Synthesis and evaluation in vitro and in vivo of a 11C-labeled cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor

Bioorg Med Chem. 2008 Aug 15;16(16):7662-70. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2008.07.016. Epub 2008 Jul 10.

Abstract

The radiosynthesis and radiopharmacological evaluation of 1-[(11)C]methoxy-4-(2-(4-(methanesulfonyl)phenyl)cyclopent-1-enyl)-benzene [(11)C]5 as novel PET radiotracer for imaging of COX-2 expression is described. The radiotracer was prepared via O-methylation reaction with [(11)C]methyl iodide in 19% decay-corrected radiochemical yield at a specific activity of 20-25GBq/mumol at the end-of-synthesis within 35 min. The radiotracer [(11)C]5 was evaluated in vitro using various pro-inflammatory and tumor cell lines showing high functional expression of COX-2 at baseline or after induction. In vivo biodistribution of compound [(11)C]5 was characterized in male Wistar rats. Compound [(11)C]5 was rapidly metabolized in rat plasma, and more pronounced, in mouse plasma. In vivo kinetics and tumor uptake were demonstrated by dynamic small animal PET studies in a mouse tumor xenograft model. Tumor uptake of radioactivity was clearly visible overtime. However, radioactivity uptake in the tumor could not be blocked by the pre-injection of nonradioactive compound 5. Therefore, it can be concluded that radioactivity uptake in the tumor was not COX-2 mediated.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon Radioisotopes*
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 / biosynthesis*
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
  • Cyclopentanes / chemical synthesis*
  • Cyclopentanes / chemistry
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Isotope Labeling / methods
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / enzymology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / chemical synthesis*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / chemistry
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / pharmacokinetics
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors
  • Cyclopentanes
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Cyclooxygenase 2