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W C Eckelman

Publications and source records attributed to W C Eckelman.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Synthesis of polymer-bound 6-mercuric carboxylate DOPA precursors and solid phase labelling method of 6-radioiodinated L-DOPA.

In order to avoid separating unreacted mercury precursor and other mercury-containing compounds after the halodemercuration of a 6-mercury DOPA precursor, we developed a polymer-bound mercury precursor for the preparation of 6-halogenated DOPA. In this study, polymer-bound 6-mercuric carboxylate DOPA derivatives were synthesized from ion-exchange resin and Merrifield-type resin. Iododemercuration of polymer-bound 6-mercuric carboxylate DOPA derivatives gave higher yields (49-54%) compared with monomeric 6-mercuric trifluoroacetate protected DOPA. The radioiodination of the resin with no-carrier added iodine-125 afforded protected 6-[125I]I-L-DOPA with labelling efficiency of 92-97% with both polymer-bound 6-mercuric carboxylate DOPA derivatives.

Dihydroxyphenylalanine↗

Synthesis and evaluation of radioiodinated 6-iodo-L-DOPA as a cerebral L-amino acid transport marker.

Regioselective radioiodination of N-trifluoroacetyl 3,4-dimethoxy-6-trifluoroacetoxymercurio-L-phenylalanine ethyl ester 1 under no-carrier-added condition gave 6-[125I]iodo protected L-DOPA with a labeling efficiency of more than 85%, and no-carrier-added 6-[125I]I-L-DOPA was obtained with a radio-chemical purity of over 95% after hydrolysis and chromatography. A nonradioactive standard of 6-iodo protected L-DOPA was synthesized by the iododemercuration of 6-mercuric trifluoroacetate protected L-DOPA 1 using I2 in chloroform. 6-[125I]I-L-DOPA showed high brain accumulation and rapid blood clearance in mice. The rat brain slice studies indicated high affinity of 6-[125I]I-L-DOPA for carrier-mediated and stereoselective active transport systems. The tissue homogenate analysis revealed that most of the accumulated radioactivity was intact 6-[125I]I-L-DOPA. Thus, 6-[123I]I-L-DOPA appears to be a suitable single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) tracer for the selective measurement of cerebral L-amino acid transport, having no affinity for dopamine metabolism.

Amino Acids↗

A review of new oncotropic tracers for PET imaging.

We have developed three biochemical probes to determine if they are sensitive probes of early biochemical change in a tumor. All three probes appear to have the appropriate properties for in vivo imaging, but must now be evaluated as probes for the sensitive detection of changes in early malignant disease.

Animals↗

Autoradiographic evidence that (R)-3-quinuclidinyl (S)-4-fluoromethylbenzilate ((R,S)-FMeQNB) displays in vivo selectivity for the muscarinic m2 subtype.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves selective loss of muscarinic m2, but not m1, subtype neuroreceptors in cortical and hippocampal regions of the human brain. Until recently, emission tomographic study of the loss of m2 receptors in AD has been limited by the absence of available m2-selective radioligands that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. We now demonstrate the in vivo m2 selectivity of a fluorinated derivative of QNB, (R)-3-quinuclidinyl (S)-4-fluoromethylbenzilate ((R,S)-FMeQNB), by studying autoradiographically the in vivo inhibition of radioiodinated (R)-3-quinuclidinyl (S)-4-iodobenzilate ((R,S)-[125I]IQNB) binding by unlabelled (R,S)-FMeQNB. In the absence of (R,S)-FMeQNB, (R,S)-[125I]IQNB labels brain regions in proportion to the total muscarinic receptor concentration; in the presence of 75 nmol of (R,S)-FMeQNB, (R,S)-[125I]IQNB labelling in those brain regions containing predominantly m2 subtype is reduced to background levels. We conclude that (R,S)-FMeQNB is m2-selective in vivo, and that (R,S)-[18F]FMeQNB may be of potential use in positron emission tomographic (PET) study of the loss of m2 receptors in AD.

Animals↗

Evaluation of human transferrin radiolabeled with N-succinimidyl 4-[fluorine-18](fluoromethyl) benzoate.

UNLABELLED: Iron metabolism plays a key role in cell proliferation and survival in rapidly growing cancer cells. Uptake is mediated by the carrier protein transferrin. The increased need for iron has been used as a method to target tumors and there is well-documented evidence that certain tumors can be imaged with tracers such as 67Ga, that mimic transferrin-mediated iron uptake. To obtain a tracer that would be better able to quantitate transferrin kinetics and indirectly evaluate iron metabolism, we have labeled human transferrin with the positron emitter, 18F, with a one-step high-specific activity method developed in our laboratory. METHODS: We measured the binding affinities of [18F]diferric (holo-) and iron-free (apo-) transferrin on two human cell lines. We also compared cellular uptake of [18F]holo-transferrin and [67Ga]citrate in various conditions, and washout of label incorporated into cells. RESULTS: The binding affinity of [18F]holo-transferrin was found to be the same as that reported for [125I]holo-transferrin. In our hands there was no significant difference in binding affinity between diferric holo-transferrin and iron-free apo-transferrin. [18F]holo-transferrin uptake rapidly reaches a steady-state equilibrium between the intracellular and extracellular environment, while gallium accumulation linearly increases with time. [18F]holo-transferrin is rapidly recycled out of the cell with similar kinetics to those reported for [125I]holo-transferrin. CONCLUSION: [18F]holo-transferrin displays the properties of native transferrin and appears suitable for quantitative evaluation of transferrin kinetics in vivo.

Benzoates↗

Syntheses and biological properties of chiral fluoroalkyl quinuclidinyl benzilates.

Previously, (R)-quinuclidinyl (R)-4-iodobenzilate ((R,R)-IQNB), a muscarinic receptor antagonist, has been labeled with 123I and 125I for use in in vitro and in vivo studies in animals and humans. We have prepared fluoroalkyl analogs of QNB, which are amenable to labeling with 18F, for potential imaging applications with positron emission tomography. The enantiomers of (fluoroalkyl)benzilic acids were prepared via an enantioselective Grignard addition reaction. Subsequent coupling of the enantiomeric (fluoroalkyl)benzilic acid with a selected enantiomer of quinuclidinol provides fluorinated analogs of QNB with known stereochemistry at each of the stereogenic centers. These compounds exhibit different affinities for the muscarinic receptor tissue subtypes in vitro. (R,R)-4-(Fluoromethyl)-QNB, and (R,R)-IQNB, and (R,R)-4-(fluoroethyl)-QNB exhibit selectivity for the M1 subtype, and (R,S)-4-(fluoromethyl)-QNB exhibits selectivity for the M2 subtype.

Animals↗

Radiolabeling with technetium-99m to study high-capacity and low-capacity biochemical systems.

After a brief review of the history of the development of technetium-99m-labeled radiopharmaceuticals, the use of technetium chelates in high-capacity systems is discussed. The latter are used in the study of five organ systems, the kidneys, liver, bone, brain, and heart. The chemical characterization of 99mTc complexes is also reviewed, followed by discussion of the various approaches to the labeling of proteins with direct labeling, the preformed chelate approach, and the antibody chelator conjugate approach. Thereafter, the labeling of biochemicals with 99mTc for use with easily saturated sites, e.g., receptors and enzymes, is considered. Finally, attention is given to factors that affect the preparation of high specific activity, high affinity 99mTc-labeled biochemicals.

Chelating Agents↗

Synthesis of polymer-bound 6-thiolatomercury and 6-mercuric sulfonate DOPA precursors and their halodemercuration reactivity.

Fluorodemercuration has the greatest utility for the preparation of 6-[18F]DOPA, but requires separation from unreacted mercury precursor and other mercury-containing compounds. One approach is the development of a polymer-bound mercury precursor. In this study, polymer-bound 6-thiolatomercury and 6-mercuric sulfonate DOPA derivatives, and its monomeric analogs were synthesized. Fluorodemercuration of monomeric analog of mercuric sulfonate gave half the yield (14-15%) while iododemercuration gave the same yield (38%) compared with a 6-mercuric trifluoroacetate protected DOPA. The mercuric sulfonate undergoes halodemercuration, so polymer-bound halodemercuration precursors may be useful as precursors of 6-[18F]DOPA.

Dihydroxyphenylalanine↗

Boronic acid adducts of technetium dioxime (BATO) complexes derived from quinuclidine benzilate (QNB) boronic acid stereoisomers: syntheses and studies of their binding to the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor.

We have investigated the possibility of using BATO complexes derivatized with the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) antagonist, quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB), for mAChR imaging. The BATO complexes, TcCl(DMG)3B-QNB, were prepared using QNB derivatives containing a 4'-boronic acid substituent on one of the benzilic benzene rings (QNB-boronic acid). The QNB-boronic acid molecule has two chiral centers, and all four QNB-BATO stereoisomers were made and evaluated. When studied using in vitro receptor binding assays based on tissue from rat brain caudate-putamen (which contains primarily M1 and M4 mAChR) and rat heart (M2 mAChR), the QNB-boronic acid stereoisomers had binding affinities (KA) in the range 2 x 10(5)-1 x 10(8), at least 10-fold lower than the KA for QNB (ca 2 x 10(9)). The stereochemistry of both centers had some influence on the affinity constant. When the TcCl(DMG)3B-QNB complexes were studied, none of the stereoisomeric complexes displayed measurable specific binding (KA < 10(6)), but all showed high non-specific binding. In vitro autoradiography with rat brain slices confirmed the absence of specific binding in these tracers. In vivo, the 99mTcCl(DMG)3B-QNB complexes displayed minimal brain uptake, and modest heart uptake; the latter was unlikely to be related to uptake by the mAChR. In light of these findings, we conclude that the interaction between the TcCl(DMG)3B-QNB complexes and biological membranes is dominated by the hydrophobicity of the BATO moiety. The TcCl(DMG)3B-QNB complexes, therefore, have little potential for mAChR imaging.

Animals↗

Evaluation of stereoisomers of 4-fluoroalkyl analogues of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate in in vivo competition studies for the M1, M2, and M3 muscarinic receptor subtypes in brain.

To develop a subtype selective muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) antagonist for PET, fluorine-19 labeled alkyl analogues of quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) were synthesized by stereoselective reactions. To investigate these analogues for tissue subtype specificity, in vivo competitive binding studies were performed in rat brain using (R)-3-quinuclidinyl (R)-4-[125I]iodobenzilate (IQNB). Five, fifty, or five-hundred nmol of the non-radioactive ligands were coinjected intravenously with 8 pmol of the radioligand, Cold (R,R)-IQNB blocked (R,R)-[125I]IQNB in a dose-dependent manner, without showing regional specificity. For the (R,S)-fluoromethyl, -fluoroethyl and -fluoropropyl derivatives, a higher percent blockade was seen at 5 and 50 mmol levels in M2 predominant tissues (medulla, pons, and cerebellum) than in M1 predominant tissues (cortex, striatum and hippocampus). The blockade pattern of the radioligand also correlated qualitatively with the percentage of M2 receptors in the region. The S-quinuclidinyl analogues showed M2 selectivity but less efficient blockade of the radioligand, indicating lower affinities. Radioligand bound to the medulla was inversely correlated to the M2 relative binding affinity of the fluoroalkyl analogues. These results indicate that the nonradioactive ligand blocks the radioligand based on the affinity of the nonradioactive ligand for a particular receptor subtype compared to the affinity of the radioligand for the same receptor subtype. Of the seven compounds evaluated, (R,S)-fluoromethyl-QNB appears to show the most selectivity for the M2 subtypes in competition studies in vivo.

Animals↗

Kinetic analysis of muscarinic receptors in human brain and salivary gland in vivo.

Previous studies in rats have suggested that the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) antagonist (S)-3-quinuclidinyl-(S)-4-[123I]iodobenzilate [(SS)-IQNB] may be useful for the in vivo evaluation of mAChRs in humans as a control for the higher-affinity compound (RR)-IQNB. We have directly tested this hypothesis and examined the distribution of mAChRs in brain regions and parotid glands of healthy human volunteers in vivo using (RR)- and (SS)-IQNB (relatively high- and low-affinity antagonists, respectively), planar imaging, and pharmacokinetic analysis. This is the first in vivo study of mAChRs in humans that has employed stereoisomeric ligands and metabolic analysis to determine specific receptor binding. We observed that (SS)-IQNB showed much faster clearance from blood than (RR)-IQNB and different metabolite profiles. Also, the transport kinetics of the enantiomers were different. The estimated binding potential (approximately Bmax/Kd) of (RR)-IQNB was highest in two cortical regions, intermediate in parotid gland, and lowest in cerebellum. The aggregate results show that in humans (SS)-IQNB does not act as an ideal general probe to measure the nonspecific IQNB distribution. However, (RR)-IQNB does appear to have value when used for studies of human brain mAChRs.

Adult↗

Designing a molecular probe for muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) imaging.

Radiolabeled molecular probes have demonstrated the potential for in vivo quantification of cell surface receptor concentration as a function of disease. Molecular biology has been instrumental in the design of these probes for in vivo studies, as exemplified by a molecular probe for muscarinic acetylcholine (mACh) receptor imaging. On a technical level, molecular biology has led to a better understanding of the selectivity of a radiolabeled probe in vitro. On a physiologic level, a combination of molecular biology and nuclear medicine provides an opportunity to validate in vivo what has been learned about receptors in vitro.

Animals↗

Incorporation of [1-carbon-11]palmitate in monkey brain using PET.

UNLABELLED: We determined regional incorporation coefficients (k*) of plasma [1-11C]palmitate into stable brain lipids of anesthetized monkeys with PET. METHODS: Carbon-11-palmitate was injected intravenously in untreated animals and in animals pretreated with methyl palmoxirate (MEP), an inhibitor of beta-oxidation of palmitate in the brain and periphery. Plasma radioactivity was followed, and brain radioactivity was determined at various times using PET. A least-squares method was used to fit the data to an operational equation to obtain regional values of k* and of cerebral blood volume (Vb) in individual experiments. RESULTS: MEP significantly decreased the integral of plasma [11C]CO2 following 11C-palmitate infusion. Mean values of k* in monkeys not given MEP were 4.9, 4.2, 4.9, 4.0 and 2.9 x 10(-5) ml/sec.g for the temporal, frontal, parietal and occipital cortices and white matter, respectively. With the exception of k* in white matter, which was increased by MEP, k* in the other brain regions was not significantly changed by MEP. The Vb ranged from 0.035 ml/g to 0.048 ml/g in gray matter regions and equaled 0.022 ml/g in white matter. CONCLUSION: PET can be used to determine regional incorporation coefficients of 11C-palmitate into the primate brain in vivo. Combined with MEP, 11C-palmitate could be used with PET to examine regional brain phospholipid metabolism in humans in normal and pathological conditions.

Animals↗

Interaction of iodinated quinuclidinyl benzilate enantiomers with M3 muscarinic receptors.

We examined the interaction of 3-quinuclidinyl-4-iodobenzilate enantiomers, (RR)- and (SS)-IQNB, relatively receptor-active and -inactive, respectively, with M3-muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) in rat parotid acinar cells in vitro. This stereospecific antagonist pair has often been used for in vivo studies of mAChRs. There was a 16-fold difference in the ability of (RR)- and (SS)-IQNB to bind in vitro to mAChRs; Ki values estimated by competition with N-methylscopolamine were 5.3 and 84.2 nM, respectively. However, the ability of these antagonists to inhibit carbachol-stimulated inositol trisphosphate formation (Ki values determined by Schild analyses) was more similar, 16.3 and 47.7 nM, respectively for (RR)- and (SS)-IQNB. These data suggest that while it may be useful to employ this antagonist pair to evaluate some mAChR subtypes in vivo, it is difficult to use them in studies of M3-mAChRs.

Animals↗

One-step synthesis of 18F labeled [18F]-N-succinimidyl 4-(fluoromethyl)benzoate for protein labeling.

[18F]-N-succinimidyl 4-(fluoromethyl)benzoate (1) has been prepared from N-succinimidyl-4-[(4-nitrobenzensulfonyl)oxymethyl]benzoate (2) in one step using Kryptofix 2.2.2/[18F-]. The effect of solvents, potassium salts and temperatures were studied to determine optimum labeling condition. The best results were obtained using carbonate as the counter ion and acetone as the solvent at room temperature. Overall radiochemical yields of approximately 18% (EOS) for the synthesis of 1 were obtained in 30-35 min, including HPLC purification. Proteins were labeled with 1 with labeling yields of 50-70% in 15 min.

Benzoates↗