Studies on porphyrin related compounds and tumor tissue affinities. I. Synthesis of a carrier for tumor imaging agent, bifunctional chelating agent coupled porphyrin (ATN-2)

A carrier for a new tumor imaging agent, a bifunctional chelating agent (BCA)-coupled porphyrin (ATN-2), has been synthesized from protoporphyrin dimethyl ester in 4 steps. At first, the hydrobromination of protoporphyrin dimethyl ester is carried out to obtain a monobromo derivative. The derivative is treated with ethylene glycol. The resulting porphyrin has an ether group at the either 7- or 12-position of the ring. Metallation with GaCl3 of the porphyrin having a ethylene glycol residue affords Ga-metalloporphyrin. Final condensation of the metalloporphyrin with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DT-PA) gave BCA-coupled porphyrin (ATN-2). The chelation of ATN-2 with 111InCl3 easily afforded [111In]ATN-2. This agent was used for imaging transplantable pancreatic carcinoma in Syrian golden hamster at 72 h after postinjection. The efficacy of the new agent was compared with that of [67Ga]citrate. The images with [111In]ATN-2 were found to be clearer than those with [67Ga]citrate. Therefore, ATN-2, a carrier for 111InCl3, seems to be more useful for tumor imaging agents.