Seminal Plasma Biochemical Components Mediate the Inverse Association of Microcystin Exposure with Sperm Motility:A Mediation Analysis in Chinese Men

Epidemiological studies suggest a global decline in male fertility, which accounts for approximately50% of infertility cases in couples. Male infertility is a multifactorial and complex issue that may arise due to congenital, acquired, idiopathic, or other unknown factors[1].

Sevoflurane plays a reduced role in cognitive impairment compared with isoflurane: limited effect on fear memory retention

Isoflurane and sevoflurane are both inhalation anesthetics,but in clinical application,sevoflurane has been considered to be less suitable for long-term anesthesia because of its catabolic compounds and potential nephrotoxicity.Nevertheless,recent studies have shown that these two inhalation anesthetics are similar in hepatorenal toxicity,cost,and long-term anesthetic effect.Moreover,sevoflurane possibly has less cognitive impact on young mice.In this study,C57BL/6 mice aged 8–10 weeks were exposed to 1.2%isoflurane or 2.4%sevoflurane for 6 hours.Cognitive function and memory were examined in young mice using the novel object recognition,contextual fear conditioning,and cued-fear extinction tests.Western blot assay was performed to detect expression levels of D1 dopamine receptor,catechol-O-methyltransferase,phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3β,and total glycogen synthase kinase-3βin the hippocampus.Our results show that impaired performance was not detected in mice exposed to sevoflurane during the novel object recognition test.Contextual memory impairment in the fear conditioning test was shorter in the sevoflurane group than the isoflurane group.Long-term sevoflurane exposure did not affect memory consolidation,while isoflurane led to memory consolidation and reduced retention.Downregulation of hippocampal D1 dopamine receptors and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β/total glycogen synthase kinase-3βand upregulation of catechol-O-methyltransferase may be associated with differing memory performance after exposure to isoflurane or sevoflurane.These results confirm that sevoflurane has less effect on cognitive impairment than isoflurane,which may be related to expression of D1 dopamine receptors and catechol-O-methyltransferase and phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3βin the hippocampus.This study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee,Nanjing University,China on November 20,2017(approval No.20171102).

Over-expressed and truncated midkines promote proliferation of BGC823 cells in vitro and tumor growth in vivo

AIM: To determine whether midkine (MK ) and its truncated form (tMK) contribute to gastric tumorigenesis using in vitro and in vivo models. METHODS: Human MK and tMK plasmids were constructed and expressed in BGC823 (a gastric adenocarcinoma cell line) to investigate the effect of over-expressed MK or tMK on cell growth and turmorigenesis in nude mice. RESULTS: The growth of MK-transfected or tMK -transfected cells was significantly increased compared with that of the control cells, and tMK-transfected cells grew more rapidly than MK-transfected cells. The number of colony formation of the cells transfected with MK or tMK gene was larger than the control cells. In nude mice injected with MK-transfected or tMK-transfected cells, visible tumor was observed earlier and the tumor tissues were larger in size and weight than in control animals that were injected with cells without the transfection of either genes. CONCLUSION: Over-expressed MK or tMK can promote human gastric cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo, and tMK has greater effect than MK. tMK may be a more promising gene therapeutic target compared with MK for treatment of malignant tumors.

Photoacoustic treatment mitigates cognitive dysfunction in a model of sleep-wake rhythm disturbance

Sleep-wake rhythm disturbances,which are characterized by abnormal sleep timing or duration,are associated with cognitive dysfunction.Photoacoustic treatments including light and sound stimulation have been found to be effective in modulating sleep patterns and improving cognitive behavior in abnormal sleep-wake pattern experiments.In this study,we examined whether light and sound interventions could reduce sleep-wake pattern disturbances and memory deficits in a sleep rhythm disturbance model.We established a model of sleep rhythm disturbance in C57 BL/6 J mice via a sleep deprivation method involving manual cage tapping,cage jostling,and nest disturbance.We used a Mini Mitter radio transmitter device to monitor motor activity in the mice and fear conditioning tests to assess cognitive function.Our results indicated that an intervention in which the mice were exposed to blue light(40-Hz flickering frequency)for 1 hour during their subjective daytime significantly improved the 24-hour-acrophase shift and reduced the degree of memory deficit induced by sleep deprivation.However,interventions in which the mice were exposed to a 40-Hz blue light at offset time or subjective night time points,as well as 2 Hz-blue light at 3 intervention time points(subjective day time,subjective night time,and offset time points),had no positive effects on circadian rhythm shift or memory deficits.Additionally,a 2000-Hz sound intervention during subjective day time attenuated the24-hour-acrophase shift and memory decline,while 440-Hz and 4000-Hz sounds had no effect on circadian rhythms.Overall,these results demonstrate that photoacoustic treatment effectively corrected abnormal sleep-wake patterns and cognitive dysfunction associated with sleep-deprivation-induced disturbances in sleep-wake rhythm.All animal experiments were approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to the Medical College of Nanjing University,China(approval No.20171102)on November20,2017.

GLYX-13 pretreatment ameliorates long-term isoflurane exposure-induced cognitive impairment in mice

Accumulating evidence indicates that inhalation anesthetics induce or increase the risk of cognitive impairment.GLYX-13(rapastinel)acts on the glycine site of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors(NMDARs)and has been shown to enhance hippocampus-dependent learning and memory function.However,the mechanisms by which GLYX-13 affects learning and memory function are still unclear.In this study,we investigated these mechanisms in a mouse model of long-term anesthesia exposure.Mice were intravenously administered 1 mg/kg GLYX-13 at 2 hours before isoflurane exposure(1.5%for 6 hours).Cognitive function was assessed using the contextual fear conditioning test and the novel object recognition test.The mRNA expression and phosphorylated protein levels of NMDAR pathway components,N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B(NR2B)-Ca^2+/calmodulin dependent protein kinaseⅡ(CaMKII)-cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein(CREB),in the hippocampus were evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR and western blot assay.Pretreatment with GLYX-13 ameliorated isoflurane exposure-induced cognitive impairment and restored NR2B,CaMKII and CREB mRNA and phosphorylated protein levels.Intracerebroventricular injection of KN93,a selective CaMKII inhibitor,significantly diminished the effect of GLYX-13 on cognitive function and NR2B,CaMKII and CREB levels in the hippocampus.Taken together,our findings suggest that GLYX-13 pretreatment alleviates isoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction by protecting against perturbation of the NR2B/CaMKII/CREB signaling pathway in the hippocampus.Therefore,GLYX-13 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of anesthesia-induced cognitive dysfunction.This study was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Drum Tower Hospital affiliated to the Medical College of Nanjing University,China(approval No.20171102)on November 20,2017.

Pro-apoptotic effects of tectorigenin on human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells

AIM:To investigate the effects of tectorigenin on human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)HepG2 cells.METHODS:Tectorigenin,one of the main components of rhizome of Iris tectorum,was prepared by simple methods,such as extraction,filtration,concentration,precipitation and recrystallization.HepG2 cells were incubated with tectorigenin at different concentrations,and their viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Apoptosis was detected by morphological observation of nuclear change,agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA ladder,and flow cytometry with Hoechst 33342,Annexin V-EGFP and propidium iodide staining.Generation of reactive oxygen species was quantified using DCFH-DA.Intracellular Ca2+was monitored by Fura 2-AM.Mitochondrial membrane potential was monitored using Rhodamine 123.Release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol was detected by Western blotting.Activities of caspase-3,-8 and-9 were investigated by Caspase Activity Assay Kit.RESULTS:The viability of HepG2 cells treated by tectorigenin decreased in a concentration-and timedependent manner.The concentration that reduced the number of viable HepG2 cells by 50%(IC50)after 12,24 and 48 h of incubation was 35.72 mg/L,21.19 mg/L and 11.06 mg/L,respectively.However,treatment with tectorigenin at 20 mg/L resulted in a very slight cytotoxicity to L02 cells after incubation for 12,24 or 48 h.Tectorigenin at a concentration of 20 mg/L greatly inhibited the viability of HepG2 cells and induced the condensation of chromatin and fragmentation of nuclei.Tectorigenin induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a time-and dose-dependent manner.Compared with the viability rate,induction of apoptosis was the main mechanism of the anti-proliferation effect of tectorigenin in HepG2 cells.Furthermore,tectorigenininduced apoptosis of HepG2 cells was associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species,increased intracellular[Ca2+]i,loss of mitochondrial membrane potential,translocation of cytochrome c,and activation of caspase-9 and-3.CONCLUSION:Tectorigenin induces apoptosis of HepG2 cells mainly via mitochondrial-mediated pathway,and produces a slight cytotoxicity to L02 cells.

Preparation and biodistribution of ^(99)Tc^m-PIDP as bone imaging agent

A novel zoledronic acid derivative,1-hydroxy-2-(2-propyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (PIDP), was synthesized by three-step reactions from 2-propyl-1H-imidazole. It was labeled with 99Tcm in conditions of 0.1 mg SnCl2.2H2O at pH 6.0 and 99TcmO4? in aqueous solution for 20 min at room temperature. The labeling yield and radiochemical purity of 99Tcm-PIDP are both higher than 95%. The biodistribution results show that the bone uptake is up to 8.47% ID/g which is the maximum of bone uptake at 30 min after injection of 99Tcm-PIDP in mice. The pharmacokinetic parameters can be estimated from the exponential equation of C=59.565e-11.307t+2.069e-1.211t. The clear bone image of rabbit was obtained at 120 min after injection of 99Tcm-PIDP. The results indicate that 99Tcm-PIDP has highly selective uptake in the skeletal and low uptake, rapid clearance in soft tissues, so it would be a potential novel bone imaging agent.

^(18)F-fluoromisonidazole positron emission tomography may be applicable in the evaluation of colorectal cancer liver metastasis

Background: Positron emission tomography(PET) imaging is a non-invasive functional imaging method used to reflect tumor spatial information, and to provide biological characteristics of tumor progression. The aim of this study was to focus on the application of 18 F-fluoromisonidazole(FMISO) PET quantitative parameter of maximum standardized uptake value(SUVmax) ratio to detect the liver metastatic potential of human colorectal cancer(CRC) in mice. Methods: Colorectal liver metastases(CRLM) xenograft models were established by injecting tumor cells(LoVo, HT29 and HCT116) into spleen of mice, tumor-bearing xenograft models were established by subcutaneously injecting tumor cells in the right left flank of mice. Wound healing assays were performed to examine the ability of cell migration in vitro. ^(18)F-FMISO uptake in CRC cell lines was measured by cellular uptake assay. ^(18)F-FMISO-based micro-PET imaging of CRLM and tumor-bearing mice was performed and quantified by tumor-to-liver SUVmax ratio. The correlation between the ^(18)F-FMISO SUVmax ratio, liver metastases number, hypoxia-induced factor 1 α(HIF-1 α) and serum starvation-induced glucose transporter 1(GLUT-1) was evaluated using Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Compared with HT29 and HCT116, LoVo-CRLM mice had significantly higher liver metastases ratio and shorter median survival time. LoVo cells exhibited stronger migration capacity and higher radiotracer uptake compared with HT29 and HCT116 in in vitro. Moreover, ^(18)F-FMISO SUVmax ratio was significantly higher in both LoVo-CRLM model and LoVo-bearing tumor model compared to models established using HT29 and HCT116. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between ^(18)F-FMISO SUVmax ratio of CRLM mice and number of liver metastases larger than 0.5 cm, as well as between ^(18)F-FMISO SUVmax ratio and HIF-1 α or GLUT-1 expression in tumor-bearing tissues. Conclusions: ^(18)F-FMISO parameter of SUVmax ratio may provide useful tumor biological information in mice with CRLM, thus allowing for better prediction of CRLM and yielding useful radioactive markers for predicting liver metastasis potential in CRC.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of ^(18)F-FB-NGA as a hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor PET imaging agent

Asialoglycoprotein receptor(ASGP-R)is a hepatic membrane receptor that uniquely exists on the surface of mammalian hepatocytes,and has been used as target of liver functional imaging agents for many years.We labeled the Galactosyl-neoglycoalbumin(NGA)with 18F to get a PET molecular probe 18F-FB-NGA and evaluated its ability as a liver functional PET imaging agent.The 18F-FB-NGA was prepared with NGA by conjugation with Nsuccinimidyl-4-18F-fluorobenzoate(18F-SFB)and purified with PD-10 desalting column.The radiolabeling yield and radiochemical purity of 18F-FB-NGA were determined by radio-HPLC.Starting with 18F-F–,the total time for 18F-FB-NGA was about 120±10 min.The decay-corrected radiochemical yield is about 25–30%.The radiochemical purity of purified 18F-FB-NGA was more than 98%.Labeled with 185–1850 MBq 18F-SFB,the specific activity of 18F-FBNGA was estimated to be 7.83–78.3 TBq/mmol.Biodistribution of 18F-FB-NGA in normal mice was investigated after injection through the tail vein.The results showed that the liver accumulated 39.47±3.42 and 12.12±6.11%ID/g at 10 and 30 min after injection,respectively.Dynamic MicroPET images in mice were acquired with and without block after injection of the radiotracer,respectively.High liver activity accumulation was observed at 5 min after injection in normal group.On the contrary,the liver accumulation was significantly lower after block,indicating the specific binding to ASGP-R.18F-FB-NGA is probably a potential PET liver imaging agent.

Prediction of tumor biological characteristics in different colorectal cancer liver metastasis animal models using^(18)F-FDG and^(18)F-FLT

Background: Positron emission tomography(PET) is a noninvasive method to characterize different metabolic activities of tumors, providing information for staging, prognosis, and therapeutic response of patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of18F-fludeoxyglucose(18F-FDG) and 3’-deoxy-3’-18F-fluorothymidine(18F-FLT) PET in predicting tumor biological characteristics of colorectal cancer liver metastasis.Methods: The uptake rate of18F-FDG and18F-FLT in SW480 and SW620 cells was measured via an in vitro cell uptake assay. The region of interest was drawn over the tumor and liver to calculate the maximum standardized uptake value ratio(tumor/liver) from PET images in liver metastasis model. The correlation between tracer uptake in liver metastases and VEGF, Ki67 and CD44 expression was evaluated by linear regression.Results: Compared to SW620 tumor-bearing mice, SW480 tumor-bearing mice presented a higher rate of liver metastases. The uptake rate of18F-FDG in SW480 and SW620 cells was 6.07% ± 1.19% and2.82% ± 0.15%, respectively(t = 4.69, P = 0.04); that of18F-FLT was 24.81% ± 0.45% and 15.57% ± 0.66%, respectively(t = 19.99, P < 0.001). Micro-PET scan showed that all parameters of FLT were significantly higher in SW480 tumors than those in SW620 tumors. A moderate relationship was detected between metastases in the liver and18F-FLT uptake in primary tumors(r = 0.73, P = 0.0019).18F-FLT uptake was also positively correlated with the expression of CD44 in liver metastases(r = 0.81, P = 0.0049).Conclusions: The uptake of18F-FLT in metastatic tumor reflects different biological behaviors of colon cancer cells.18F-FLT can be used to evaluate the metastatic potential of colorectal cancer in nude mice.

Advancement in treatment and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer with radiopharmaceuticals

Pancreatic cancer(PC) is a major health problem. Conventional imaging modalities show limited accuracy for reliable assessment of the tumor. Recent researches suggest that molecular imaging techniques with tracers provide more biologically relevant information and are benefit for the diagnosis of the cancer. In addition,radiopharmaceuticals also play more important roles in treatment of the disease. This review summaries the advancement of the radiolabeled compounds in the theranostics of PC.

Correlation and Significance of Midkine and Estrogen Receptor Beta Protein Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVE Midkine (MK),a new member of the heparin-binding growth factor family,was found recently to have a highexpression level in many carcinoma specimens,including thoseof the esophagus,gall bladder,pancreas,colorectum,breast andlung.Estrogen receptor beta (ER-β),a recently cloned estrogenreceptor subtype,was also found to be highly expressed in lungtumor tissue,in contrast to a lower level of expression in normallung tissue.However,few relevant studies on these proteins havebeen published.The aims of our study were to investigate theexpression of midkine and ER-β proteins in non-small cell lungcancer (NSCLC) and to examine the relationship between theirexpression and the clinicopathologic data as well as to analyse thecorrelation of their expression in NSCLC.METHODS By immunohistochemistry,MK and ER-β were ex-amined in 24 surgically resected cases of NSCLC with their corre-sponding paraneoplastic and normal lung tissues.RESULTS MK and ER-β were overexpressed in NSCLC.Thelevels of MK and ER-β expression in NSCLC were found to be sig-nificantly negatively correlated with the pathological classification(P=0.042 and 0.021,respectively),and their expression decreasedwith a raise in the classification.Spearman's correlation analysisshowed that the correlation of their expression in NSCLC wasstrong (correlation coefficient[r_s]= 0.535,P=0.007<0.01).CONCLUSION The expression levels of MK and ER-β to someextent reflect the malignant degree of NSCLC,and their combineddetection may be of great value in early diagnosis,treatments ofpatients with NSCLC and can predict the prognoses.

Preparation and preliminary biological evaluation of ^(99m)Tc-ANMdU

Technetium-99m-labeled-5-{2-sulfanylethyl-[2-(2-sulfanylethylamino)acetyl]amino}-methyl-2′-deoxy- uridine (99mTc-ANMdU) was reported. The precursor ANMdU was synthesized by six-step reactions and all intermediates were verified with MS and 1HNMR. Using SnCl2 as reducing agent, a labeling reaction was carried out at 100°C for 30 min. The radiochemical purity of the 99mTc-ANMdU was 96.68%. Partition coefficients were 0.92 and 0.70 at pH 7.0 and 7.4 of the phosphate buffer saline, respectively. Biodistribution of 99mTc-ANMdU in normal mice showed that the initial uptake of 99mTc-ANMdU in vivo and the clearance was rapid.

Development of a radiolabeled site-specific single-domain antibody positron emission tomography probe for monitoring PD-L1 expression in cancer

Despite advances in immunotherapy for the treatment of cancers,not all patients can benefit from programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1)immune checkpoint blockade therapy.Anti-PD-L1 therapeutic effects reportedly correlate with the PD-L1 expression level;hence,accurate detection of PD-L1 expression can guide immunotherapy to achieve better therapeutic effects.Therefore,based on the high affinity antibody Nb109,a new site-specifically radiolabeled tracer,^(68)Ga-NODA-cysteine,aspartic acid,and valine(CDV)-Nb109,was designed and synthesized to accurately monitor PD-L1 expression.The tracer ^(68)Ga-NODA-CDV-Nb109 was obtained using a site-specific conjugation strategy with a radiochemical yield of about 95%and radiochemical purity of 97%.It showed high affinity for PD-L1 with a dissociation constant of 12.34±1.65 nM.Both the cell uptake assay and positron emission tomography(PET)imaging revealed higher tracer uptake in PD-L1-positive A375-hPD-L1 and U87 tumor cells than in PD-L1-negative A375 tumor cells.Meanwhile,dynamic PET imaging of a NCI-H1299 xenograft indicated that doxorubicin could upregulate PD-L1 expression,allowing timely interventional immunotherapy.In conclusion,this tracer could sensitively and dynamically monitor changes in PD-L1 expression levels in different cancers and help screen patients who can benefit from anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy.

Near-infrared fluorescent labeled CGRRAGGSC peptides for optical imaging of IL-11Rα in athymic mice bearing tumor xenografts

The interleukin-11(IL-11)and the IL-11 receptorα-subunit(IL-11Rα)have been demonstrated to regulate the invasion and proliferation of tumor cells.Our study intends to evaluate a noninvasive imaging of IL-11Rαexpression in breast tumors using near-infrared(NIR)fluorescent dye Cy7-labeled IL-11 mimic peptide CGRRAGGSC.This work evaluated the IL-11Rαexpression of breast tumor cells and the binding status of this peptide to IL-11Rαin vitro and in vivo by using Western blotting,immunofluorescence staining and near-infrared fluorescence imaging.Our biochemical study showed that IL-11Rαwas overexpressed in breast tumor cells(MCF-7).The cell-binding assay demonstrated specific binding of peptide CGRRAGGSC to MCF-7 cells in vitro.In vivo imaging results showed that NIR fluorescent signals of Cy7-CGRRAGGSC were selectively accumulated in tumor and metabolic organs.While in the blocking experiment,free CGRRAGGSC obviously blocked the concentration of the Cy7-CGRRAGGSC in the tumors.These results suggested that IL-11Rαmay be used as a potential target for noninvasive imaging in IL-11Rαoverexpressed tumors.Furthermore,the imaging agent of near-infrared fluorescent dye Cy7-labeled CGRRAGGSC is suitable for IL-11Rαexpression imaging study in vivo.

Preparation of ^(99m)Tc-PQQE and preliminary biological evaluation for the NMDA receptor

The 4,5-dioxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo(2,3-f)quinoline-2,7,9-tricarboxylic acid 2-ethyl ester 7,9-dimethyl ester (PQQE) was synthesized on the basis of Pyrroloquinoline quinine (PQQ). 99m Tc-PQQE was prepared using stannous fluoride (SnF 2 ) as reducing agent. Biological characteristics of 99m Tc-PQQE include lipophilic and the charge properties were compared to 99m Tc-PQQ. The biodistributions of 99m Tc-PQQE in mice and brain regional distribution were performed. In vivo distribution of 99m Tc-PQQE in mice indicates that the concentration ratio of drug and blood increases steadily over time. The major radioactivity may be metabolized by the hepatic and renal system. The elimination-phase half-time (t1/2β) results indicate that the residence time of 99m Tc-PQQE (203.92) in the body is twice as long as 99m Tc-PQQ (100.45). The uptake of 99m Tc-PQQE in brain was improved due to the ameliorating of charge and lipophilicity. The highest total regional brain uptake of 99m Tc-PQQE was in the frontal lobe and hippocampus, where the NMDA receptor is very abundant. 99m Tc-PQQE had a good target to nontarget ratio (hippocampus/cerebellum) which preserved a higher value (peak 4.0 at 120 min) from 60 min to 180 min after injection. In vitro autoradiographic results are in close agreement with the regional brain map. The enrichment can be blocked by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) redox modulatory site antagonists-ebselen (EB). This work suggests that 99m Tc-PQQE has some specific targeting to the NMDA receptor.

Study on the reaction kinetics of ^(99)Tc^m-labeled BIDP

A novel zoledronic acid derivative,1-hydroxy-2-(2-butyl-1H-imidazole-1-yl)-ethylidene-l,l- diphosphonic acid(BIDP),was synthesized and labeled with ^(99)Tc^m.The detailed kinetic study on the labeling reaction between BIDP and ^(99)Tc^m was carried out.The results indicated that the reaction rate constants k were 0.0258,0.0268, 0.0305,0.0323,0.0351 and 0.0384 min^(-1)at 0℃,5℃,10℃,15℃,20℃and 25℃,respectively.From the Arrhenius equation k=A·e^(-E_Δ/(RT)),the activation energy E_a of the labeling reaction was calculated to be 10.45 kJ/mol.And the correlation between k and temperature(T)was also deduced as In k=-1258.8×(l/T)+0.9531.In addition,it was found that in order to get a high radiolabeling yield(RLY)(>90%),the reaction temperature must be up to 12℃.

Semi-automated synthesis,validation and microPET imaging of ^(18)F-FP-DTBZ as a vesicular monoamine transporter ligand

This work was to develop a semi-automated synthesis of 18F-9-fluoropropyl-9-desmethyl-DTBZ (18F-FP-DTBZ) and validate its potential as a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) ligand.18F-FP-DTBZ was synthesized by a semi-automated procedure in a 21-35% yield without decay correction and with a radiochemical purity of >98%.Bioistribution in rats exhibited a favorable brain uptakes of the ligand (0.31±0.04 ID% at 60min post injection,n=8).The highest radioactivity located in VMAT2 enriched striatal tissue.The target-to-nontarget ratio (striatum/cerebellum,ST/CB) was 4.81±0.84.Blocking studies implied that striatum uptake could be blocked by DTBZ (a VMAT2 inhibitor) but could not by CFT (a dopamine transporter inhibitor).MicroPET imaging with 18F-FP-DTBZ in normal rats gave high quality images in which high radioactivity were observed in the striatal tissue.Time-and-activity curves revealed good retention in the target (striatum) and rapid clearance in the background (cerebellum),which resulted in a maximum ST/CB ratio of 5.08±0.81 (n=3) in 80-120min.By contrast,the 6-hydroxydopamine unilateral lesioned rats gave asymmetrical striata images with higher 18F-FP-DTBZ concentration on the unlesioned side (unlesioned-ST/CB=5.21±0.38,n=3) than the lesioned (lesioned-ST/CB=2.34±0.51).The results validated that 18F-FP-DTBZ is a favorable PET ligand binding to VMAT2.

Biological characteristics of [^(18)F]-THK523 for tau imaging

Reliable and non-invasive diagnostic tools are highly valuable for successful therapeutic strategies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD). The existence of neurofibrillary tangles(NFTs) consisting of tau protein are one kind of the pathological features of AD, and its level of severity is correlated with the stage of AD.However, no clinically approved positron emission tomography(PET) probe is currently available for selective imaging of neurofibrillary tangles on patients. In this paper, we report our studies on biological characteristics of [18F]-THK523 as a novel tau imaging probe. With low molecular weight, [18F]-THK523 is stable, electrically neutral, lipophilic and non-mass concentration-dependent. Preliminary biological studies have shown the excellent properties of [18F]-THK523 as brain imaging tracer for further research.

Improved preparation and chemical kinetics on fully automated synthesis of [^(18)F]-THK523,a PET imaging probe for Tau pathologies

Extensive accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles(NFTs)consistently correlate with the degree of cognitive impairment and neuronal circuitry deterioration associated with Alzheimer's disease.However,no PET probe is currently available for selective detection of NFTs in the living human brain.[^(18)F]-THK523 was developed as a potential in vivo imaging probe for tau pathology.In this paper,we report a new protected precursor,2-((2-(4-((tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino)phenyl)quinolin-6-yl)oxy)ethyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate(THK-7),instead of2-((2-(4-aminophenyl)quinolin-6-yl)oxy)ethyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate(BF241),and an improved automated radiosynfhesis of[^(18)F]-THK523 and the study on chemical kinetics of the labeling reaction of[^(18)F]-THK523,with high-yield(70±5%,n=6,decay-corrected to end of bombardment),and high radiochemical purity(>90%)and specific activity(2.5±0.5Ci/umol)from protected precursor on fully automated module at the end of radiosynthesis(45-55 min).The chemical kinetics for[^(18)F]-THK523 demonstrates that nucleophilic substitution can be carried out easily with protected precursor.