Synthesis and in vivo evaluation of a new PET radioligand for studying sigma-2 receptors

Bioorg Med Chem. 2005 Jun 1;13(11):3623-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2005.03.039.

Abstract

The cyclohexyl piperazine 1 (1-cyclohexyl-4-[3-(5-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yl)-propyl]-piperazine) has been shown to be a potent and selective sigma-2 receptor ligand. In the present study, we prepared [(11)C]1 by O-alkylation of the phenolic precursor 2 with [(11)C]CH(3)I. [(11)C]1 was obtained in a 29% non-decay corrected yield and specific activity of 9299 mCi/micromol calculated at end-of-synthesis. The biodistribution of [(11)C]1 in mouse brain demonstrated rapid and homogenous concentration in all brain structures, which included the cortex, thalamus, cerebellum and striatum. Co-administration of unlabelled 1 (1 mg/kg) or the sigma-2 selective ligand SM-21 (1 mg/kg) failed to show any significant inhibition of [(11)C]1 uptake in the mouse brain. The evaluation of this radioligand in vivo in the mouse clearly indicates that it does not possess the required properties for studying sigma-2 receptors in the brain using PET.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Mice
  • Naphthalenes / metabolism
  • Naphthalenes / pharmacokinetics*
  • Piperazines / metabolism
  • Piperazines / pharmacokinetics*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Radioligand Assay
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / metabolism
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / pharmacokinetics*
  • Receptors, sigma / metabolism*
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • 1-cyclohexyl-4-(3-(5-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-yl)-propyl)-piperazine
  • Naphthalenes
  • Piperazines
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Receptors, sigma