of fluoro-, bromo-, and iodopaclitaxel and their [(18)F]fluoro-, [(76)Br]bromo-, and [(124)I]iodo- analogues. [(18)F]Fluoropaclitaxel shows high uptake and rapid clearance from tissues in rats. Preadministration of paclitaxel in normal rats significantly increases (p < 0.005) retention of [(18)F]fluoropaclitaxel and [(76)Br]bromopaclitaxel in blood (33.0%), heart (32.0%), lung (37.6%) kidney (142.4%); and blood (33.4%), lung (42.3%), kidney (62.4%), respectively. [(18)F]Fluoropaclitaxel uptake in the brain of mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice is increased 1400% (p < 1.3e-07) relative to wild-type controls. Preadministration of paclitaxel or XR9576, a modulator, had little effect on the biodistribution in these mdr1a/1b(-/-) mice. As a result, [(18)F]fluoropaclitaxel will be a useful radiopharmaceutical for the study of multidrug resistant tumors.

Regional brain uptake of the muscarinic ligand, [18F]FP-TZTP, is greatly decreased in M2 receptor knockout mice but not in M1, M3 and M4 receptor knockout mice.

A muscarinic receptor radioligand, 3-(3-(3-fluoropropyl)thio) -1,2,5,thiadiazol-4-yl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-1-methylpyridine (fP-TZTP) radiolabeled with the positron emitting radionuclide (18)F ([(18)F]FP-TZTP) displayed regional brain distribution consistent with M2 receptor densities in rat brain. The purpose of the present study is to further elucidate the subtype selectivity of [(18)F]FP-TZTP using genetically engineered mice which lacked functional M1, M2, M3, or M4 muscarinic receptors. Using ex vivo autoradiography, the regional brain localization of [(18)F]FP-TZTP in M2 knockout (M2 KO) was significantly decreased (51.3 to 61.4%; P<0.01) when compared to the wild-type (WT) mice in amygdala, brain stem, caudate putamen, cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, superior colliculus, and thalamus. In similar studies with M1KO, M3KO and M4KO compared to their WT mice, [(18)F]FP-TZTP uptakes in the same brain regions were not significantly decreased at P<0.01. However, in amygdala and hippocampus small decreases of 19.5% and 22.7%, respectively, were observed for M1KO vs WT mice at P<0.05. Given the fact that large decreases in [(18)F]FP-TZTP brain uptakes were seen only in M2 KO vs. WT mice, we conclude that [(18)F]FP-TZTP preferentially labels M2 receptors in vivo.

Use of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose and the ATLAS small animal PET scanner to examine cerebral functional activation by whisker stimulation in unanesthetized rats.

PurposeStroking the whiskers of a rat is known to increase cerebral blood flow and glucose utilization in the somatosensory cortex. We sought to determine whether this activation could be detected with small animal PET and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ([18F]FDG). MethodsAwake rats were coinjected with [18F]FDG and [14C]deoxyglucose ([14C]DG), and during the uptake of the tracers, five, 10, or 15 whiskers on one side of the face were continuously stimulated. At the end of uptake, the animal was killed and imaged with the Advanced Technology Laboratory Animal Scanner small animal PET scanner. Carbon-14 autoradiography was then performed on brain sections obtained from each animal, and increases in tracer uptake in the somatosensory cortex were compared with those determined with PET. ResultsBoth methods showed increases in [18F]FDG and [14C]DG uptake in the somatosensory cortex in response to the stimulation of as few as five whiskers. However, the magnitude of activation determined from the PET images was less than that from autoradiography due to the lower spatial resolution of the PET scanner. ConclusionAdvanced Technology Laboratory Animal Scanner small animal PET imaging with [18F]FDG can be used to assess neuronal functional activity in vivo.

Why does the agonist [ 18 F]FP-TZTP bind preferentially to the M 2 muscarinic receptor?

PurposePreferential binding of FP-TZTP at the M2 receptor in vivo led to investigation of [18F]FP-TZTP as a potential PET tracer for Alzheimer’s disease, in which a substantial reduction of M2 receptors has been observed in autopsy studies. We hereby investigated in vitro the FP-TZTP behavior to further elucidate the properties of FP-TZTP that lead to its M2 selectivity.MethodsChinese hamster ovarian cells expressing the five subtypes of human muscarinic receptor as well as the wild type were harvested in culture to assess equilibrium binding. Specific binding was calculated by subtraction of non-specific binding from total binding. Internal specific binding was calculated by subtraction of external specific binding from the total specific binding. Saturation assays were also performed to calculate Bmax, Ki, and IC50. In addition, equilibrium binding and dissociation kinetic studies were performed on rat brain tissue. Selected regions of interest were drawn on the digital autoradiograms and [18F]FP-TZTP off-rates were determined by measurement of the rate of release into a buffer solution of [18F]FP-TZTP from slide-bound cells that had been preincubated with [18F]FP-TZTP.ResultsAt equilibrium in vitro, M2 subtype selectivity of [18F]FP-TZTP was not evident. We demonstrated that ATP-dependent mechanisms are not responsible for FP-TZTP M2 selectivity. In vitro off-rate studies from rat brain tissue showed that the off-rate of FP-TZTP varied with the percentage of M2 subtype in the tissue region.ConclusionThe slower dissociation kinetics of FP-TZTP from M2 receptors compared with the four other muscarinic receptor subtypes may be a factor in its M2 selectivity.

Imaging of the muscarinic acetylcholine neuroreceptor in rats with the M2 selective agonist [18F]FP-TZTP

INTRODUCTION [(18)F]FP-TZTP is an M2 muscarinic subtype selective receptor-binding radiotracer used in vivo to image human and nonhuman primate brain following both bolus injection and infusion. In order to carry out repeated studies in rodents, the techniques developed for primates must be transferred to rodents with the same precision. This includes obtaining a metabolite-corrected input function. METHODS We compared bolus injection with constant infusion in rats that were awake or under isoflurane anesthesia. Brain-plasma and brain-blood distribution ratios were calculated by dividing brain (18)F concentrations, determined in vivo by positron emission tomography imaging with the Advanced Technology Laboratory Animal Scanner, ex vivo by direct counting in excised brain tissue or by quantitative autoradiography by the plasma or whole blood concentrations that had been corrected for metabolite contents. RESULTS Blood volume constraints prevented adequate blood sampling to define a precise input function after bolus injection, thus preventing full kinetic analysis. Constant infusion, however, required fewer blood samples to define the input function, allowing calculation of distribution ratios, but complete equilibrium between plasma and tissue had not yet been reached after 120 min. CONCLUSION Our results showed that the blood clearance and metabolism were too rapid to obtain a reproducible input function after bolus injection. The equilibrium distribution ratios did not lead to precise biochemical parameters, but the constant infusion was more suitable in that distribution ratios between tissue and plasma were statistically more precise. Constant infusion is the better approach for studying [(18)F]FP-TZTP by small animal imaging.