RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 One-Step 18F-Labeling and Preclinical Evaluation of Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Trifluoroborate Probes for Cancer Imaging JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO J Nucl Med FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 1160 OP 1166 DO 10.2967/jnumed.118.216598 VO 60 IS 8 A1 Hsiou-Ting Kuo A1 Mathieu L. Lepage A1 Kuo-Shyan Lin A1 Jinhe Pan A1 Zhengxing Zhang A1 Zhibo Liu A1 Alla Pryyma A1 Chengcheng Zhang A1 Helen Merkens A1 Aron Roxin A1 David M. Perrin A1 François Bénard YR 2019 UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/60/8/1160.abstract AB After the identification of the high-affinity glutamate-ureido scaffold, the design of several potent 18F- and 68Ga-labeled tracers has allowed spectacular progress in imaging recurrent prostate cancer by targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). We evaluated a series of PSMA-targeting probes that are 18F-labeled in a single step for PET imaging of prostate cancer. Methods: We prepared 8 trifluoroborate constructs for prostate cancer imaging, to study the influence of the linker and the trifluoroborate prosthetic on pharmacokinetics and image quality. After 1-step labeling by 19F–18F isotopic exchange, the radiotracers were injected in mice bearing LNCaP xenografts, with or without blocking controls, to assess specific uptake. PET/CT images and biodistribution data were acquired at 1 h after injection and compared with 18F-DCFPyL on the same mouse strain and tumor model. Results: All tracers exhibited nanomolar affinities, were labeled in good radiochemical yields at high molar activities, and exhibited high tumor uptake in LNCaP xenografts with clearance from nontarget organs. Most derivatives with a naphthylalanine linker showed significant gastrointestinal excretion. A radiotracer incorporating this linker with a dual trifluoroborate-glutamate labeling moiety showed high tumor uptake, low background activity, and no liver or gastrointestinal track accumulation. Conclusion: PSMA-targeting probes with trifluoroborate prosthetic groups represent promising candidates for prostate cancer imaging because of facile labeling while affording high tumor uptake values and contrast ratios that are similar to those obtained with 18F-DCFPyL.