Novel [99mTcN]2+ labeled EGFR inhibitors as potential radiotracers for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) tumor imaging.
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in many cancers, including breast, ovarian, endometrial and non-small cell lung cancer. An EGFR-specific imaging agent could facilitate clinical evaluation of primary tumors or metastases. To achieve this goal, 4-(2-aminoethylamino)-6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline (ADMQ) was synthesized based on a 4-aminoquinazoline core and then conjugated with N-mercapto- acetylglycine (MAG) and N-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3), respectively, to give compounds 1 and 2. The final complexes [99mTcN]-1 and [99mTcN]-2 were successfully obtained with radiochemical purities of >99% and >98% as measured by radio-HPLC. No decomposition of the two complexes at room temperature was observed over a period of 2 h. Their partition coefficients indicated they were hydrophilic and the electrophoresis results showed they were negatively charged. Biodistribution in tumor-bearing mice demonstrated that the two new complexes showed tumor accumulation, high tumor-tomuscle (T/M) ratios and fast clearance from blood and muscle. Between the two compounds, the 99mTcN-MAG3-ADMQ ([99mTcN]-2) showed the better characteristics, with the tumor/muscle and tumor/blood ratios reached 2.11 and 1.90 at 60 min post-injection, 4.20 and 1.10 at 120 min post-injection, suggesting it could be a promising radiotracer for SPECT tumor imaging.
Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Mingxia
M
Zhao
Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Hongyu
H
Ning
Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Man
M
Feng
Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Shilei
S
Li
Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Jin
J
Chang
Key Laboratory of Radiopharmaceuticals, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. qicmin@sohu.com.
Chuanmin
C
Qi
D000818:Animals; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011859:Radiography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013859:Thiocarbamates; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013859:Thiocarbamates; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; C093922:technetium Tc 99m, bis(N-ethoxy-N-ethyldithiocarbamato)nitrido-