Tor Kihlberg

Brain kinetics of L-[beta-11C]dopa in humans studied by positron emission tomography.

The in vivo dopamine precursor L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) labelled with11 C in the Β position has been used for positron emission tomography studies of L-DOPA utilization in the brain. The brain uptake and kinetics of L-[11 C]DOPA-derived radioactivity were studied in healthy male volunteers, and the specific utilization, i.e. decarboxylation rate of L-[11 C]DOPA in different brain areas, was quantified using a brain region devoid of specific L-[11C]DOPA utilization as reference. Total uptake of L-[11 C]DOPA-derived radioactivity measured in the brain varied two- to threefold between subjects, with highest radioactivity in the striatal region. Specific utilization of L-[11C]DOPA radioactivity in the striatal region and in the prefrontal cortex varied twofold between subjects. No specific utilization was observed in other regions of the brain. The uptake of radioactivity in the brain increased dose-dependently with the simultaneous administration of unlabelled L-DOPA up to 10 mg. On the other hand, a decrease in brain radioactivity uptake was measured after pretreatment with 1 mg/kg oral L-DOPA, indicating competition for transport across the blood-brain barrier. Benserazide 0.5 mg/ kg orally increased somewhat the radioactivity uptake to the brain. None of these pharmacological perturbations demonstrated any clearcut effect on specific utilization of L-[11C]DOPA. Thus,11C-labelled L-DOPA is introduced as an alternative to the well-established L-6-[18 F]fluoro-DOPA methodology in clinical studies on brain L-DOPA uptake and dopamine synthesis.

Synthesis of some 11C-labelled MAO-A inhibitors and their in vivo uptake kinetics in rhesus monkey brain

Five potential MAO-A inhibitors--harmine, N-methyl-harmine, harmaline, brofaromine, and clorgyline--were labelled with 11C and their brain kinetics evaluated in vivo in rhesus monkey using PET. The compounds were synthesized by alkylation with 11C methyl iodide and obtained in 48-89% radiochemical yield within 40 to 45 min synthesis time and with specific radioactivities in the region of 0.49-2.4 Ci mumol-1 (18-87 GBq mumol-1) at the end of synthesis. The kinetic pattern after administration of MAO-A inhibitors was comparable to that seen in the tracer study when using 11C-brofaromine, 11C-harmaline, or 11C-clorgyline, although the magnitude of uptake markedly increased in the case of brofaromine and harmaline. Both 11C-methylharmine and 11C-harmine showed a significant washout in the inhibition studies. The kinetics of brain uptake with and without MAO-A inhibition is compatible with a significant fraction of the tracer bound to MAO-A for 11C-methylharmine and 11C-harmine, whereas 11C-brofaromine, 11C-harmaline, or 11C-clorgyline did not seem to show specific enzyme binding.

Synthesis of [1-11C], [2-11C], [1-11C](2H3) and [2-11C](2H3)acetate for in vivo studies of myocardium using PET

Four isotopically-labelled acetates ([1-11C], [2-11C], [1-11C](2H3) and [2-11C](2H3)acetate) were synthesized and used in positron emission tomography (PET) studies of pig myocardium. The [1-11C]acetates were synthesized by carboxylation of the appropriate 1H or 2H methyl Grignard reagents immobilized on a C2 solid phase extraction column (SPE). Purification by reverse-phase HPLC, resulted in 35-45% decay-corrected radiochemical yield with a total synthesis time of 25 min, and a radiochemical purity higher than 99%. The [2-11C]acetates were synthesized by carboxylation of 11C-labelled 1H or 2H methyl lithium. Purification as above resulted in 35-55% decay-corrected radiochemical yield with a total synthesis time of 30 min, and a radiochemical purity higher than 99%. Position-specific labelling was assessed by 13C-labelling and NMR. Multiple isotopic labelling by the combination of position-specific 11C-labelling and 2H substitution, has the potential to highlight different aspects of a complex biochemical system using a selected set of tracers in comparative PET studies. An illustration of this principle is given using acetate, where citric acid cycle metabolism results in a position-specific kinetic for the 11C-label, and deuteration opens up the possibility for the proton-abstracting processes within the citric acid cycle to be assessed.

Synthesis of N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-1-(2-chlorophenyl)isoquinoline-3-[11C]carboxamide ([11C-carbonyl]PK11195) and some analogues using [11C]carbon monoxide and 1-(2-chlorophenyl)isoquinolin-3-yl triflate

The benzodiazepine receptor ligand, N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-1-(2-chlorophenyl)isoquinoline-3-carboxamide (PK11195), and five structurally related analogues were 11C-labelled via a palladium-mediated carbonylation using [11C]carbon monoxide, 1-(2-chlorophenyl)isoquinolin-3-yl trifluoromethanesulfonate and various amines. The 11C-labelled products were obtained with decay-corrected radiochemical yields in the range of 10–55% and with high specific radioactivity (e.g. 200–900 GBq µmol−1). The radiochemical purity of the final products exceeded 98%. In a typical experiment starting with 3.75 GBq [11C]carbon monoxide, 0.57 GBq of LC-purified products were obtained within 35 min of the start of the carbonylation reaction. For confirmation of the labelling position, N-(1-methylethyl)-1-(2-chlorophenyl)-isoquinoline-3-(13C)carboxamide was prepared and analysed by NMR. The precursor 1-(2-chlorophenyl)isoquinolin-3-yl trifluoromethanesulfonate was synthesised in five steps starting from 2-chlorobenzophenone. The precursor N-methyl-sec-butylamine was prepared from sec-butylamine by the reaction with ethyl chloroformate followed by reduction with LiAlH4. The non-radioactive reference compounds for the analogues were synthesised from 1-(2-chlorophenyl)isoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid and the appropriate amines.

Effect of 6R-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin and infusion of L-tyrosine on the in vivo L-[beta-11C] DOPA disposition in the monkey brain.

The effect of 6R-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (6R-BH4) and L-tyrosine infusion on [11C]dopamine synthesis was analyzed in the striatum of Rhesus using positron emission tomography (PET). The rate for decarboxylation from L-[beta-11C]DOPA to [11C]dopamine was calculated using a graphical method with cerebellum as a reference region. Although the peripheral administration of 6R-BH4 at low dose (2 mg/kg) did not provide a significant increase in the rate of dopamine biosynthesis, a high dose of 6R-BH4 (20 mg/kg) induced an elevation of the rate. This 6R-BH4-induced elevation of the dopamine synthesis rate was further dose-dependently enhanced by the continuous infusion of L-tyrosine (0.2 and 1.0 mumol/min/kg). L-Tyrosine infusion with a rate of 1.0 mumol/min/kg caused an enhancement of the rate even during low dose administration of 6R-BH4 (2 mg/kg). L-Tyrosine infusion alone did not induce any elevation of the dopamine biosynthesis rate. The analysis of plasma indicated that the metabolic ratios of L-[beta-11C]DOPA to each metabolite were not affected by 6R-BH4 and/or L-tyrosine infusion. The results suggest that the low dose loading of tyrosine facilitates the activity of 6R-BH4 on the presynaptic dopamine biosynthesis, and also that the combined effects can be monitored by PET using L-[beta-11C]DOPA as a biochemical probe.

Synthesis of [11C]/(13C)amines via carbonylation followed by reductive amination

Twelve 11C-labelled amines were prepared via 11C-carbonylation followed by reductive amination. The 11C-carbonylation was performed in the presence of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium using aryl iodides or aryl triflates, [11C]carbon monoxide and phenyl-/methylboronic acid. The [11C]ketones formed in this step were then transformed directly into amines by reductive amination using different amines in the presence of TiCl4 and NaBH3CN. The 11C-labelled amines were obtained with decay-corrected radiochemical yields in the range 2-78%. The radiochemical purity of the isolated products exceeded 98%. (13C)Benzhydryl-phenyl-amine was synthesised and analysed by NMR spectroscopy for confirmation of the labelling position. Specific radioactivity was determined for the same compound. The reference compounds were prepared by reductive amination of ketones using conventional reaction conditions and three of the compounds were novel. The presented approach is a new method for the synthesis of [11C]/(13C)amines.

Uptake and utilization of [beta-11C]5-hydroxytryptophan in human brain studied by positron emission tomography.

The immediate precursor in the serotonin synthetic route, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), labeled with 11C in the beta position, has become available for studies using positron emission tomography (PET) to examine serotonin formation in human brain. Normalized uptake and intracerebral utilization of tracer amounts of [beta-11C]5-HTP were studied twice in six healthy male volunteers, three of them before and after pharmacological pretreatments. The kinetic model defines regional utilization as the relative regional radioactivity accumulation rate. Repeat studies showed good reproducibility. Pretreatments with benserazide, p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), and unlabeled 5-HTP all significantly increased uptake of [beta-11C]5-HTP. The utilization rates in both striatal and frontal cortex were higher than those in the surrounding brain, indicating that PET studies using [beta-11C]5-HTP as a ligand quantitate selective processes in the utilization of 5-HTP. We tentatively interpret uptake and utilization as a measure of brain serotonin turnover, the selectivity of which was shown by pharmacological interventions in vivo.

Effect of 6R-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin on in vivo L-[β-11C]DOPA turnover in the rat striatum with infusion of L-tyrosine

L-[11C]DOPA, combined with positron emission tomography (PET), has made possible the assessment of dopamine turnover in vivo. Before the evaluation of PET study with L-[11C]DOPA in the primate, the effect of 6R-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (6R-BH4) and/or L-tyrosine infusion on L-[11C]DOPA turnover was analyzed in the rat striatal tissue and in the striatal extracellular fluid using microdialysis. L-[11C]DOPA was rapidly taken up into the brain after intravenous injection and converted to [11C]dopamine, [11C]DOPAC and [11C]HVA in the striatal tissue. Small amount of 3-O-methyl-[11C]DOPA, a product of DOPA by 3-O-methylation in peripheral tissues, was also detected in the striatal tissue. The striatum/cerebellum ratio of total radioactivity uptake was linear against time up to 40 min after L-[11C]DOPA injection. The uptake ratio, increased by 6R-BH4 administration, was further increased by L-tyrosine infusion. The in vivo microdialysis technique was further applied to determine L-[11C]DOPA and its metabolites in striatal extracellular fluid (ECF). The peripheral administration of 6R-BH4 (50mg/kg) induced elevation of [11C]DOPA concentration in ECF in the early phase after injection, following higher radioactivity in [11C]dopamine and [11C]HVA fractions than those in control animals at late phase. The 6R-BH4-induced elevation of [11C]DOPA uptake and the radioactivity of its metabolites was further enhanced by the continuous infusion of L-tyrosine at a dose of 1.0 μmol/min/kg. L-Tyrosine infusion alone did not induce the elevation of radioactivity. The results suggest that [11C]DOPA might be a useful probe to evaluate the effect of 6R-BH4 and/or L-tyrosine loading in the primate.

[11C]Carbon monoxide in the palladium-mediated synthesis of11C-labelled ketones

[11C]Carbon monoxide has been used in the npalladium-mediated synthesis of n[carbonyl-11C]ketones. Methyl iodide, vinylic and narylic halides and trifluoromethanesulfonates (triflates) have been ncoupled with tin reagents with insertion of [11C]carbon nmonoxide at very low concentrations (10–100 nmol n[11C]CO in a total volume of 10 ml). The labelled products nare obtained in 36–62% isolated decay-corrected radiochemical nyields within 30 min of the end of radionuclide production. In order to nuse [11C]carbon monoxide efficiently, a gas handling system nhas been developed which allows the radioactive gas to recirculate nthrough the reaction media. The reactions are performed using a one pot nprocedure. The best results are achieved with mixed tin reagents ncontaining an unsaturated transferable substituent and nPd(AsPh3)4. In a typical experiment starting from n25 GBq of [11C]carbon dioxide, 4.2 GBq (47%) of n[carbonyl-11C]acetophenone 1 is obtained 30 min nafter the end of radionuclide production. The specific radioactivity of n1 is 91 GBq µmol-1. n[carbonyl-13C]Benzophenone 6 has been synthesised nusing the same approach to verify the position of the label.

Synthesis of fatty acids specifically labelled with 11C in various positions, including 2H substitution, for in vivo studies of myocardium using PET

Fatty acids were labelled with 11C in several positions by reacting [11C]carbon dioxide with the appropriate Grignard reagent or by reacting a alpha, omega-bis-(bromo magnesium) alkane with a 11C-labelled alkyl iodide followed by a reaction with carbon dioxide. The methyl and methylene 11C-labelled fatty acids were obtained in 12-36% (decay corrected) radiochemical yield within 45-65 min, and with radiochemical purities higher than 96%. Perdeuterated alpha, omega-dibromo hexane, decane and tetradecane were synthesized from dimethylacetylene dicarboxylate by means of a Raney-nickel reduction in D2O, Kolbe electrolysis and LAD reduction. The use of multiple isotopic labelling by the combination of position specific 11C labelling and 2H substitution, has the potential to highlight different aspects of a complex biochemical system by PET. This principle is illustrated by results of the kinetics of different types of 11C label of dodecanoic acid and the corresponding moieties of acetate. The combination of tracers allows the kinetics of beta-oxidation of middle length carbon chain fatty acids and citric acid cycle metabolism to be separately assured, whilst deuteration of the tracers opens the possibility of highlighting the kinetics of the proton extraction processes reflecting rate limiting steps.