Spectroscopic,radiochemical, and theoretical studies of the Ga3+‐N‐2‐hydroxyethyl piperazine‐N′‐2‐ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES buffer) system: evidence for the formation of Ga3+‐ HEPES complexes in 68 Ga labeling reactions

Recent reports have claimed a superior performance of HEPES buffer in comparison to alternative buffer systems for ^67/68 Ga labeling in aqueous media. In this paper we report spectroscopic (¹H and ⁷¹ Ga NMR), radiochemical, mass spectrometry and theoretical modeling studies on the Ga³⁺/HEPES system (HEPES = N‐2‐hydroxyethylpiperazine‐N′‐2‐ethanesulfonic acid) performed with the aim of elucidating a potential contribution of HEPES in the ^68/67 Ga radiolabeling process. Our results demonstrate that HEPES acts as a weakly but competitive chelator of Ga³⁺ and that this interaction depends on the relative Ga³⁺: HEPES concentration. A by‐product formed in the labeling mixture has been identified as a [⁶⁸ Ga]Ga(HEPES) complex via chromatographic comparison with the nonradioactive analog. The formation of this complex was verified to compete with [⁶⁸ Ga]Ga(NOTA) complexation at low NOTA concentration. Putative chelation of Ga³⁺ by the hydroxyl and adjacent ring nitrogen of HEPES is proposed on the basis of ¹H NMR shifts induced by Ga³⁺ and theoretical modeling studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radiolabeling of a cyclic RGD (cyclo Arg‐Gly‐Asp‐d‐Tyr‐Lys) peptide using sodium hypochlorite as an oxidizing agent

A simple and rapid nonradioactive iodide labeling/radiolabeling method for peptides, using an inexpensive oxidizing agent such as sodium hypochlorite and a cyclic peptide, cRGDyK (cyclo Arg‐Gly‐Asp‐d‐Tyr‐Lys), was developed in this work. Labeling reaction was optimized by conducting experiments under variable ratios of the reagents, the reaction times, and the pH. The study demonstrated that radiolabeling of the cyclic peptide was fast and pH independent. Monoiodinated and di‐iodinated cRGDyK were formed under all conditions and varied with the ratio of the reagents and the reaction time. Total percent of the iodinated cRGDyK (monoiodinated and di‐iodinated cRGDyK) varied between 44 and 100 depending on the reaction conditions. Excess cyclic peptide over equal molar ratio of sodium iodide and sodium hypochlorite yielded in predominant amounts of monoiodinated cRGDyK, ie, >60% under 2:1:1 ratio and ~88% under 5:1:1 ratio of cRGDyK:sodium iodide:sodium hypochlorite.     

Temperature effects on the stereospecificity of nucleophilic fluorination: formation of trans‐[18F]4‐fluoro‐l‐proline during the synthesis of cis‐[18F]4‐fluoro‐l‐proline

Fluorine‐18 labeled (2S,4S)‐4‐fluoro‐l ‐proline (cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro) has been reported to be a potential positron emission tomography tracer to study abnormal collagen synthesis occurring in pulmonary fibrosis, osteosarcomas, mammary and colon carcinomas. In this paper, we report the stereospecific radiofluorination of (2S,4R)‐N‐tert‐butoxycarbonyl‐4‐(p‐toluenesulfonyloxy) proline methyl ester (at 110°C) to produce diastereomerically pure cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro in 38% radiochemical yield at the end of a 90‐min synthesis. Investigation of the effect of temperature on the stereospecificity of nucleophilic fluorination showed that diasteriomerically pure cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro or trans‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro was produced at lower temperatures (85°C–110°C) during the fluorination of (2S,4R) or (2S,4S) precursors, respectively. However, at higher temperatures (130°C–145°C), fluorination of (2S,4R) precursor produced a mixture of cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro and trans‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro diastereomers with cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro as the predominant isomer. Hydrolysis of the purified fluorinated intermediate was carried out either in one step, using 2 m triflic acid at 145°C for 10 min, or in two steps where the intermediate was heated in 1 m HCl at 110°C for 10 min followed by stirring at room temperature in 1 N NaOH for 5 min. The aqueous hydrolysis mixture was loaded onto an anion exchange column (acetate form for one‐step hydrolysis) or an ion retardation column (two‐step hydrolysis) followed by a C₁₈ Sep‐Pak® (Waters Corporation, Milford, MA, USA). Pure cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro was then eluted with sterile water. We also report that epimerization of cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro occurs during the two‐step hydrolysis (H⁺ followed by OH^?) of the intermediate, resulting in 5 ± 3% trans‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro, whereas the one‐step acid hydrolysis yielded pure cis‐[¹⁸F]4‐FPro in the final product. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new method of iodinating ovalbumin, a protein which lacks accessible tyrosine groups, by conjugation to a highly fluorescent coumarin active ester, CASE

A simple and efficient method is described to overcome the difficulty in radiolabelling ovalbumin and is applicable to any protein. Coumarin-3-acetic acid-N-OH-succinimidyl ester (CASE) binds directly to ovalbumin in aqueous solution to form covalent bonds with free amino groups. The attached CASE residues can then be radiolabelled by the chloramine-T method. This offers an inexpensive alternative to the Bolton and Hunter reagent with the advantage that CASE is fluorescent. This property, apart from direct use as a fluorescent tag, allows one to monitor the conjugate before radiolabelling. Below a conjugation ratio of 9:1, CASE-ovalbumin retained full antigenic identity with ovalbumin.     

Radiolabeling and brain penetration of [11C]VU0071063, a ligand of type 1 sulfonylurea receptors for positron emission tomography imaging

Sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) overexpression in the central nervous system is a potential biomarker for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of brain damage and recovery. VU0071063, a selective ligand of SUR1 able to cross the blood–brain barrier, was isotopically radiolabeled with carbon-11 from a desmethyl precursor obtained quantitatively in one step. Ready-to-inject [11C]VU0071063 was obtained in 18 ± 2% radiochemical yield and 103 ± 22 GBq/μmol molar activity. PET imaging in healthy rats demonstrated a significant brain penetration and rapid elimination of the tracer in vivo, encouraging further investigation in animal models of SUR1 overexpression.     

肺癌特异性靶向小分子多肽的131I标记及其在兔体内的动态显像

目的建立肺癌特异性靶向小分子多肽cNGQGEQc的131I标记方法,并通过SPECT动态显像以研究131I-cNGQGEQc在兔
体内的放射分布特性。方法采用氯胺-T法对N-端连接有酪氨酸的小分子多肽cNGQGEQc进行131I标记,利用纸层析法测定
131I-cNGQGEQc的标记率与放化纯度,并观察131I-cNGQGEQc在生理盐水（NS）和正常人血清中于37 ℃孵育24 h后的体外稳定
性及其脂水分配系数。应用SPECT对经耳缘静脉注入131I-cNGQGEQc的新西兰白兔进行显像,结合感兴趣区时间-放射性曲线
分析,观察家兔体内放射性动态分布变化。结果131I-cNGQGEQc 的标记率为90%,经HPLC 纯化后放化纯度为95%;
131I-cNGQGEQc在NS和正常人血清中其放化纯度分别为（93.12±1.18）%和（88.34±5.43）%。131I-cNGQGEQc的脂水分配系数
lg P（正辛醇∕生理盐水）为-1.75,提示所制备的标记多肽是水溶性的。兔SPECT动态显像示：l min双肾即显影,5 min心、肝影开
始减弱,膀胱显影,随后膀胱影持续增强,30 min后软组织影逐渐减弱;胆囊未显影,腹部呈持续低放射分布;甲状腺区及胃未见
明显核素浓聚;各组织器官T-A曲线均随时间逐渐下降。结论131I-cNGQGEQc的制备方法简便,标记率高（>90%）,在体外具有
良好的稳定性;131I-cNGQGEQc为水溶性,主要经泌尿系统排泄,具有比较理想的体内分布特性。本实验结果为进一步的肺癌
荷瘤裸鼠放射性标记多肽的靶向定位诊断与治疗提供实验基础。