Comparative radiochemical and kinetic study of tumorotropic and renal99mTc-DMSA

A procedure for obtaining a stable^99mTc(V)-DMSA kit and methods for its radiochemical and biological control are described. The effect of pH on radiopharmaceutical stability of the complex was studied. The kinetic parameters of^99mTc(V)-DMSA were determined on rats and compared to the corresponding values for renal^99mTC-DMSA. Clinical tests showed that^99mTc(V)-DMSA is suitable agent for detecting the primary medullar carcinoma of thyroid, as well as for detection of thyroid metastasis.     

99mTc放射性药物中的配位化学

在99mTc间接标记放射性药物中双功能螯合剂起到重要的连接作用,其在很大程度上决定了放射性药物的理化性质。99mTc标记放射性药物中常用的双功能螯合剂大都含有N、S、P等杂原子,本文以与锝核配位杂原子的不同对双功能螯合剂进行分类,分别对NxS(4-x)型配体、“3＋1”混合配体、含膦配体以及以[99mTc(CO)3]+为配位中心的99mTc放射性药物逐一进行介绍。     

Preparation and biological evaluation of the new chlorin photosensitizer T3,4BCPC for detection and treatment of tumors

The new water-soluble photosensitizer 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3,4-bis(carboxymethyleneoxy)phenyl]chlorin (T3,4BCPC) has been prepared, characterized and labeled with 99mTc radionuclide. The radiotracer was evaluated for tissue distribution in Wistar rats. Accumulation of administrated activities in the liver, kidney, bladder and large intestine at 4 h post-injection indicated that the labeled ligand was largely eliminated through the renal and partly through the hepatobiliary system. In vivo biodistribution studies of the labeled compound were carried out in rodent and murine tumor models in comparison with other tumor-seeking radiopharmaceuticals such as 99mTc(V)-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), 201thallous chloride (TlCl) and 99mTc-citrate using a gamma camera computer system. In N-nitrosomethylurea (NMU)-induced rat mammary tumors, the labeled ligand showed a five-fold tumor to muscle (T/M) ratio compared to 99mTc(V)-DMSA (3-fold) and 201TlCl (3-fold). In the case of C(3)H/J virus-induced spontaneous mammary tumors, the differences were not marked. However, in the transplanted rat C(6)-glioma, the T/M ratio of the labeled compound was appreciably higher (four-fold) than that noted with 99mTc(V)-DMSA (two-fold), 201TlCl (three-fold) and 99mTc-citrate (more than three-fold). These findings suggest that the radiolabeled T3,4BCPC may have potential for the detection of cancer. In order to ascertain the efficacy of the compound for photodynamic therapy applications, a preclinical PDT study was carried out in fibrosarcoma-bearing mice after injecting 5.0 mg/kg body weight of the T3,4BCPC. A laser dose of 20 mW for 60 s resulted in 80% destruction of tumors. These data suggest that this molecule could be useful for PDT of cancer. The labeled agent could also be useful in monitoring the progression/regression of tumors before, during, and after chemotherapy, radiation therapy or PDT.     

Tumor affinity of 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals, 99mTc-Sn-urokinase and 99mTc-Sn-mannitol

Biolgic distribution of 99mTc-labeled fibrinolytic agent, urokinase, and 99mTc-labeled mannitol, which was obtained as a side-product in the preparation of 99mTc(Sn)-urokinase, have been studied in Ehrlich's tumor-bearing mice to get a promising indicator for the positive delineation of malignant tumor. The preparation of 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals, 99mTc-UK and 99mTc-Man, was made by the reduction with stannous chloride and labeling efficiency was examined by Sephadex G-25M gel chromatography and by silica gel plate thin layer chromatography. Labeling yield of 99mTc-UK by Sephadex G25M in 0.9% NaCl eluant was 13% and that of 99mTc-Man by TLC in 85% methanol solvent was over 95%. A higher uptake to the implanted solid tumor tissue in mice was found in 99mTc-Man than in 99mTc-UK, of which the excellent tumor accumulation was expected from the positive delineation of malignant tumor with 131I-fibrinogen, 131I-fibrinogen antibody and 125I-plasmin. The poor result in 99mTc-UK, however, may be attributed to the poor fibrinolytic activity of Ehrlich's tumor. In biologic distribution of 99mTc-UK was found high concentration for liver kidney and stomach. In the other hand, a higher tumor tissue uptake, a fast blood disappearance and a low concentration for different organs were found in biologic distribution of 99mTc-Man. Therefore, 99mTc-Man may be assumed as a more preferable 99mTc-labeled tumor localizing radiopharmaceuticals, to which it would be needed as absolute biologic characteristics that 99mTc-labeled compounds possess a high tumor uptake as well as a fast blood disappearance with a low uptake for different organs. However, the possible delineation with 99mTc-labeled fibrinolytic agents, including urokinase and streptokinase, may be promised for malignant tumors in human-subject, which generally have a higher activity in fibrinogenesis than in fibrinolysis.     

Metallic radionuclides in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals

Metallic radionuclides are the mainstay of both diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Therapeutic nuclear medicine is less advanced but has tremendous potential if the radionuclide is accurately targeted. Great interest exists in the field of inorganic chemistry for developing target specific radiopharmaceuticals based on radiometals for non-invasive disease detection and cancer radiotherapy. This perspective will focus on the nuclear properties of a few important radiometals and their recent applications to developing radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and therapy. Other topics for discussion will include imaging techniques, radiotherapy, analytical techniques, and radiation safety. The ultimate goal of this perspective is to introduce inorganic chemists to the field of nuclear medicine and radiopharmaceutical development, where many applications of fundamental inorganic chemistry can be found.     

Trifunctional 99mTc based radiopharmaceuticals: metal-mediated conjugation of a peptide with a nucleus targeting intercalator

The development of molecular imaging agents with multiple functions has become a major trend in radiopharmaceutical chemistry. We present herein the syntheses of trifunctional compounds, combining an acridine orange (AO) based intercalator with a GRP receptor specific bombesin like peptide (BBN). Metal-mediated conjugation of these two functions via the [2 + 1] approach to the third function, the [M(CO)(3)](+) (M = (99m)Tc, Re) moiety, yielded the final trifunctional molecules. The strongly fluorescent acridine orange, a nuclear targeting agent, has been derivatised with 4-imidazolecarboxylate as a bidentate ligand and bombesin with an isonitrile group as a monodentate ligand. For cell and nuclear uptake studies, [Re(L(1)-BBN)(L(2)-Ical)(CO)(3)] type complexes were synthesized and characterized. For radiopharmaceutical purposes, the (99m)Tc analogues have been prepared in a stepwise synthesis. Fluorescence microscopy studies on PC-3 cells, bearing the BBN receptor, showed high and rapid uptake into the cytoplasm. For the bifunctional molecule, lacking the BBN peptide, no internalization was observed.     

MO tripeptide diastereomers (M=99/99mTc, Re): models to identify the structure of 99mTc peptide targeted radiopharmaceuticals

Biologically active molecules, such as many peptides, serve as targeting vectors for radiopharmaceuticals based on 99mTc. Tripeptides can be suitable chelates and are easily and conveniently synthesized and linked to peptide targeting vectors through solid-phase peptide synthesis and form stable TcVO complexes. Upon complexation with [TcO]3+, two products form; these are syn and anti diastereomers, and they often have different biological behavior. This is the case with the approved radiopharmaceutical [99mTcO]depreotide ([99mTcO]P829, NeoTect) that is used to image lung cancer. [99mTcO]depreotide indeed exhibits two product peaks in its HPLC profile, but assignment of the product peaks to the diastereomers has proven to be difficult because the metal peptide complex is difficult to crystallize for structural analysis. In this study, we isolated diastereomers of [99TcO] and [ReO] complexes of several tripeptide ligands that model the metal chelator region of [99mTcO]depreotide. Using X-ray crystallography, we observed that the early eluting peak (A) corresponds to the anti diastereomer, where the Tc=O group is on the opposite side of the plane formed by the ligand backbone relative to the pendant groups of the tripeptide ligand, and the later eluting peak (B) corresponds to the syn diastereomer, where the Tc=O group is on the same side of the plane as the residues of the tripeptide. 1H NMR and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy report on the metal environment and prove to be diagnostic for syn or anti diastereomers, and we identified characteristic features from these techniques that can be used to assign the diastereomer profile in 99mTc peptide radiopharmaceuticals like [99mTcO]depreotide and in 188Re peptide radiotherapeutic agents. Crystallography, potentiometric titration, and NMR results presented insights into the chemistry occurring under physiological conditions. The tripeptide complexes where lysine is the second amino acid crystallized in a deprotonated metallo-amide form, possessing a short N1-M bond. The pKa measurements of the N1 amine (pKa approximately 5.6) suggested that this amine is rendered more acidic by both metal complexation and the presence of the lysine residue. Furthermore, peptide chelators incorporating a lysine (like the chelator of [TcO]depreotide) likely exist in the deprotonated form in vivo, comprising a neutral metal center. Deprotonation possibly mediates the interconversion process between the syn and anti diastereomers. The N1 amine group on non-lysine-containing metallopeptides is not as acidic (pKa approximately 6.8) and does not deprotonate and crystallize as do the metallo-amide species. Three of the tripeptide ligands (FGC, FSC, and FKC) were radiolabeled with 99mTc, and the individual syn and anti isomers were isolated for biodistribution studies in normal female nude mice. The main organs of uptake were the liver, intestines, and kidneys, with the FGC compounds exhibiting the highest liver uptake. In comparing the diastereomers, the syn compounds had substantially higher organ uptake and slower blood clearance than the anti compounds.     

Accurate technetium-99 determination using the combination of TEVA resin pretreatment and ICP-MS measurement and its influence on the Tc-99/Cs-137 scaling factor calculation

Accurate determination of technetium-99 (Tc-99) is very important because any overestimation will cause the examined radioactive wastes to be categorized into super C class, which dramatically increases the cost of waste management. Herein, we demonstrated that by adopting the analytical method comprising TEVA resin pretreatment and ICP-MS measurement, the determined Tc-99 concentrations in representative waste stream samples from the Lan-Yu low-level radioactive waste temporary storage site in Taiwan were approximately two orders of magnitude lower than those determined from the beta radiation measurement using a low background liquid scintillation counter. Two important concerns emerged from our results. First, severe interferences from other nuclides residing in the matrix considerably affect the determination of Tc-99, even when a low background liquid scintillation counter was used. Second, the currently used Tc-99/Cs-137 scaling factor should be carefully revised, or it might lead to a considerable overestimation of the Tc-99 concentration.     

The interactions of99mTc phosphorus radiopharmaceuticals and human serum proteins

Dialysis and precipitation methods have been used to study the binding affinity of selected technetium-99m phosphorus radiopharmaceuticals to human serum proteins. The binding affinities of three different^99mTc bone imaging agents were found to be inversely related to their respective clearance rates from blood in vivo. The binding order showed^99mTcPPi>^99mTcHEDP>^99mTcMDP. The^99mTc phosphorus radiopharmaceuticals were bound primarily to alpha globulins. The results suggest that the binding of^99mTc phosphorus radiopharmaceuticals to human serum proteins in blood is largely determined by their affinities to the alpha globulins.     

Preparation of (99m)Tc labeled vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and biodistribution in rats

The aim of this study was to label ascorbic acid with (99m)Tc and to investigate its radiopharmaceutical potential in rats. Ascorbic acid was labeled with (99m)Tc using the stannous chloride method. The radiochemical purity of [(99m)Tc]ascorbic acid ((99m)Tc-AA) was determined by RTLC, paper electrophoresis, and RHPLC methods. The labeling yield was found to be 93+/-5.0%. The maximum labeling yield of (99m)Tc-AA was determined at pH 5 and 25 degrees C. The biodistribution studies related to (99m)Tc-AA were done in male albino Wistar rats. (99m)Tc-AA, which has a specific activity of 13.02 GBq/mmol, was administered into the tail vein of the rats. The rats were sacrificed at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min after the injection by heart puncture under ether anaesthesia. The organs were weighed after removal. Their activities were counted using a Cd(Te) detector equipped with a RAD 501 count system. The %ID/g (% of injected dose per gram of tissue weight) in each organ and in blood was calculated. Maximum uptake of (99m)Tc-AA was observed in prostate and kidneys at the 60th min. (99m)Tc-AA may be a promising radiopharmaceutical for the imaging of prostate and kidneys.     

Biodistribution of the bone imaging agents99mTc-DHPE and99mTc-MDP in rats

The self life of the freeze-dried formulation kits utilized for the preparation of the new bone imaging radiopharmaceutical^99mTc-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-bis/dihydroxyphosphinyl/ethane /^99mTc-DHPE/ has been investigated as well as the toxicity of the DHPE. In a biodistribution investigation of^99mTc-DHPE in rats, in comparison to^99mTc-methylenediphosphanate /^99mTc-MDP/,^99mTc-DHPE exhibited a certain extent higher skeleton uptake, a higher blood clearance rate, a very low concentration in other organs, a satisfactory biological stability and excretion primarily through the kidneys. These properties demonstrate that^99mTc-DHPE is a new promising skeleton imaging radio-pharmaceutical.     

Synthesis and evaluation of a series of 99mTc-labelled zoledronic acid derivatives as potential bone seeking agents

Developing novel superior bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals for the detection of malignant bone lesions could further improve the diagnostic value of routine bone scanning. A series of radiolabeled diphosphonates (^99mTc-EIPrDP, ^99mTc-EIBDP and ^99mTc-EIPeDP) have been designed and synthesized successfully in high chemical yields and radiochemical purity. The in vitro and in vivo biological properties were systematically investigated and compared. The biodistribution in mice shows that ^99mTc-EIPrDP has higher bone uptake (13.3 ± 1.23) than those of ^99mTc-EIBDP and ^99mTc-EIPeDP (11.7 ± 0.28 and 8.69 ± 0.04 %ID/g) at 1–2 h post injection. It also has the highest uptake ratio of bone to muscle, spleen and heart, respectively, and faster blood clearance in early times. The present study indicates that ^99mTc-EIPrDP holds great promise as a bone imaging agent.     

99mTcN核标记的新型心肌灌注显像剂的研究

通过配体交换反应制备了[99mTcN(PNP5)(DEDC)]+和[99mTcN(PNP5)(DPODC)]+两种新配合物, 其放化纯度均大于90%. 生物性能研究结果表明: 两种配合物在小鼠心肌中的初始摄取高, 肝、肺等非靶组织清除快, 靶/非靶比高, 有利于早期心肌显像. 其中, [99mTcN(PNP5)(DEDC)]+在小鼠中的性质较优, 且其在狗体内的性质接近99mTc-tetrofosmin, 有望成为一种新型心肌灌注显像剂.     

In vitro evaluation of apoptosis detection by 99mTc-tetrofosmin in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line

Radiolabeled molecules have an important role to evaluate tumor characteristics such as aggressiveness, and to identify the effectiveness of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Various radionuclide (¹⁸F, ^99mTc, ¹²⁴I) labeled molecules can be used apoptosis detection by estimating decrescendos cell viability after therapy. ^99mTc-tetrofosmin which is used as a myocardial perfusion imaging agent in routine and at the same time is known to accumulate in various tumors including breast tumor. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of ^99mTc-tetrofosmin for monitoring the early response of MCF-7 breast cancer to chemotherapy. To evaluate the role of ^99mTc-tetrofosmin in vitro chemotherapy, the uptake ratio was determined using MCF-7 breast cancer line after the cells had been treated with cisplatin. When we examined the apoptotic ratios which induced with different dose of cisplatin in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by using Annexin V and TUNEL methods, it was observed that the rate of apoptosis increased with soaring dose. The uptake rates of ^99mTc-tetrofosmin in MCF-7 cell line in the chemotherapeutic groups were lower than it is in the control group (p < 0.01). The negative correlation between uptake ratios and apoptotic rates shows that ^99mTc-tetrofosmin may be used a radiopharmaceutical for evaluating chemotherapy response. ^99mTc-tetrofosmin might be probably useful as an imaging agent for estimation of early chemotherapy response in breast cancer.     

Common Shortcomings in Study on Radiopharmaceutical Design Research: A Case Study of 99mTc-Labelled Methotrexate

The aim of the work carried out was to draw attention to shortcomings that often appear at the stage of designing new radiopharmaceuticals. Based on a case study of ^99mTc-labelled methotrexate, this article describes frequent mistakes or misconceptions present not only in the referenced studies, but also in numerous radiopharmaceutical studies. The recommendations provided in this article highlight fundamental aspects of the credibility of radiopharmaceutical scientific research leading to the reliable results.     

64Cu放射性药物化学

64Cu半衰期为12.7 h,其衰变过程既发射β+粒子(β+,0.655 MeV,17.8%),又发射β-粒子(β-,0.573 MeV,38.4%)。近20年来,随着铜配位化学的发展,新型配体不断出现(如DOTA、TETA、NOTA、CB-TE2A、C3B-DO2A等)。Cu(Ⅱ)的络合物在生物体内/外的稳定性不断提高,64Cu已经成功标记在氨基酸、多肽、蛋白、核酸等分子以及纳米颗粒上。64Cu可制成正电子显像药物用作诊断,同时也有发展为放射性治疗药物的潜力。新型铜配体和标记方法以及新的药物靶标的研究已经成为64Cu放射性药物研究的热点,至今已研制出了多种64Cu标记的放射性药物,如64Cu-ATSM是有效的肿瘤乏氧显像剂,64Cu-PTSM是优良的血流示踪剂等。本文旨在介绍64Cu(Ⅱ)几种主要类型的含氮配体以及64Cu标记的放射性药物在显像和治疗方面的最新研究进展,并展望其发展趋势。     

Development of 99mTc-labelled complexes for imaging dopamine transporters in the brain

Technetium-99m (T_1/2=6h, 140keV) is the most commonly used short-lived radionuclide for diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging. It is important from an inorganic chemistry point of view to develop novel ligands and chelation chemistry associated with this radionuclide, because many patients could potentially benefit from advances in technetium chemistry. Recent studies showed that formation of tropane derivatives containing a neutral [Tc^VO]³⁺N₂S₂ complex are useful as dopamine transporter imaging agents. These agents may be important for the imaging of patients with Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.     

Syntheses of Two Potential Ligands for Tc-99m Labeling as Diagnosis Agents of Alzheimer''''s Disease

Two types of ligands-biphenyl and stilbene derivatives, whichcan be labeled with Tc-99m for the diagnosis of Alzheimer'sdisease (AD) have been synthesized successfully. The key stepsin these two syntheses involved Suzuki reaction and Wittig reac-tion respectively. The new discovered debromination reactionmay be expanded to the compounds with double or triple bondadjacent to the carbon atom bearing the bromine atoms. Thesetypes of syntheses provide a route to a series of biphenyl andstilbene derivatives that will benefit the search of new imagingagents for AD.     

Standardization of quality control methods for99mTc radiopharmaceuticals

Physico-chemical characterization of^99mTc-radiopharmaceuticals is presented. Limiting pH values, iso-osmotic pressure and the apparent coefficient values between two immiscible phases are determined too. A selection of radiochromatographic methods /stationary or mobile phase/ for routine quality control of^99mTc radiopharmaceuticals for radiochemical purity was made. The methods chosen are simple, accurate, sufficiently sensitive and fast in operation. The mean values were determined for^99mTc radiopharmaceutical distribution per organs, characteristic for the tested preparates and for radiochemical purity, as well as the time interval from injection to sacrifice of the animals.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel technetium-99m-labeled HYNIC-d-glucose as a potential tumor imaging agent

A conjugate of 6-hydrazinopyridine-3-carboxylic acid (HYNIC) with the d-Glucosamine Hydrochloride (DG) was synthesized though a multiple-step reaction. HYNIC-DG could be labeled successfully and efficiently with ^99mTc using N-[2-hydroxy-1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)ethyl]glycine (tricine) and ethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetic acid (EDDA) or tricine and triphenylphosphine-3,3′,3″-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt (TPPTS) as co-ligands to form two ^99mTc-HYNIC-DG complexes ^99mTc-(t/E)HYNIC-DG and ^99mTc-(t/T)HYNIC-DG in high yields (>95 %). The partition coefficient and electrophoresis results indicated they were very hydrophilic and electronegative. The biodistribution studies of two ^99mTc-HYNIC-DG complexes in Kunming mice bearing S 180 tumor showed that ^99mTc-(t/T)HYNIC-DG has more favorable characteristics than ^99mTc-(t/E)HYNIC-DG. High tumor uptake, low or negligible accumulation in non-target organs, and good retention, suggesting ^99mTc-(t/T)HYNIC-DG would be a novel potential tumor imaging agent.