RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 PET of Tumors Expressing Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor with an 18F-Labeled Bombesin Analog JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO J Nucl Med FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 947 OP 952 DO 10.2967/jnumed.111.100891 VO 53 IS 6 A1 Ingrid Dijkgraaf A1 Gerben M. Franssen A1 William J. McBride A1 Christopher A. D’Souza A1 Peter Laverman A1 Charles J. Smith A1 David M. Goldenberg A1 Wim J.G. Oyen A1 Otto C. Boerman YR 2012 UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/53/6/947.abstract AB 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%–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 ± 0.05 and −1.98 ± 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 ± 0.55 and 1.24 ± 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.