1. Bioorthogonal Radiolabeling of Azide-Modified Bacteria Using [18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO
- Author
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Alanizi, Aryn A, Sorlin, Alexandre M, Parker, Matthew FL, López-Álvarez, Marina, Qin, Hecong, Lee, Sang Hee, Blecha, Joseph, Rosenberg, Oren S, Engel, Joanne, Ohliger, Michael A, Flavell, Robert R, and Wilson, David M
- Subjects
Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry ,Chemical Sciences ,Rare Diseases ,Bioengineering ,2.2 Factors relating to the physical environment ,Aetiology ,Humans ,Animals ,Mice ,Azides ,Tissue Distribution ,Peptidoglycan ,Positron-Emission Tomography ,Bacteria ,Amino Acids ,Alanine ,Fluorine Radioisotopes ,Organic Chemistry ,Biochemistry and Cell Biology ,Biochemistry and cell biology ,Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry - Abstract
Purpose: This study was motivated by the need for better positron emission tomography (PET)-compatible tools to image bacterial infection. Our previous efforts have targeted bacteria-specific metabolism via assimilation of carbon-11 labeled d-amino acids into the bacterial cell wall. Since the chemical determinants of this incorporation are not fully understood, we sought a high-throughput method to label d-amino acid derived structures with fluorine-18. Our strategy employed a chemical biology approach, whereby an azide (-N3) bearing d-amino acid is incorporated into peptidoglycan muropeptides, with subsequent "click" cycloaddition with an 18F-labeled strained cyclooctyne partner. Procedures: A water-soluble, 18F-labeled and dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO)-derived radiotracer ([18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO) was synthesized. This tracer was incubated with pathogenic bacteria treated with azide-bearing d-amino acids, and incorporated 18F was determined via gamma counting. In vitro uptake in bacteria previously treated with azide-modified d-amino acids was compared to that in cultures treated with amino acid controls. The biodistribution of [18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO was studied in a cohort of healthy mice with implications for future in vivo imaging. Results: The new strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) radiotracer [18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO was synthesized with high radiochemical yield and purity via N-succinimidyl 4-[18F]fluorobenzoate ([18F]SFB). Accumulation of [18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO was significantly higher in several bacteria treated with azide-modified d-amino acids than in controls; for example, we observed 7 times greater [18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO ligation in Staphylococcus aureus cultures incubated with 3-azido-d-alanine versus those incubated with d-alanine. Conclusions: The SPAAC radiotracer [18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO was validated in vitro via metabolic labeling of azide-bearing peptidoglycan muropeptides. d-Amino acid-derived PET radiotracers may be more efficiently screened via [18F]FB-sulfo-DBCO modification.
- Published
- 2024