title: Design and synthesis of a new [18F]fluoropyridine-based haloacetamide reagent for the labeling of oligonucleotides: 2-bromo-N-[3-(2-[18F]fluoropyridin-3-yloxy)propyl]acetamide.
abstract: Based on the recently highlighted potential of nucleophilic heteroaromatic ortho-radiofluorinations in the preparation of fluorine-18-labeled radiotracers and radiopharmaceuticals for PET, a [(18)F]fluoropyridine-based bromoacetamide reagent has been prepared and used in prosthetic group introduction for the labeling of oligonucleotides. [(18)F]FPyBrA (2-bromo-N-[3-(2-[(18)F]fluoropyridin-3-yloxy)propyl]acetamide) was designed as a radiochemically feasible reagent, its pyridinyl moiety both carrying the radioactive halogen (fluorine-18) and allowing its efficient incorporation via a nucleophilic heteroaromatic substitution, and its 2-bromoacetamide function, ensuring the efficient alkylation of a phosphorothioate monoester group born at the 3'- or 5'-end of single-stranded oligonucleotides. [(18)F]FPyBrA (HPLC-purified) was efficiently prepared in 18-20% non-decay-corrected yield (based on starting [(18)F]fluoride) using a three-step radiochemical pathway in 80-85 min. The developed procedure involves (1) a high-yield nucleophilic heteroaromatic ortho-radiofluorination as the fluorine-18 incorporation-step (70-85% radiochemical yield) and uses [3-(3-tert-butoxycarbonylaminopropoxy)pyridin-2-yl]trimethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate as precursor for labeling, followed by (2) rapid and quantitative TFA-removal of the N-Boc-protective group and (3) condensation with 2-bromoacetyl bromide (45-65% radiochemical yield). Typically, 3.3-3.7 GBq (90-100 mCi) of HPLC-purified [(18)F]FPyBrA could be obtained in 80-85 min, starting from 18.5 GBq (500 mCi) of a cyclotron production batch of [(18)F]fluoride. [(18)F]FPyBrA was regioselectively conjugated with 9-mer and 18-mer single-stranded oligonucleotides, provided with a phosphorothioate monoester group at their 3'-end. Both natural phosphodiester DNAs and in vivo-stable 2'-methoxy and -fluoro-modified RNAs were used. Conjugation uses optimized, short-time reaction conditions (MeOH/0.1 M PBS pH 7.4, 15 min, 120 degrees C), both compatible with the chemical stability of the oligonucleotides (ONs) and the half-life of fluorine-18. Conjugated [(18)F]ONs were finally purified by RP-HPLC and desalted using a Sephadex NAP-10 column. The whole radiosynthetic procedure, including the preparation of the fluorine-18-labeled reagent, the conjugation with the oligonucleotide, and the HPLC purification and formulation lasted 140-160 min. [(18)F]FPyBrA represents a valuable alternative to the already reported N-(4-[(18)F]fluorobenzyl)-2-bromoacetamide for the design and development of oligonucleotide-based radiopharmaceuticals for PET.
authors.affiliation: Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, Département de Recherche Médicale, CEA/DSV, 4 place du Général Leclerc, F-91401 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuhnast
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Bruin
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hinnen
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tavitian
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dollé
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015195:Drug Design; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006219:Halogens / Q000737:chemistry*; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C493997:2-bromo-N-(3-(2-fluoropyridin-3-yloxy)propyl)acetamide; D000081:Acetamides; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006219:Halogens; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011725:Pyridines