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The fac-[M(CO)3(PyA)(P)] and cis-trans-[M(CO)2(PyA)(P)2] neutral complexes (M is Re or 99mTc), based on the mixed ligand strategy with pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid (PyAH) as the bidentate N,O and triphenylphosphine as the monodentate P ligand, are presented. Through the employment of the anhydride of pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (PyDA), the PyAH scaffold was conveniently derivatized with the model bioactive amine 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine, the active part of the 5-HT1A antagonist WAY100635. Reaction of either PyAH or the pharmacophore-bearing PyAH ligand (L1H) with fac-[M(CO)3]+ core in water yielded the intermediate fac-[M(CO)3(PyA)(H2O)] complexes. The labile aqua ligand was easily replaced by PPh3 to yield the fac-[Re(CO)3(PyA)(PPh3)] complexes, while in toluene under reflux, the cis-trans-[Re(CO)2(PyA)(PPh3)2] complexes were obtained. The latter complexes were alternatively obtained from mer-[Re(CO)3(PPh3)2Cl] by refluxing with the PyA ligand in toluene. The analogous 99mTc complexes were synthesized quantitatively, showing excellent stability in competition studies. The methodology described herein represents a practical procedure for the effective integration of the fac-[M(CO)3]+ core with amine-bearing biologically active compounds for diagnosis/therapy.

Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) of tyrosine kinase (TK) have shown high expression levels in most cancers and are considered a promising target for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Expanding the investigation for novel targeted radiopharmaceuticals, an EGFR inhibitor such as 4-aminoquinazoline derivatives along with a radionuclide such as technetium-99m (99mTc) could be ideal. Thus, we report herein the synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation of new “4 + 1” mixed-ligand ReIII- and 99mTcIII-complexes of the general formula [99mTc][Tc(NS3)(CN-R)] bearing tris(2-mercaptoethyl)-amine (NS3) as the tetradentate tripodal ligand and a series of isocyanide derivatives (CN-R) of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (3-bromophenyl)quinazoline-4,6-diamine as the monodentate ligand. The quinazoline isocyanide derivatives 4a-d were prepared in two steps and reacted with the [Re(NS3)PMe2Ph] precursor leading to the final complexes 5a-d in high yield. All compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and NMR spectroscopies. In vitro studies, for their potency to inhibit the cell growth, using intact A431 cells indicate that the quinazoline derivatives 4a-d and the Re complexes 5a-d significantly inhibit the A431 cell growth. In addition, the EGFR autophosphorylation study of complex 5b shows an IC50 value in the nanomolar range. The corresponding “4 + 1” 99mTc-complexes 6a-d were prepared by employing the [99mTc]TcEDTA intermediate and the appropriate monodentate 4a-d in a two-step synthetic procedure with a radiochemical yield (RCY) from 63 to 77 % and a radiochemical purity (RCP) > 99 % after HPLC purification. Their structures have been established by HPLC comparative studies using the well-characterized Re-complexes 5a-d as reference. All 99mTc-complexes remain stable for at least 6 h, and their logD7.4 values confirmed their anticipated lipophilic character. Biodistribution studies in healthy Swiss albino mice of 99mTc-complexes showed hepatobiliary excretion and initial fast blood clearance. Complex 6b was also tested in Albino SCID mice bearing A431 tumors and showed rapid tumor uptake at 5 min (2.80 % ID/g) with a moderate tumor/muscle ratio (2.06) at 4 h p.i. The results encourage further investigation for this type of 99mTc-complexes as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radio agents for imaging tumors overexpressing EGFR. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

The synthesis and evaluation of three novel 99mTc complexes (99mTc-1–3) and their corresponding Re complexes (Re-1–3), in which the phenyl ring of 2-phenylbenzothiazole or 2-phenylbenzimidazole is replaced by the cyclopentadienyl tricarbonyl [Cp99mTc(CO)3] core, are reported. Both 99mTc and Re complexes were prepared from the corresponding ferrocenyl derivatives, and the Re complexes were fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic methods, and X-ray crystallography. The complexes exhibit effective in vitro binding to β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and fibrils, inhibit Aβ fibril formation, and significantly reduce Aβ-induced cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species production in neuronal cell cultures. The brain uptake of the 99mTc complexes ranges between 7.94 and 3.99% ID/g at 2 min p.i., being the highest recorded for potential 99mTc Aβ plaque imaging probes in mice. Powered by their high brain uptake, the complexes represent strong theranostic candidates against Alzheimer’s disease combining sing...

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a 41-amino-acid neuropeptide secreted from the hypothalamus and is the main regulator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. CRF is the master hormone which modulates physiological and behavioral responses to stress. Many disorders including anxiety, depression, addictive disorders and others are related to over activation of the CRF system. This suggests that new molecules which can interfere with CRF binding to its receptors may be potential candidates for neuropsychiatric drugs to treat stress-related disorders. Previously, three series of pyrimidine and fused pyrimidine CRF1 receptor antagonists were synthesized by our group and specific binding assays, competitive binding studies and determination of the ability to antagonize the agonist-stimulated accumulation of cAMP (the second messenger for CRF receptors) were reported. In continuation of our efforts in this direction, in the current manuscript, we report the synthesis & biological evaluation of a new series of CRF1 receptor antagonists. Seven compounds showed promising binding affinity with the best two compounds (compounds 6 & 43) displaying a superior binding affinity to all of our previous compounds. Compounds 6 & 43 have only 4 times and 2 times less binding affinity than the standard CRF antagonist antalarmin, respectively. Thus, our two best lead compounds (compound 6 & 43) can be considered potent CRF receptor antagonists with binding affinity of 41.0 & 19.2 nM versus 9.7 nM for antalarmin.

An optical immunosensor based on White Light Reflectance Spectroscopy for the simultaneous determination of the herbicides atrazine and paraquat in drinking water samples is demonstrated. The biosensor allows for the label-free real-time monitoring of biomolecular interactions taking place onto a SiO2/Si chip by transforming the shift in the reflected interference spectrum due to reaction to effective biomolecular layer thickness. Dual-analyte determination is accomplished by functionalizing spatially distinct areas of the chip with protein conjugates of the two herbicides and scanning the surface with an optical reflection probe. A competitive immunoassay format was adopted, followed by reaction with secondary antibodies for signal enhancement. The sensor was highly sensitive with detection limits of 40 and 50 pg/mL for paraquat and atrazine, respectively, and the assay duration was 12 min. Recovery values ranging from 90.0 to 110% were determined for the two pesticides in spiked bottled and tap water samples, demonstrating the sensor accuracy. In addition, the sensor could be regenerated and re-used at least 20 times without significant effect on the assay characteristics. Its excellent analytical performance and short analysis time combined with the small sensor size should be helpful for fast on-site determinations of these analytes.

The synthesis and characterization of the dicarbonyl mixed ligand cis-[Re(CO)2(quin)(cisc)(PPh3)] complex, 4, where quin is the deprotonated quinaldic acid, cisc is cyclohexyl isocyanide, and PPh3 is triphenylphosphine, is presented. The synthesis of 4 proceeds in three steps. In the first, the intermediate fac-[Re(CO)3(quin)(H2O)] aqua complex 2 is generated from the fac-[NEt4]2[Re(CO)3Br3] precursor, together with the brominated products fac-[Re(CO)3(quinH)(Br)] 1a and fac-[NEt4][Re(CO)3(quin)(Br)] 1b, in low yield. In the following step, replacement of the aqua ligand of complex 2 by the monodentate isocyanide ligand leads to the formation of fac-[Re(CO)3(quin)(cisc)], 3. In the third step replacement of the species trans to the isocyanide carbonyl group of 3 by a phosphine generates complex 4. The Re complexes 2–4 were prepared in high yield and fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic methods, and X-ray crystallography. At the technetium-99m (99mTc) tracer level, the analogous complex...

Introduction Lipophilic delocalized cations accumulate in tumor cell mitochondria due to their higher transmembrane potential. In this work, this strategy was adopted for the development of 99m Tc tumor-targeted imaging agents. Methods Two tridentate ligands containing the triphenylphosphonium cation, L1 (S-cysteinyl) and L2 (N-iminodiacetate) as well as the respective 99m Tc/ReL1 and 99m Tc/ReL2 tricarbonyl complexes were synthesized. The effect of the ligands and the Re complexes on cell growth in U-87 MG glioblastoma cells was assessed. In vitro stability studies and measurement of logP of the 99m Tc tracers was performed. The cellular and mitochondrial uptake of the 99m Tc tracers in U-87 MG cells was evaluated. Biodistribution of 99m TcL1 and 99m TcL2 were performed on SCID mice bearing U-87 MG tumors. Results The ligands L1 , L2 and the Re1 and ReL2 complexes were characterized spectroscopically. Single products 99m TcL1 and 99m TcL2 , >90% stable in rat serum, were obtained. LogP was 0.40±0.14 for 99m TcL1 and −0.02±0.07 for 99m TcL2 . L1 , ReL1 and ReL2 caused no notable cytotoxicity and L2 was found to infer 40% inhibition of cellular growth at 10 −5 M as well as 80% cell death in culture at 10 −4 M. The cell uptake of 99m TcL1 and 99m TcL2 over 4h was 1.26±0.08% and 0.06±0.01% respectively, of which 13.41±3.63% and 18.61±6.19% was distributed in the mitochondria respectively. The initial tumor uptake in mice was found to be >1% ID/g for both 99m Tc tracers. Conclusions In vitro mitochondrial and in vivo tumor targeting was observed, better in 99m TcL1 , however these properties should be optimized in future studies. Advances in Knowledge and Implications for Patient Care: Continuous efforts in this direction may lead to a suitable mitochondrial-targeted 99m Tc imaging agent for tumor detection.

A series of “2 + 1” mixed ligand tricarbonyl complexes of the general formula fac-[Re/99mTc/186Re(CO)3(DDTC)(L)] containing diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) as a monoanionic bidentate ligand and a series of monodentate ligands L was synthesized, characterized and evaluated. The impact of ligand L on the radiochemical yield (RCY) and biodistribution of the final compounds was also investigated. DDTC and the appropriate L ligand [cyclohexyl isocyanide (cisc), tert-butyl isocyanide (tbi), triphenylphosphine (PPh3), methyldiphenylphosphine (PPh2Me), triphenylarsine (AsPh3), imidazole (im), and 4-aminopyridine (4AP)] readily reacted in equimolar amounts with the [Et4N]2[Re(CO)3Br3] precursor to afford fac-[Re(CO)3(DDTC)(cisc)], Re1, fac-[Re(CO)3(DDTC)(tbi)], Re2, fac-[Re(CO)3(DDTC)(PPh3)], Re3, fac-[Re(CO)3(DDTC)(PPh2Me)], Re4, fac-[Re(CO)3(DDTC)(AsPh3)], Re5, fac-[Re(CO)3(DDTC)(im)], Re6 and fac-[Re(CO)3(DDTC)(4AP)], Re7, complexes in high yields (>80%). All Re complexes were fully characterized by IR, NMR, and in addition Re4, Re5, and Re7 with X-ray crystallography. Analogous reactions as performed with Re were subsequently explored on the 99mTc and 186Re-tracer levels using the corresponding fac-[99mTc/186Re(CO)3(H2O)3]+ precursor. Complexes 99mTc1 – 99mTc5, 186Re1 and 186Re3 were obtained in high radiochemical yield (>91%), while the complexes 99mTc6, 99mTc7 and 186Re7 formed with radiochemical yields of 55%, 28%, and 75%, respectively. The 99mTc and 186Re-complexes were characterized by comparative HPLC analysis using the analogous Re complexes. During histidine and cysteine challenge experiments at 37 °C through 6 h, complexes 99mTc1 – 99mTc5 remained > 92% stable, while complexes 99mTc6 and 99mTc7 remained only 8% stable through 3 h. Similar studies for 186Re-complexes showed that 186Re1 and 186Re3 remained > 95% stable for up to 48 h, while 186Re7 had decreased to 7% after 3 h. LogD7.4 data of 99mTc1 – 99mTc5, 186Re1, and 186Re3 complexes, which ranged from 2.59 to 3.39, suggested high lipophilicity. Biodistribution studies in healthy Swiss albino mice showed hepatobiliary excretion for 99mTc1, 99mTc2, and 99mTc4, fast blood clearance for 99mTc4, while high liver uptake and retention for 99mTc3 and 99mTc5 were measured. Moreover, 99mTc2 showed high accumulation in the lungs with sustained retention (52.80% ID/g at 4 h p.i.) and significant brain uptake at 2 min p.i. (1.89% ID/g). The study showed the great influence of monodentate ligand in the synthesis and biodistribution of the mixed ligand complexes.

Prothymosin alpha (ProTα) is a highly conserved mammalian polypeptide (109 amino acids in man) exerting in vitro and in vivo immunoenhancing activities. Recently, our team has developed a 99mTc-radiolabeled derivative of the C-terminal bioactive decapeptide of ProTα ([99mTc]C1) and employed it in in vitro studies, the results of which support the existence of binding sites on human neutrophils that recognize [99mTc]C1, intact ProTα as well as the C-terminal decapeptide of ProTα and presumably involve Toll-like receptor 4. In the present work, [99mTc]C1 was administered to Swiss albino mice with experimentally-induced inflammation for in vivo biodistribution and imaging studies, in parallel with a suitable negative control, which differs from [99mTc]C1 only in bearing a scrambled version of the ProTα decapeptide. The biodistribution data obtained with [99mTc]C1 demonstrated fast clearance of radioactivity from blood, heart, lungs, normal muscle, and predominantly urinary excretion. Most importantly, slow clearance of radioactivity from the inflammation focus was observed, resulting in a high ratio of inflamed/normal muscle tissue (9.15 at 30 min post injection, which remained practically stable up to 2 h). The inflammation-targeting capacity of [99mTc]C1 was confirmed by imaging studies and might be attributed to neutrophils, which are recruited at the inflamed areas and bear binding sites for [99mTc]C1. In this respect, apart from being a valuable tool for further studies on ProTα in in vitro and in vivo systems, [99mTc]C1 merits further evaluation as a radiopharmaceutical for specific imaging of inflammation foci.

Tyrosine kinase (TK) receptors including epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) are known to be overexpressed in a wide variety of solid tumors associated with poor prognosis. The HBED-CC chelator N,N'-bis[2-hydroxy-5-(carboxyethyl)benzyl]ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid 1 was coupled via one or both its propionic acid moieties with the quinazoline EGFR-TK inhibiting pharmacophore 4-amino-N-(4-((3-bromophenyl)amino)quinazolin-6-yl)butanamide 3 resulting in either a monomeric 4 or a dimeric 5 species. Ligands 4 and 5 reacted with Ga

The islands of Sardinia, Crete, and Cyprus are hosting the last native insular griffon populations in the Mediterranean basin. Their states have been evaluated from “vulnerable” to “critically endangered”. The sequence analysis of molecular markers, particularly the mtDNA D-loop region, provides useful information in studying the evolution of closely related taxa and the conservation of endangered species. Therefore, a study of D-loop region sequence was carried out to estimate the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship within and among these three populations. Among 84 griffon specimens (44 Sardinian, 33 Cretan, and 7 Cypriot), we detected four haplotypes including a novel haplotype (HPT-D) that was exclusively found in the Cretan population with a frequency of 6.1%. When considered as a unique population, haplotype diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (π) were high at 0.474 and 0.00176, respectively. A similar level of Hd and π was found in Sardinian and Cretan populations, both showing three haplotypes. The different haplotype frequencies and exclusivity detected were in accordance with the limited matrilineal gene flow (FST = 0.07097), probably related to the species reluctance to fly over sea masses. The genetic variability we observe today would therefore be the result of an evolutionary process strongly influenced by isolation leading to the appearance of island variants which deserve to be protected. Furthermore, since nesting sites and food availability are essential elements for colony settlement, we may infer that the island's colonization began when the first domestic animals were transferred by humans during the Neolithic. In conclusion, our research presents a first contribution to the genetic characterization of the griffon vulture populations in the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia, Crete and Cyprus and lays the foundation for conservation and restocking programs.

The ReI atom in the mol­ecule of the title compound has a distorted C4NO coordination sphere defined by three carbonyl ligands, one chelating quinaldate anion and one isocyanide ligand. As a result of the trans effect of the isocyanide derivative, one Re—CO bond is elongated., In the title compound, [Re(C10H6NO2)(C7H11N)(CO)3], the ReI atom is coordinated by three carbonyl ligands in a facial arrangement and by the N, O and C atoms from a chelating quinaldate anion and a monodentate isocyanide ligand, respectively. The resultant C4NO coordination sphere is distorted octa­hedral. A lengthening of the axial Re—CO bond trans to the isocyanide ligand is indicative of the trans effect. Individual complexes are stacked into rods parallel to [001] through displaced π–π inter­actions. Weak C—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter­actions between the rods lead to the formation of layers parallel to (010). These layers are stacked along [010] by C—H⋯H—C van der Waals contacts.

Tyrosine kinase (TK) receptors including epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) are known to be overexpressed in a wide variety of solid tumors associated with poor prognosis. The HBED-CC chelator N,N′-bis[2-hydroxy-5-(carboxyethyl)benzyl]ethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetic acid 1 was coupled via one or both its propionic acid moieties with the quinazoline EGFR-TK inhibiting pharmacophore 4-amino-N-(4-((3-bromophenyl)amino)quinazolin-6-yl)butanamide 3 resulting in either a monomeric 4 or a dimeric 5 species. Ligands 4 and 5 reacted with Ga3+ generating the corresponding complexes Ga4 and Ga5. Both ligands and complexes were characterized with mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy and evaluated in vitro with MTT assays in A431 cells, where they showed IC50 values in the range 51.6 to 68.8 μM. Labeling of ligands 4 and 5 with the PET radionuclide 68Ga was quantitative and resulted in tracers [68Ga]Ga4 and [68Ga]Ga5 with radiochemical purities greater than 98%, which were also characterised by comparative RP-HPLC studies with Ga4 and Ga5 respectively. Radiotracers [68Ga]Ga4 and [68Ga]Ga5 were stable (intact tracer over 98%) in the reaction mixture (120 min) and in human serum (30 min). Both tracers were evaluated in vivo with biodistribution experiments in SCID mice bearing A431 tumors presenting tumor uptake of 1.34 for [68Ga]Ga4 and 1.01 %ID/g for [68Ga]Ga5 at 5 min, which was slightly decreased at 60 min p.i. and then remained stable until 120 min p.i. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of monomeric and dimeric quinazoline conjugates with the chelator HBED-CC, which can serve as a basis for further development of EGFR-TKI targeting tracers.

New neutral fac-ReNNN(CO)3 complexes where NNN are the Schiff base tridentate ligands N-(1H-pyrrol-2-ylmethylene)-2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethanamine (complex 1) and N-(1H-indol-2-ylmethylene)-2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethanamine (complex 2) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, infrared and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The molecular structure of complex 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis that revealed a distorted octahedral geometry around Re.

Prothymosin alpha (ProTα) is a conserved mammalian polypeptide with intracellular functions associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis and an extracellular role associated with immunopotentiation. The N-terminal fragment [1-28], which is identical with the immunostimulating peptide thymosin α1 (Tα1), was earlier considered as the immunoactive region of the polypeptide; however, recent data suggest that ProTα may exert a discrete immunomodulating action through its central or C-terminal region, via targeting Toll-like receptor- 4 (TLR4). In this work, a derivative of the C-terminal fragment ProTα[100-109] (ProTα-D1) that can be radiolabeled with (99m)Tc was developed. The biological activity of the non-radioactive (185/187)rhenium-complex of this derivative ([(185/187)Re]ProTα-D1, structurally similar with [(99m)Tc]ProTα-D1) was verified through suitable in vitro bioassays on human neutrophils. Subsequent cell-binding studies revealed specific, time-dependent and saturable binding of [(99m)Tc]ProTα-D1 on neutrophils, which was inhibited by intact ProTα and ProTα[100-109], as well as by a "prototype" TLR4-ligand (lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli). Overall, our results support the existence of ProTα-binding sites on human neutrophils, recognizing [(99m)Tc]ProTα-D1, which might involve TLR4. [(99m)Tc]ProTα-D1 may be a useful tool for conducting further in vitro and in vivo studies, aiming to elucidate the extracellular mode of action of ProTα and, eventually, develop ProTα-based immunotherapeutics.

Colivelin (CL), first reported in 2005, is the most potent member of the humanin family of neuroprotective peptides with in vitro and in vivo rescuing action against insults associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of the present work is the design, synthesis and characterization of specific CL derivatives that can be used as molecular probes in the investigation of the unknown mechanism of CL action. Within this framework, three CL derivatives bearing suitable tags, i.e., the fluorescent moiety FITC, the streptavidin-counterpart biotinyl-group, and the (99m)Tc-radiometal chelating unit dimethylGly-Ser-Cys, were developed and subsequently applied in biological evaluation experiments. Specifically, the FITC-labeled derivative of CL was used in confocal microscopy, where specific binding at the periphery of F11 cells was observed; the biotin-labeled derivative of CL was used in an in-house developed ELISA-type assay, where specific and concentration-dependent binding with the β-amyloid peptide of AD was shown; finally, the (99m)Tc-radiolabeled derivative of CL was used in in vivo biodistribution studies in healthy Swiss Albino mice, where 0.58% of the radioactivity administered was measured in the mouse brain 2min after injection. The above first successful applications of the CL probes demonstrate their potential to contribute in the field of neuroprotective peptides.

RATIONALE fac-[Re(CO)3 (PO)(X)]-type complexes (PO = chelated bidentate tertiary phosphine (1-), X = various neutral, mono-dentate ligands) represent a class of compounds that meets the synthetic criteria for the preparation of potential carbon monoxide (CO) release molecules (CORMs) for medicinal application. The aim of our investigation was to achieve qualitative information whether the nature of the ancillary X ligand might influence the release of CO. METHODS The release of CO has been investigated by means of product ion spectrometry of electrospray ionization (ESI)-generated [M + H]+ species, produced by multiple collisional experiments, using an ion trap mass spectrometer. RESULTS Tandem mass spectrometry applied to the protonated species [Re(CO)3 (PO)(X) + H]+ of seven complexes (those including X = OH2 (1), isonitrile (2, 3), imidazole (4), pyridine (5) and phosphine (6, 7)) shows initial loss of coordinated water (1) or pyridine (5), whereas the majority of investigated entries display initial, sequential release of CO groups. The energetics of CO release have been investigated by breakdown curves for selected collisionally activated decomposition processes involving CO, and compared with those involving X groups. CONCLUSIONS The nature of the co-ligand X drives the primary loss in the MSn processes of [Re(CO)3 (PO)(X) + H]+ compounds. When X = solvent, the energetics of these decompositions follow the trend H2 O

The development of a 99mTc-radiotracer for imaging of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is strongly anticipated to provide a low cost and broadly accessible diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Within this framework, 2-(4′-aminophenyl)benzothiazole, known to display affinity and specificity for Aβ plaques, has been joined to the tricarbonyl fac-[M(CO)3]+ (M = Re(I), 99mTc(I)) core through the cyclopentadienyl moiety to yield stable, neutral, and lipophilic complexes (Re-1 and 99mTc-1, respectively). The Re-1 complex was completely characterized with spectroscopic methods and was shown to selectively stain Aβ plaques on sections of human AD brain tissue. The 99mTc-1 complex displayed satisfactory initial brain uptake (0.53% ID/g at 2 min) and in vivo stability in healthy mice, while in transgenic 5xFAD mice, models for AD, a notable retention in the brain was noted (1.94% ID/g at 90 min). The results are encouraging and contribute to the effort of devel...

In the present work, we investigated potential means to obtain neutral tricarbonyl mixed-ligand fac-[M(CO)(3)(LL2)-L-1] complexes (M = Re, Tc-99m) containing the (2-hydroxyphenyl)diphenylphosphine (POH) bidentate ligand ((LH)-H-1) and a series of monodentate ligands (L-2). First, fac[Re(CO)(3)(PO)(H2O)], 1, was synthesized by reaction of POH and [Et4N](2)[Re(CO)(3)Br-3] in equimolar amounts in MeOH at room temperature. Interestingly, with excess of POH this reaction afforded fac-[Re(CO)(3)(PO)(POH)], 2, with POH operating both as a bidentate and as a monodentate ligand. Owing to the presence of the labile aqua ligand, which can be readily replaced by various monodentate ligands, 1 was further used as a precursor to generate a small library of the desired fac-[M(CO)(3)(LL2)-L-1] complexes. Specifically, by reaction of triphenylphosphine (PPh3), imidazole (im), pyridine (py), cyclohexyl isocyanide (cisc), and tert-butyl isocyanide (tbi), the following products were readily obtained in excellent yields (92%-95%): fac-[Re(CO)(3)(PO)(PPh3)], 3, fac-[Re(CO)(3)(PO)(im)], 4, fac-[Re(CO)(3)(PO)(py)], 5, fac-[Re(CO)(3)(PO)(CiSc)], 6, and fac-[Re(CO)(3)(PO)(tbi)], 7. All compounds were fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies, and electrospray ionization(+) mass spectrometry. Their solid-state structure was elucidated by X-ray crystallography. Of considerable interest is the fact that the corresponding 2'-7' were easily accessible at the Tc-99m-tracer level in quantitative yields after reaction of POH and the respective monodentate ligand L-2 with fac-[Tc-99m(CO)(3)(H2O)(3)] in aqueous MeOH, as verified by comparative chromatographic methods adopting dual photo and radiometric detection modes. The high stability displayed by all Tc-99m complexes during histidine and cysteine challenge assays underscored the suitability of the fac-[M(CO)(3)(PO)L-2] system for radiopharmaceutical development purposes.

The high and persistent radioactivity at the injection site hinders the accuracy and expansion of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping. We investigated the mechanism underlying the undesirable radioactivity after subcutaneous injection of (99m)Tc-labeled mannosylated dextran ((99m)Tc(CO)3-DCM20), a SLN mapping agent targeting mannose receptors on macrophages and dendritic cells, in a mouse model. Biodistribution studies were performed 1 h after subcutaneous injection of (99m)Tc(CO)3-DCM20 from the rear footpad of mice in the presence of varying molar amounts of DCM20 or DC15, a modified dextran without mannose. Biodistribution studies were also conducted after subcutaneous injection of [(125)I]radioiodinated mannosyl-neoglycoalbumin ((125)I-NMA) from the rear footpad. The distribution of fluorescence-labeled DCM20 and DC15 at the injection site was also compared 1 h after subcutaneous injection by immunofluorescent histochemistry. The radioactivity levels of (99m)Tc(CO)3-DCM20 at the injection site and popliteal lymph node, a SLN in this model, decreased with an increase in the molar amounts of DCM20, whereas no significant changes in biodistribution were observed after injection of (99m)Tc(CO)3-DCM20 with varying molar amounts of DC15. (125)I-NMA exhibited rapid elimination of radioactivity from both the popliteal lymph node and the injection site. The fluorescence-labeled DCM20 colocalized well with CD68-positive cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells at the injection site. While partial colocalization was observed between DC15 and CD68-positive cells, the signal intensity was very weak. These findings suggest that specific binding of (99m)Tc(CO)3-DCM20 to the mannose receptor on macrophages and dendritic cells would be responsible for the sustained radioactivity levels at the injection site. These results also imply that discriminated blockage of (99m)Tc(CO)3-DCM20 binding to mannose receptors at the injection sites would reduce the radioactivity at the injection site.

This work focuses on the development of “2 + 1” technetium and rhenium carbonyl complexes of the formula fac-[99mTc/Re(CO)3(L)(Spy)], where HSpy is 2-mercaptopyridine and acts as (NS) bidentate ligand and L is either triphenylphosphine (PPh3) or benzyl isocyanide (BnNC). Reaction of 2-mercaptopyridine with the precursors fac-(NEt4)2[Re(CO)3Br3] or [Re(CO)5Br] yields the dimeric complex fac-[Re(CO)3(Spy)]2, Re1. Re1 readily reacts with the monodentate ligand to yield the respective “2 + 1” fac-[Re(CO)3(PPh3/BnNC)(Spy)] complexes Re2/Re4. Re2 was also obtained in a single step reaction of the precursor fac-(NEt4)2[Re(CO)3Br3] with the mixture of ligands in equimolar amounts. Furthermore, the rhenium dicarbonyl complex cis, trans-[Re(CO)2(PPh3)2(Spy)] complex Re3 was synthesized by reaction of HSpy with the precursor mer, trans-[Re(CO)3(PPh3)2Cl]. All rhenium complexes were characterized by IR, NMR, elemental analysis and furthermore the structure of Re1, Re2, Re3 was solved by X-ray crystallography. At the 99mTc tracer level, the “2 + 1” complex fac-[99mTc(CO)3(PPh3)(Spy)], 99mTc2, was obtained in high radiochemical yield and low ligand concentrations and the complex was very stable in histidine and cysteine in challenge experiments.

In the title rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complex with tri­phenyl­arsane and deprotonated quinaldic acid ligands, the ReI atom is in an octa­hedral coordination. Weak C—H⋯O inter­actions lead to a three-dimensional supra­molecular architecture., In the title compound, [Re(C10H6NO2)(CO)3{As(C6H5)3}], the coordination environment of ReI is that of a distorted octa­hedron. Three coordination sites are occupied by three carbonyl groups in a facial arrangement and the remaining three sites by tri­phenyl­arsane and deprotonated quinaldic acid in As-mono- and N,O-bidentate fashions, respectively. In the crystal, the complexes are linked through weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network. It worth noting that, as far as we know, this complex is the first ReI tri­phenyl­arsane tricarbonyl compound to be reported.

In this work, we focused on the development of mixed ligand technetium and rhenium complexes of the general formula fac-[99mTc/Re(CO)3(PPh3)(ox/tq)] and cis, trans-[99mTc/Re(CO)2(PPh3)2(ox/tq)] where 8-hydroxyquinoline (oxH) and 8-mercaptoquinoline (tqH) act as [NO] and [NS] bidentate ligands. The synthesis of rhenium complexes fac-[Re(CO)3(PPh3)(ox/tq)] Re3/Re4 was conducted by reacting oxH or tqH and triphenylphosphine with fac-(NEt4)2[Re(CO)3Br3] (1) or by reacting triphenylphosphine with the dimer complexes fac-[Re(CO)3(ox/tq)]2 Re1/Re2. The synthesis of the rhenium complexes cis, trans-[Re(CO)2(PPh3)2(ox/tq)] Re5/Re6 was conducted either by reacting 1 with oxH/tqH in equimolar amounts and triphenylphosphine in excess or by reacting oxH/tqH with the precursor mer, trans-[Re(CO)3(PPh3)2Cl]. All the complexes were characterized by IR, NMR and X-ray crystallography. The analogous 99mTc complexes were prepared by reacting oxH/tqH and PPh3 with the precursor fac-[99mTc(CO)3(OH2)3]+ (2). When the reaction mixture was left at rt for 2 h the monophosphino complexes fac-[99mTc(CO)3(PPh3)(ox/tq)] 99mTc3/99mTc4 were formed, while by applying heating at 75 °C for 30 min the dicarbonyl complexes cis, trans-[99mTc(CO)2(PPh3)2(ox/tq)] 99mTc5/99mTc6 were formed quantitatively. The 99mTc complexes were identified by HPLC chromatographic comparison with the analogous rhenium complexes and their stability was studied.

Bombesin is a neuropeptide widely studied due to its ability to target various types of cancers. Technetium-99m on the other hand is ideal for diagnostic tumor targeting. The aim of the present study is the investigation of the coupling of the ligand ( S )-(2-(2′-pyridyl)ethyl)- d , l -cysteine with the BN-peptide Gln-Arg-Leu-Gly-Asn-Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Leu-Met(CONH 2 ) through the spacer aminohexanoic acidand the labeling of the resulting derivative MBN with the synthon [M(CO) 3 (H 2 O) 3 ] + (M = 99m Tc, Re). The peptide was synthesized according to the SPPS method, purified and characterized by ESI-MS. The new 99m Tc-labeled biomolecule was stable in vitro, showed high affinity for the human GRP receptor expressed in PC3 cells and the rate of internalization was found to be time-dependent tissue distribution of the radiopeptide was evaluated in normal mice and in prostate cancer experimental models and significant radioactivity uptake was observed in the pancreas of normal mice as well as in PC3 tumors. Dynamic studies of the radiopeptide showed satisfactory tumor images.

The synthesis, labeling, and biological evaluation of a dextran derivative (DCM-30-iso) as potential radiopharmaceutical for sentinel lymph node imaging is presented. DCM-30-iso bears mannose as active moiety and isocyanide as ligand for technetium through the formation of a ‘4 + 1’ Tc(III) mixed-ligand complex. A second derivative without mannose (DC-25-iso) was also prepared and evaluated as control. DCM-30-iso and DC-25-iso were synthesized from dextran in four steps (>50% overall yield) and characterized by spectroscopic methods. Labeling with 99mTc was achieved by reaction with 2,2¢,2¢¢-nitrilotris(ethanethiol) and 99mTc-EDTA. Radiochemical purity was above 90% and was stable for at least 4 hours postlabeling at 37C. The identity of the 99mTc complex was established through comparative HPLC studies using the well-characterized analogous Re-DC-25-iso complex. Biodistribution and imaging experiments of 99mTc-DCM-30-iso showed high uptake in the popliteal lymph node, which could be blocked with preinjection of mannose, and very low uptake in other nodes and organs. The nonmannosylated 99mTc-DC-25-iso derivative showed negligible uptake in all lymph nodes. The novel dextran-mannose derivative DCM-30-iso can be successfully labeled with 99mTc to give a well-characterized ‘4 + 1’ complex with favorable biological properties as sentinel lymph node imaging agent.

The synthesis and characterization of the new NSN tridentate bifunctional chelating agent 3-[2-(2′-pyridin-2-yl-ethylsulfanyl)ethylamino] propionic acid (as its hydrochloric salt, 1 ) and of its corresponding rhenium complex fac -[Re(NSN)(CO) 3 ] + , 2 , is described. Both compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies and X-ray crystallography. In complex 2 the coordination geometry around rhenium is distorted octahedral with the NSN atoms participating in the coordination sphere while the carboxylate group remains free. At tracer level, the analogous complex fac -[ 99m Tc(NSN)(CO) 3 ] + , 3 , was obtained in high yield by reacting ligand 1 with the fac -[ 99m Tc(H 2 O) 3 (CO) 3 ] + precursor at pH 6.5. The structure of 3 was established by HPLC comparison to the prototype rhenium complex 2. Complex 3 is stable in solution as well as in the presence of strongly coordinating agents like histidine or cysteine. Our data indicate that ligand 1 can be used as a bifunctional NSN chelating agent in the design of potential 99m Tc-radiopharmaceuticals.

Background/Objective: Prothymosin alpha (proTα) is a ubiquitous polypeptide first isolated by Haritos in 1984, whose role still remains partly elusive. We know that proTα acts both, intracellularly, as an anti-apoptotic and proliferation mediator, and extracellularly, as a biologic response modifier mediating immune responses similarly to molecules termed as “alarmins”. Our research team pioneered the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the observed activities of proTα. Results: We were the first to demonstrate that proTα levels increase during normal and abnormal cell proliferation. We showed that proTα acts pleiotropically, inducing immunomodulatory effects on immune cell populations. We revealed that the immunoreactive region of proTα is the carboxyterminal decapeptide proTα(100-109) and both molecules stimulate innate immune responses, signaling through Toll-like receptors (TLRs), specifically TLR-4. We reported that proTα and proTα(100-109) bind on the surface of human neutrophils on sites involving TLR-4, and cell activation is complemented by cytoplasmic calcium ion influx. Further, we showed that proTα and proTα(100-109) act as adjuvants upstream of lymphocyte stimulation and, in the presence of antigen, promote the expansion of antigen-reactive effectors. Most recently, we reported that proTα(100-109) may accumulate in experimentally inflamed sites and can serve as a surrogate biomarker in severe bacterial infections, proposing that extracellular release of proTα or proTα(100- 109) alerts the immune system during conditions of danger. Conclusion: We, therefore, suggest that proTα, and likely proTα(100-109), act as alarmins, being important immune mediators as well as biomarkers, and could eventually become targets for new therapeutic/diagnostic approaches in immune-related diseases like cancer, inflammation, and sepsis.

Prothymosin alpha (ProTα) is a highly conserved mammalian polypeptide (109 amino acids in man) exerting in vitro and in vivo immunoenhancing activities. Recently, our team has developed a

A novel bisphosphonate, 1-(3-aminopropylamino)ethane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (3), was coupled to the tridentate chelators di-2-picolylamine, 2-picolylamine-N-acetic acid, iminodiacetic acid, 3-((2-aminoethyl)thio)-3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propanoic acid, and 2-((2-carboxyethyl)thio)-3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propanoic acid to form ligands 6, 9, 11, 15, and 19, respectively. Organometallic complexes of the general formula [Re/(99m)Tc(CO)3(κ(3)-L)] were synthesized, where L denotes ligand 6, 9, 11, 15, or 19. The rhenium complexes were prepared at the macroscopic level and characterized by spectroscopic methods. The technetium-99m organometallic complexes were synthesized in high yield and were identified by comparative reversed-phase HPLC with their Re analogues. The (99m)Tc tracers were stable in vitro and exhibited binding to hydroxyapatite. In biodistribution studies, all of the (99m)Tc complexes exhibited high bone uptake superior to that of 25, which is the directly (99m)Tc-labeled bisphosphonate 3, and comparable to that of (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate ((99m)Tc-MDP). The tracers [(99m)Tc(CO)3(6)] (26), [(99m)Tc(CO)3(9)] (27), [(99m)Tc(CO)3(11)] (28), and [(99m)Tc(CO)3(15)] (29) exhibited higher bone/blood ratios than (99m)Tc-MDP. 26 had the highest bone uptake at 1 h p.i. The new bisphosphonates showed no substantial growth inhibitory capacity in PC-3, Saos-2, and MCF-7 established cancer cell lines at low concentrations. Incubation of 26 with the same cancer cell lines indicated a rapid and saturated uptake. The promising properties of 26-29 indicate their potential for use as bone-imaging agents.

The 2-(4'-aminophenyl)-6-methylbenzothiazole that is known to display affinity and specificity toward the amyloid plaques of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been joined to the tricarbonyl M(CO)3NNO] chelate (M = Re, 99Tc, and 99mTc) through a five-carbon linker chain to generate the neutral complex 1 (namely, Re-1 for M = Re; 99Tc-1 for M = 99Tc; and 99mTc-1 for M = 99mTc) with the aim of developing a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radiodiagnostic agent for AD. Re-1 was characterized by spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography, whereas the detailed NMR spectroscopic analysis of 99Tc-1 demonstrated its structural similarity to Re-1. Complexes Re-1 and 99Tc-1 display selective binding affinity for amyloid plaques as evidenced by fluorescence spectroscopy, whereas the biodistribution data of 99mTc-1?characterized by relatively low brain uptake, fast clearance from brain and blood, and in vivo stability?are considered encouraging for further elaboration on the structural features of 1 in the direction of increased brain uptake.