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Several positron emission tomography (PET) radioligands based on the aryl tropane structure have been used for studies on monoamine reuptake sites. RTI-364, RTI-330, and RTI-357 (3-beta-(4'-n-propyl-,4'-iso-propyl-, and 4'-iso-propenyl-phenyl)nortropane-2-beta-carboxylic acid methyl ester) are three recently synthesized cocaine analogues with higher affinity for the serotonin (5-HTT) than the dopamine transporter (DAT). Unlabelled RTI-364 and RTI-330 were prepared in a two-step synthesis. The key step was the addition of the appropriate propyl Grignard reagent to anhydroecgonine methyl ester. RTI-357 was prepared in a three-step synthesis with a palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of beta-CIT and isopropenylzinc bromide as key step. Hydrolysis of the ester functions gave the carboxylic acid analogues of RTI-364, RTI-330, and RTI-357, which were labelled with 11C using [11C]methyl iodide in dimethyl formamide (DMF) and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) as base. All three compounds entered the monkey brain in a high degree (approximately 5-10%). There was a low uptake of [11C]RTI-364 in serotonin-rich brain areas, whereas [11C]RTI-330 and [11C]RTI-357 showed a marked uptake of radioactivity in the thalamus and the brainstem, regions known to contain serotonin transporters. Transient equilibrium was reached at 15 and 40 min for [11C]RTI-330 and [11C]RTI-357, respectively. After pretreatment with citalopram, the ratio of radioactivity in the thalamus and the brainstem to the cerebellum were markedly reduced for [11C]RTI-357 but not for [11C]RTI-330. The results indicate that [11C]RTI-357 is a potential PET radioligand for quantitation of the serotonin reuptake site.

For the diagnosis and follow-up of neurodegenerative diseases, many cocaine derivatives have been proposed as radioligands to explore the dopamine transporter. As none of them have all the criteria of specificity and kinetics for human use, we have developed a new derivative, (E)-N-(3-iodoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-methy lphenyl)nortropane (PE2I), which displays promising properties. We report the characterization of PE2I in vitro on rat striatal membranes and in vivo in rats and in monkeys. PE2I had a high affinity (Kd = 0.09 +/- 0.01 nM) and high specificity for the dopamine transporter. In rats we observed a high accumulation in the striatum; by contrast, a very low fixation was measured in the cortex. Moreover, a preinjection of a saturating dose of GBR 12909 prevented the striatal accumulation of PE2I by 74%. These results confirmed the specificity of PE2I for the dopamine transporter. In vivo in monkeys, SPECT studies showed a high accumulation in striatum. Moreover, an equilibrium state was obtained 1 h after injection. PE2I seemed to be the most promising ligand for the dopamine transporter exploration by SPECT using a single-day protocol.

N-(3-Iodoprop-2E-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(3',4'-dichl orophenyl)nortropane (beta-CDIT), a new iodinated tropane derivative, has been synthesized and radiolabeled with iodine. [125I]beta-CDIT was tested in vitro and ex vivo as a probe for the dopamine transporter site in the rat brain, and behavioral studies were performed in mice. Saturation studies in the striatum revealed that [125I]beta-CDIT bound to a single high-affinity site. The Kd value was 0.18 +/- 0.07 nM, and the corresponding Bmax value was 500 +/- 80 fmol/mg of protein. The pharmacological profile of specific [125I]beta-CDIT binding in the striatum was consistent with that of the dopamine transporter. In addition, competition studies in cerebral cortex regions with [3H]paroxetine and [3H]nisoxetine showed a very low affinity of beta-CDIT for the 5-hydroxytryptamine (Ki = 50 nM) and norepinephrine (Ki = 500 nM) transporters compared with beta-CIT (corresponding Ki values were 3 and 80 nM). In contrast, the competition of beta-CDIT with [3H]GBR 12935 in the striatal region (Ki = 29 nM) was of the same order of value as for beta-CIT (Ki = 27.5 nM). Behavioral experiments in mice showed that both beta-CDIT and beta-CIT induced stimulation of locomotor activity. Ex vivo autoradiographic studies in rats using [125I]beta-CDIT demonstrated high densities of [125I]beta-CDIT binding sites in areas known to be rich in dopaminergic innervation. Because of its high affinity and high selectivity for the dopamine transporter, [125I]beta-CDIT should be a valuable ligand for the exploration of the dopamine transporter with single-photon emission computed tomography.

SPECT exploration of the dopamine transporter with tropane derivatives such as beta-CIT has already produced very valuable information in humans. However, the high affinity of this tracer for both dopamine and serotonin transporters and its slow in vivo kinetics provide the best images in humans more than 20 h after injection. In order to improve those properties, we performed structural changes in the tropane structure in the phenyl and nitrogen substituents for higher affinity and specificity and obtained a promising ligand, 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(3',4' diclorophenyl)-8-(3-iodoprop-2E-enyl) nortropane (beta-CDIT). This iodinated ligand was characterized in vitro and in vivo in the rat in comparison with beta-CIT. In vitro competition studies revealed that beta-CIT and beta-CDIT similarly inhibited the binding of [3H]GBR 12935 (Ki = 27.5 and 29.0 nM, respectively). In contrast, competition studies with [3H]paroxetine and [3H]nisoxetine showed that beta-CDIT had a lower affinity for the serotonin transporter than beta-CIT (Ki = 50 and 3 nM, respectively) and also a lower affinity for the noradrenaline transporter than beta-CIT (Ki = 500 and 80 nM, respectively). In vivo studies in the rat showed that there was high and rapid uptake of [125I] beta-CDIT in the striatum. In addition, preinjection of GBR 12909 prevented accumulation of this ligand in the striatum by 80%, whereas only a 30% decrease was obtained for [125I] beta-CIT. It seems, therefore, that the combination of aromatic and nitrogen substitution improves the properties of tropane derivatives to provide an exclusive dopamine transporter ligand potentially usable in SPECT.

In vivo evaluation of MAO-A would be of great value for the diagnosis and follow-up of therapy of depression. In order to perform this exploration by SPECT, we developed an iodinated derivative of the reversible MAO-A inhibitor, moclobemide. Ro 11-9900 was synthesized and analysed by IR, NMR and HPLC. Radioiodination was carried out by nucleophilic exchange of [125I] on the brominated precursor, and yielded [125I]-Ro 11-9900 with high specific activity. In vitro experiments on rat brain homogenates showed that Ro 11-9900 had poor inhibitory activity on MAO-A, as already described for moclobemide. By contrast, in vivo biodistribution in the rat brain showed that [125I]-Ro 11-990 accumulated in a region corresponding to the localization of locus coeruleus known for its high density of MAO-A. Moreover, preinjection of the irreversible MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline (10 mg.kg-1) prevented accumulation of radioactivity by 40 to 60% and we found that the radioactivity in the brain corresponded exclusively to [125I]-Ro 11-9900 and not to a metabolite. [125I]-Ro 11-9900 was highly accumulated in the pineal gland, both on MAO-A and on MAO-B sites. We concluded that the unmetabolized iodinated derivative of moclobemide, Ro 11-9900, preferentially labeled MAO-A in vivo in the rat brain. This compound would therefore be a potential tracer for evaluation of MAO-A by SPECT.

Monoamine oxidases are important in the regulation of monoaminergic neurotransmission. An increase in monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) has been observed in some neurodegenerative diseases, and therefore quantification of cerebral MAO B activity by SPECT would be useful for the diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up of these disorders. We have developed an iodinated derivative of pargyline, a selective inhibitor of MAO B, in order to explore this enzyme by SPECT. Stable bromo and iodo derivatives of pargyline were synthesized and chemically characterized. The radioiodinated ligand [125I]-2-iodopargyline was obtained with high specific activity from the bromo precursor by nucleophilic exchange. Affinity and selectivity of 2-iodopargyline were tested in vitro. Biodistribution study of [125I]-2-iodopargyline was performed in rats. Radioiodinated ligand were obtained in a no-carrier-added form. 2-iodopargyline has a higher in vitro affinity for MAO B than pargyline. However, the in vitro selectivity for MAO B was better for pargyline than for 2-iodopargyline. Ex vivo autoradiographic studies and in vivo saturation studies with selective inhibitors of MAO showed that the cerebral biodistribution of [125I]-2-iodopargyline in the rat is consistent with high level binding to MAO B sites in the pineal gland and in the thalamus. In conclusion, 2-iodopargyline preferentially binds in vivo to MAO B sites with high affinity. However, its selectivity for MAO B in rats is not very high, whereas this ligand binds to a lesser extent to MAO A. It will be then of great value to evaluate the specificity of 2-iodopargyline in humans. This new ligand labeled with 123I should therefore be a suitable tool for SPECT exploration of MAO B in the human brain.

Several iodinated compounds have been developed for in vivo exploration of dopamine D2 receptors by SPECT. It is of great value to understand if the same information could be obtained with different radioligands. For this purpose, we compared in vivo properties of two iodinated ligands, iodoethylspiperone (IES) and iodobenzamide (IBZM), using different pharmacological and lesioning treatments in rats. Cerebral biodistribution performed by ex vivo autoradiograms and dissection of brain areas showed that IES and IBZM bound specifically to D2 receptors since a pre-injection of haloperidol prevented accumulation of both ligands. In contrast, when haloperidol was injected after IES or IBZM, only IBZM was displaced from its binding sites. This could be explained partly by a process of dopamine-dependent internalization with IES. The response to striatal quinolinic acid infusion for lesioning post-synaptic neurons was very different for IES and IBZM. In this model a decrease in IBZM accumulation occurred, corresponding to the loss of D2 receptors located on post-synaptic neurons. In contrast, a unexpected increase in IES accumulation was observed on the lesioned side. From these results we concluded that IES and IBZM, two iodinated ligands belonging to different pharmacological families, bound specifically to dopamine D2 receptors. However they have different properties in animal models. Therefore, it appears that IBZM is a more suitable ligand than IES to detect modifications of D2 receptors by in vivo exploration.

We synthesized a new spiperone derivative: iodoethylspiperone (IES) to perform dopamine D2 receptor exploration by SPECT. IES was prepared from a precursor: tosylethylspiperone, and characterized by i.r. and 1H-NMR analyses. [125I]IES was obtained with 80% yield. In vivo biodistribution in rats showed a high and specific uptake in the striatum. The uptake ratio between the striatum and the cerebellum reached a maximum value 4 h after injection (10.05 +/- 2.81). IES labeled with 123I should be a promising new agent to investigate D2 receptors in the living human brain.

Radioiodinated m-iodobenzylguanidine [( 125I]MIBG) and tritiated norepinephrine [( 3H]NE]) uptake and release were compared, in different regions of the brain of the rat. The classification of the regions according to uptake was the same for both tracers:striatum greater than hypothalamus greater than hippocampus greater than cortex greater than brainstem. Tetrabenazine (TBZ), a granular monoamine uptake inhibitor reduced the uptake in the different regions. The inhibition rate was higher for [3H]NE uptake than for [125I]MIBG. The spontaneous release was the same for [125I]MIBG and [3H]NE and was the lowest in the striatum. The K+ stimulated release of [3H]NE was more complete than the release of [125I]MIBG and was the most important in the striatum. From these results, it is inferred that MIBG enters the brain tissue via NE uptake mechanisms. It appears that MIBG is stored in the chromaffin granules, as NE, but also in the cytoplasm. A modified molecule derived from MIBG which would cross the blood-brain barrier, would then appear as a potential scintigraphic marker of monoamine uptake, storage and release.