Automated radiosynthesis of two 18F-labeled tracers containing 3-fluoro-2-hydroxypropyl moiety, [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3, via [18F]epifluorohydrin

Background [18F]Fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) and 1-[18F]fluoro-3-((2-((1E,3E)-4-(6-(methylamino)pyridine-3-yl)buta-1,3-dien-1-yl)benzo[d]thiazol-6-yl)oxy)propan-2-ol ([18F]PM-PBB3 or [18F]APN-1607) are clinically used radiotracers for imaging hypoxia and tau pathology, respectively. Both radiotracers were produced by direct 18F-fluorination using the corresponding tosylate precursors 1 or 2 and [18F]F−, followed by the removal of protecting groups. In this study, we synthesized [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3 by 18F-fluoroalkylation using [18F]epifluorohydrin ([18F]5) for clinical applications. Results First, [18F]5 was synthesized by the reaction of 1,2-epoxypropyl tosylate (8) with [18F]F− and was purified by distillation. Subsequently, [18F]5 was reacted with 2-nitroimidazole (6) or PBB3 (7) as a precursor for 18F-labeling, and each reaction mixture was purified by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography and formulated to obtain the [18F]FMISO or [18F]PM-PBB3 injection. All synthetic sequences were performed using an automated 18F-labeling synthesizer. The obtained [18F]FMISO showed sufficient radioactivity (0.83 ± 0.20 GBq at the end of synthesis (EOS); n = 8) with appropriate radiochemical yield based on [18F]F− (26 ± 7.5 % at EOS, decay-corrected; n = 8). The obtained [18F]PM-PBB3 also showed sufficient radioactivity (0.79 ± 0.10 GBq at EOS; n = 11) with appropriate radiochemical yield based on [18F]F− (16 ± 3.2 % at EOS, decay-corrected; n = 11). Conclusions Both [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3 injections were successfully synthesized with sufficient radioactivity by 18F-fluoroalkylation using [18F]5.

Automated radiosynthesis of two 18F-labeled tracers containing 3-fluoro-2-hydroxypropyl moiety, [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3, via [18F]epifluorohydrin

Background [18F]Fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) and 1-[18F]fluoro-3-((2-((1E,3E)-4-(6-(methylamino)pyridine-3-yl)buta-1,3-dien-1-yl)benzo[d]thiazol-6-yl)oxy)propan-2-ol ([18F]PM-PBB3 or [18F]APN-1607) are clinically used radiotracers for imaging for hypoxia and tau pathology, respectively. Both radiotracers were produced by direct [18F]fluorination using the corresponding tosylate precursors 1 or 2 and [18F]F−, followed by the removal of protecting groups. In this study, we synthesized [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3 by [18F]fluoroalkylation using [18F]epifluorohydrin ([18F]5) for clinical applications. Results First, [18F]5 was synthesized by the reaction of 1,2-epoxypropyl tosylate (8) with [18F]F− and was purified by distillation. Subsequently, [18F]5 was reacted with 2-nitroimidazole (6) or PBB3 (7) as a precursor for 18F-labeling, and each reaction mixture was refined by semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography and formulation to obtain the [18F]FMISO or [18F]PM-PBB3 injection. All synthetic sequences were performed using an automated 18F-labeling synthesizer. The [18F]FMISO thus obtained showed sufficient radioactivity (0.83 ± 0.20 GBq at the end of synthesis; n = 8) with appropriate radiochemical yield based on [18F]F− (26 ± 7.5% at the end of irradiation with decay-corrected; n = 8). [18F]PM-PBB3 thus obtained showed sufficient radioactivity (0.79 ± 0.10 GBq; n = 11) with appropriate radiochemical yield based on [18F]F− (16 ± 3.2% at the end of irradiation with decay-corrected; n = 11). Conclusions Both [18F]FMISO and [18F]PM-PBB3 injections were successfully synthesized with sufficient radioactivity by [18F]fluoroalkylation using [18F]5.

GMP-compliant fully automated radiosynthesis of [18F]FEPPA for PET/MRI imaging of regional brain TSPO expression

Background Expression of translocator protein (TSPO) on the outer mitochondrial membrane of activated microglia is strongly associated with neuroinflammation. The second-generation PET ligand [18F]FEPPA specifically binds TSPO to enable in vivo visualization and quantification of neuroinflammation. We optimized a fully automated radiosynthesis method and evaluated the utility of [18F]FEPPA, the second-generation PET ligand specifically binds TSPO, in a mouse model of systemic LPS challenge to detect TSPO-associated signals of central and peripheral inflammation. In vivo dynamic PET/MR imaging was performed in LPS-induced and control mice after [18F]FEPPA administration. The relationship between the [18F]FEPPA signal and the dose of LPS was assessed. The cytokine levels (i.e., TNF-α, Il-1β, Il-6) in LPS-induced mice were measured by RT-PCR. Standard uptake value (SUV), total volume of distribution (VT) and area under the curve (AUC) were determined based on the metabolite-uncorrected plasma input function. Western blotting and immunostaining were used to measure TSPO expression in the brain. Results The fully automated [18F]FEPPA radiosynthesis produced an uncorrected radiochemical yield of 30 ± 2% within 80 min, with a radiochemical purity greater than 99% and specific activity of 148.9‒216.8 GBq/µmol. Significant differences were observed in the brain after [18F]FEPPA administration: SUV, VT and AUC were 1.61 ± 0.1, 1.25 ± 0.12 and 1.58 ± 0.09-fold higher in LPS-injected mice than controls. TNF-α, Il-1β and Il-6 mRNA levels were also elevated in the brains of LPS-injected mice. Western blotting revealed TSPO (p < 0.05) and Iba-1 (p < 0.01) were upregulated in the brain after LPS administration. In LPS-injected mice, TSPO immunoactivity colocalized with Iba-1 in the cerebrum and TSPO was significantly overexpressed in the hippocampus and cerebellum. The peripheral organs (heart, lung) of LPS-injected mice had higher [18F]FEPPA signal-to-noise ratios than control mice. Conclusions Based on the current data on ligand specificity and selectivity in central tissues using 7 T PET/MR imaging, we demonstrate that [18F]FEPPA accumulations significant increased in the specific brain regions of systemic LPS-induced neuroinflammation (5 mg/kg). Future investigations are needed to determine the sensitivity of [18F]FEPPA as a biomarker of neuroinflammation as well as the correlation between the PET signal intensity and the expression levels of TSPO.