Evaluation of <sup>18</sup>F-Labeled Benzodioxine Piperazine-Based Dopamine D<sub>4</sub> Receptor Ligands: Lipophilicity as a Determinate of Nonspecific Binding
作者:Fabian Kügler、Wiebke Sihver、Johannes Ermert、Harald Hübner、Peter Gmeiner、Olaf Prante、Heinz H. Coenen
DOI:10.1021/jm200762g
日期:2011.12.22
Derivatization of the putative neuroleptic 1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-4-(4-fluorobenzyl)-piperazine (3a) led to a series of new dopamine receptor D-4 ligands displaying high affinity (K-i = 1.1-15 nM) and D-2/D-4 subtype selectivities of about 800-6700. These ligands were labeled with the short-lived positron emitter fluorine-18 and analyzed for their potential application for imaging studies by positron emission tomography (PET). In vitro autoradiography was used to determine their nonspecific binding behavior as a result of their structural and thus physicochemical properties. The biodistribution, in vivo stability, and brain uptake of the most promising D-4 radioligand candidate were determined. This proved to be 1-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-4-((6-fluoropyridin-3-yl)methyl)piperazine ([F-18]3d), which revealed an excellent binding pattern with a high selectivity and limited nonspecific binding in vitro. This analogue also exhibited a high stability and an extremely high brain uptake in vivo with specific binding in hippocampus, cortex, colliculus, and cerebellum as determined by ex vivo autoradiography. Thus, [F-18]3d appears as a suitable D-4 radioligand for in vivo imaging, encouraging continued evaluation by PET studies.