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.