Zijing Li

Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel 18F Labeled 2-Pyridinylbenzoxazole and 2-Pyridinylbenzothiazole Derivatives as Ligands for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging of β-Amyloid Plaques

A series of fluoro-pegylated (FPEG) 2-pyridinylbenzoxazole and 2-pyridinylbenzothiazole derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as novel β-amyloid (Aβ) imaging probes for PET. They displayed binding affinities for Aβ(1-42) aggregates that varied from 2.7 to 101.6 nM. Seven ligands with high affinity were selected for (18)F labeling. In vitro autoradiography results confirmed the high affinity of these radiotracers. In vivo biodistribution experiments in normal mice indicated that the radiotracers with a short FPEG chain (n = 1) displayed high initial uptake into and rapid washout from the brain. One of the 2-pyridinylbenzoxazole derivatives, [(18)F]-5-(5-(2-fluoroethoxy)benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)-N-methylpyridin-2-amine ([(18)F]32) (K(i) = 8.0 ± 3.2 nM) displayed a brain(2min)/brain(60min) ratio of 4.66, which is highly desirable for Aβ imaging agents. Target specific binding of [(18)F]32 to Aβ plaques was validated by ex vivo autoradiographic experiment with transgenic model mouse. Overall, [(18)F]32 is a promising Aβ imaging agent for PET and merits further evaluation in human subjects.

Novel Cyclopentadienyl Tricarbonyl Complexes of 99mTc Mimicking Chalcone as Potential Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Imaging Probes for β-Amyloid Plaques in Brain

Rhenium and technetium-99m cyclopentadienyl tricarbonyl complexes mimicking the chalcone structure were prepared. These complexes were proved to have affinity to β-amyloid (Aβ) in fluorescent staining on brain sections of Alzheimers Disease (AD) patient and binding assay using Aβ(1-42) aggregates, with K(i) values ranging from 899 to 108 nM as the extension of conjugated π system. In vitro autoradiograpy on sections of transgenic mouse brain confirmed the affinity of [(99m)Tc]5 (K(i) = 108 nM). In biodistribution, all compounds showed good initial uptakes into the brain and fast blood clearance, while the decreasing of initial brain uptakes correspond to increasing of conjugation length, from 4.10 ± 0.38% ID/g ([(99m)Tc]3) to 1.11 ± 0.34% ID/g ([(99m)Tc]5). These small technetium-99m complexes (<500 Da) designed by an integrated approach provide encouraging evidence that development of a promising (99m)Tc-labeled agent for imaging Aβ plaques in the brain may be feasible.

Peptide-based imaging agents for cancer detection☆

Abstract Selective receptor‐targeting peptide based agents have attracted considerable attention in molecular imaging of tumor cells that overexpress corresponding peptide receptors due to their unique properties such as rapid clearance from circulation as well as high affinities and specificities for their targets. The rapid growth of chemistry modification techniques has enabled the design and development of various peptide‐based imaging agents with enhanced metabolic stability, favorable pharmacokinetics, improved binding affinity and selectivity, better imaging ability as well as biosafety. Among them, many radiolabeled peptides have already been translated into the clinic with impressive diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity. This review summarizes the current status in the development of peptide‐based imaging agents with an emphasis on the consideration of probe design including the identification of suitable peptides, the chemical modification of probes and the criteria for clinical translation. Specific examples in clinical trials have been provided as well with respect to their diagnostic capability compared with other FDA approved imaging agents. Graphical abstract Figure. No Caption available.

99mTc-labeled dibenzylideneacetone derivatives as potential SPECT probes for in vivo imaging of β-amyloid plaque

Four (99m)Tc-labeled dibenzylideneacetone derivatives and corresponding rhenium complexes were successfully synthesized and biologically evaluated as potential imaging probes for Aβ plaques using SPECT. All rhenium complexes (5a-d) showed affinity for Aβ(1-42) aggregates (Ki = 13.6-120.9 nM), and selectively stained the Aβ plaques on brain sections of transgenic mice. Biodistribution in normal mice revealed that [(99m)Tc]5a-d exhibited moderate initial uptake (0.31%-0.49% ID/g at 2 min) and reasonable brain washout at 60 min post-injection. Although additional optimizations are still needed to facilitate its penetration through BBB, the present results indicate that [(99m)Tc]5a may be a potential SPECT probe for imaging Aβ plaques in Alzheimers brains.

99mTc- and Re-labeled 6-dialkylamino-2-naphthylethylidene derivatives as imaging probes for β-amyloid plaques

Based on the conjugate strategy, two neutral (99m)Tc labeled 2-(1-(6-(dialkylamino)naphthalen-2-yl)ethylidene)malononitrile (DDNP) and 1-(6-(dialkylamino)naphthalen-2-yl)ethanone (ENE) derivatives, and their corresponding rhenium complexes were synthesized. In vitro fluorescent staining indicated that the corresponding rhenium derivatives selectively stained the β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in the brain sections of AD model mice with low background. Compared with FDDNP and FENE, the affinities of the corresponding rhenium derivatives to Aβ aggregates decreased about 10-14-fold. In vivo biodistribution experiments in normal mice showed that (99m)Tc-MAMA-ENE displayed medium initial brain uptake (0.65%ID/g at 2min) with a reasonable washout from the brain (0.19%ID/g at 2h) while (99m)Tc-MAMA-DDNP showed a low brain uptake (0.28%ID/g at 2 min). Further optimize these (99m)Tc-labeled tracers in order to improve their binding affinities to Aβ plaques and diffusion through the blood brain barrier may generate useful imaging agents for SPECT.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 4-benzylpiperazine ligands for sigma-1 receptor imaging.

We report the synthesis and evaluation of 4-benzylpiperazine ligands (BP-CH(3), BP-F, BP-Br, BP-I, and BP-NO(2)) as potential σ(1) receptor ligands. The X-ray crystal structure of BP-Br, which crystallized with monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, has been determined. In vitro competition binding assays showed that all the five ligands exhibit low nanomolar affinity for σ(1) receptors (K(i)=0.43-0.91nM) and high subtype selectivity (σ(2) receptor: K(i)=40-61nM; K(i)σ(2)/K(i)σ(1)=52-94). [(125)I]BP-I (1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-4-(4-iodobenzyl)piperazine) was prepared in 53±10% isolated radiochemical yield, with radiochemical purity of >99% by HPLC analysis after purification, via iododestannylation of the corresponding tributyltin precursor. The logD value of [(125)I]BP-I was found to be 2.98±0.17, which is within the range expected to give high brain uptake. Biodistribution studies in mice demonstrated relatively high concentration of radiolabeled substances in organs known to contain σ(1) receptors, including the brain, lung, kidney, heart, and spleen. Administration of haloperidol 5min prior to injection of [(125)I]BP-I significantly reduced the concentration of radioactivity in the above-mentioned organs. The accumulation of radiolabeled substance in the thyroid was quite low suggesting that [(125)I]BP-I is relatively stable to in vivo deiodination. These findings suggest that the binding of [(125)I]BP-I to σ(1) receptors in vivo is specific.

Novel 18F-labeled dibenzylideneacetone derivatives as potential positron emission tomography probes for in vivo imaging of β-amyloid plaques

A series of dibenzylideneacetones were synthesized and evaluated as imaging probes for β-amyloid plaques. They displayed high binding affinity to Aβ(1-42) aggregates (K(i) = 6.4 for 8, K(i) = 3.0 for 9), and the high binding were confirmed by in vitro autoradiography with AD human and transgenic mouse brain sections. Two of them were selected for (18)F-labeling directly on the benzene ring. In biodistribution experiments, [(18)F]8 and [(18)F]9 displayed high initial uptakes (9.29 ± 0.41 and 5.38 ± 0.68% ID/g) and rapid washouts from the normal brain (brain(2 min)/brain(60 min) ratios of 21.6 and 13.4). These preliminary results suggest that [(18)F]8 and [(18)F]9 may be used as potential PET imaging agents for the detection of Aβ plaques in the brain.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 18F-labled 2-phenylindole derivatives as PET imaging probes for β-amyloid plaques

A novel series of fluorinated 2-phenylindole derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as β-amyloid imaging probes for PET. The in vitro inhibition assay demonstrated that their binding affinities for Aβ(1-42) aggregates ranged from 28.4 to 1097.8 nM. One ligand was labeled with (18)F ([(18)F]1a) for its high affinity (K(i)=28.4 nM), which was also confirmed by in vitro autoradiography experiments on brain sections of transgenic mouse (C57BL6, APPswe/PSEN1, 11 months old, male). In vivo biodistribution experiments in normal mice showed that this radiotracer displayed high initial uptake (5.82±0.51% ID/g at 2 min) into and moderate washout (2.77±0.31% ID/g at 60 min) from the brain. [(18)F]1a could be developed as a promising new PET imaging probe for Aβ plaques although necessary modifications are still needed.

18F-Labeled 2-phenylquinoxaline derivatives as potential positron emission tomography probes for in vivo imaging of β-amyloid plaques

In continuation of our study on the 2-phenylquinoxaline scaffold as potential β-amyloid imaging probes, two [(18)F]fluoro-pegylated 2-phenylquinoxaline derivatives, 2-(4-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethoxy)phenyl)-N-methylquinoxalin-6-amine ([(18)F]4a) and 2-(4-(2-(2-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)phenyl)-N-methylquinoxalin-6-amine ([(18)F]4b) were prepared. Both of them displayed high binding affinity to Aβ(1-42) aggregates (K(i) = 10.0 ± 1.4 nM for 4a, K(i) = 5.3 ± 3.2 nM for 4b). The specific and high binding of [(18)F]4a and [(18)F]4b to Aβ plaques was confirmed by in vitro autoradiography on brain sections of AD human and transgenic mice. In biodistribution in normal mice, [(18)F]4a displayed high initial brain uptake (8.17% ID/g at 2 min) and rapid washout from the brain. These preliminary results suggest [(18)F]4a may be a potential PET imaging agent for Aβ plaques in the living human brain.

Radioiodinated Small-Molecule Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor for HER2-Selective SPECT Imaging

One of the most clinically relevant molecular aberrations in breast cancer is overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2). We aimed to develop a radiolabeled tyrosine kinase inhibitor for HER2-targeted breast cancer imaging. In this study, a radioiodinated analog (125/131I-IBA-CP) of the HER2-selective inhibitor CP724,714 was prepared and evaluated in HER2-positive or -negative subcutaneous human breast cancer xenografts. Methods: The CP724,714 analog IBA-CP was synthesized and assayed for its inhibitory activities against HER2 and 6 other tyrosine kinases. 125/131I-IBA-CP was prepared using a copper-mediated radioiodination method with enhanced labeling yield and molar activity. In vitro biologic activity, including specific and nonspecific binding of 131I-IBA-CP to its HER2 kinase target, was assessed in different cell lines. In vivo small-animal 125I-IBA-CP SPECT imaging and biodistribution studies were conducted on mice bearing HER2-positive, HER2-negative, or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive tumors. Nonradioactive IBA-CP and the EGFR inhibitor erlotinib were used as blocking agents to investigate the binding specificity and selectivity of 125/131I-IBA-CP toward HER2 in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, 125/131I-ICP was prepared by direct radioiodination of CP724,714 for comparison with 125/131I-IBA-CP. Results: IBA-CP displayed superior in vitro inhibitory activity (half-maximal inhibitory concentration, 16 nM) and selectivity for HER2 over 6 other cancer-related tyrosine kinases. 125/131I-IBA-CP was prepared in a typical radiochemical yield of about 65% (decay-corrected), radiochemical purity of more than 98%, and molar activity of 42 GBq/μmol at the end of synthesis. SPECT imaging revealed significantly higher uptake of 125I-IBA-CP than of 125I-ICP in the HER2-positive MDA-MB-453 tumors. Uptake in the HER2-negative MCF-7 tumors was much lower. Binding of 125I-IBA-CP in the MDA-MB-453 tumors was blocked by coinjection with an excess amount of IBA-CP, but not by erlotinib. Conclusion: The radiolabeled HER2-selective inhibitor 125/131I-IBA-CP is a promising probe for in vivo detection of HER2-positive tumors.