@article {Dijkgraaf947, author = {Ingrid Dijkgraaf and Gerben M. Franssen and William J. McBride and Christopher A. D{\textquoteright}Souza and Peter Laverman and Charles J. Smith and David M. Goldenberg and Wim J.G. Oyen and Otto C. Boerman}, title = {PET of Tumors Expressing Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor with an 18F-Labeled Bombesin Analog}, volume = {53}, number = {6}, pages = {947--952}, year = {2012}, doi = {10.2967/jnumed.111.100891}, publisher = {Society of Nuclear Medicine}, abstract = {The gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is overexpressed in human prostate cancer. Bombesin (BBN) is a neurotransmitter of 14 amino acids and binds with selectivity and with high affinity to GRPRs. We have synthesized a NOTA-conjugated bombesin derivative, NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2, to label this analog with 18F using the new Al18F method. In this study, the GRPR-targeting potential of 18F-labeled NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 was studied using 68Ga-NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 as a reference. Methods: The NOTA-conjugated bombesin analog was synthesized and radiolabeled with 68Ga or 18F. For 18F labeling, we used our new 1-pot, 1-step method. The labeled product was purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The log P values of the radiotracers were determined. The tumor-targeting characteristics of the compounds were assessed in mice with subcutaneously growing PC-3 xenografts. GRPR-binding specificity was studied by coinjection of an excess of unlabeled NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2. Small-animal PET/CT images were acquired. Results: NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 could be efficiently labeled with 18F or with 68Ga. NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 was labeled with 18F in a single step, with 50\%{\textendash}90\% yield. Radiolabeling, including purification, was performed in 45 min and resulted in a specific activity of greater than 10 GBq/μmol. The log P values of 18F- and 68Ga-labeled NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 were -1.47 {\textpm} 0.05 and -1.98 {\textpm} 0.03, respectively. In mice, both radiolabeled compounds cleared rapidly from the blood (\<0.07 percentage injected dose per gram at 1 h after injection), mainly via the kidneys. At 1 h after injection, the uptake of 18F- and 68Ga-labeled NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 in the PC-3 tumors was 2.15 {\textpm} 0.55 and 1.24 {\textpm} 0.26 percentage injected dose per gram, respectively. GRPR-binding specificity was demonstrated by reduced tumor uptake of radiolabeled NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 after coinjection of a 100-fold excess of unlabeled NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 peptide. The accumulation of 18F-NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 in the subcutaneous PC-3 tumors could be visualized via small-animal PET. Conclusion: NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 could be labeled rapidly and efficiently with 18F using a 1-pot, 1-step method. Radiolabeled NOTA-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH2 specifically accumulated in the GRPR-expressing PC-3 tumors and should be evaluated clinically.}, issn = {0161-5505}, URL = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/53/6/947}, eprint = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/53/6/947.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine} }