The transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) pathway plays a complex role in cancer biology, being involved in both tumour suppression as well as promotion. Overactive TGFβ signalling has been linked to multiple diseases, including cancer, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and fibrosis. One of the key meditators within this pathway is the TGFβ type I receptor, also termed activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5). ALK5 expression level is a key determinant of TGFβ signalling intensity and duration, and perturbation has been linked to diseases. A validated ALK5 positron emission tomography (PET) tracer creates an opportunity, therefore, to study its role in human diseases. To develop ALK5 PET tracers, two small molecule ALK5 kinase inhibitors were selected as lead compounds, which were labelled with carbon-11 and fluorine-18, respectively. [11C]LR111 was synthesized with a yield of 17 ± 6%, a molar activity of 126 ± 79 GBq·μmol-1 and a purity of >95% (n = 44). [18F]EW-7197 was synthesized with a yield of 10 ± 5%, a molar activity of 183 ± 126 GBq·μmol-1 and a purity of >95% (n = 11). Metabolic stability was evaluated in vivo in mice, showing 39 ± 2% of intact [11C]LR111 and 21 ± 2% of intact [18F]EW-7197 in blood plasma at 45 min p.i. In vitro binding experiments were conducted in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 and lung cancer A431 cell lines. In addition, both tracers were used for PET imaging in MDA-MB-231 xenograft models. Selective uptake of [18F]EW-7197 and [11C]LR111 was observed in MDA-MB-231 cells, in the MDA-MB-231 tumour xenografts in vivo and in the autoradiograms. As [11C]LR111 and [18F]EW-7197 showed selectivity of binding to ALK5 in vivo and in vitro. Both tracers are thereby valuable tools for the detection of ALK5 activity.
Keywords: Cancer; MDA-MB-231 tumour xenografts; Positron emission tomography; TGFβ type I receptor.
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