Synthesis and Characterization of 5-(2-Fluoro-4-[11C]methoxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2 H-pyrano[2,3- b]pyridine-7-carboxamide as a PET Imaging Ligand for Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 2

J Med Chem. 2022 Feb 10;65(3):2593-2609. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02004. Epub 2022 Jan 28.

Abstract

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (mGluR2) is a therapeutic target for several neuropsychiatric disorders. An mGluR2 function in etiology could be unveiled by positron emission tomography (PET). In this regard, 5-(2-fluoro-4-[11C]methoxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrano[2,3-b]pyridine-7-carboxamide ([11C]13, [11C]mG2N001), a potent negative allosteric modulator (NAM), was developed to support this endeavor. [11C]13 was synthesized via the O-[11C]methylation of phenol 24 with a high molar activity of 212 ± 76 GBq/μmol (n = 5) and excellent radiochemical purity (>99%). PET imaging of [11C]13 in rats demonstrated its superior brain heterogeneity and reduced accumulation with pretreatment of mGluR2 NAMs, VU6001966 (9) and MNI-137 (26), the extent of which revealed a time-dependent drug effect of the blocking agents. In a nonhuman primate, [11C]13 selectively accumulated in mGluR2-rich regions and resulted in high-contrast brain images. Therefore, [11C]13 is a potential candidate for translational PET imaging of the mGluR2 function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Contrast Media / chemical synthesis
  • Contrast Media / chemistry*
  • Contrast Media / metabolism
  • Female
  • Ligands
  • Macaca fascicularis
  • Male
  • Picolinic Acids / chemical synthesis
  • Picolinic Acids / chemistry*
  • Picolinic Acids / metabolism
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Pyrans / chemical synthesis
  • Pyrans / chemistry*
  • Pyrans / metabolism
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / chemical synthesis
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / chemistry*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / metabolism*

Substances

  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Carbon-11
  • Contrast Media
  • Ligands
  • Picolinic Acids
  • Pyrans
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
  • metabotropic glutamate receptor 2