Imaging of cholinergic terminals using the radiotracer [18F](+)-4-fluorobenzyltrozamicol: in vitro binding studies and positron emission tomography studies in nonhuman primates

Synapse. 1997 Apr;25(4):368-80. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2396(199704)25:4<368::AID-SYN8>3.0.CO;2-8.

Abstract

The goal of the present set of studies was to characterize the in vitro binding properties and in vivo tissue kinetics for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAcChT) radiotracer, [18F](+)-4-fluorobenzyltrozamicol ([18F](+)-FBT). In vitro binding studies were conducted in order to determine the affinity of the (+)- and (-)-stereoisomers of FBT for the VAcChT as well as sigma (sigma 1 and sigma 2) receptors. (+)-FBT was found to have a high affinity (Ki = 0.22 nM) for the VAcChT and lower affinities for sigma 1 (21.6 nM) and sigma 2 (35.9 nM) receptors, whereas (-)-FBT had similar affinities for the VAcChT and sigma 1 receptors (approximately 20 nM) and a lower affinity for sigma 2 (110 nM) receptors. PET imaging studies were conducted in rhesus monkeys (n = 3) with [18F](+)-FBT. [18F](+)-FBT was found to have a high accumulation and slow rate of washout from the basal ganglia, which is consistent with the labeling of cholinergic interneurons in this brain region. [18F](+)-FBT also displayed reversible binding kinetics during the 3 h time course of PET and produced radiolabeled metabolites that did not cross the blood-brain barrier. The results from the current in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that [18F](+)-FBT is a promising ligand for studying cholinergic terminal density, with PET, via the VAcChT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Basal Ganglia / metabolism
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging*
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / analysis
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cerebellum / metabolism
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes* / pharmacokinetics
  • Fluorobenzenes*
  • Frontal Lobe / metabolism
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Membrane Transport Proteins*
  • Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents / metabolism
  • Occipital Lobe / metabolism
  • Organ Specificity
  • Piperidines* / chemical synthesis
  • Piperidines* / metabolism
  • Piperidines* / pharmacokinetics
  • Radioligand Assay
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, sigma / analysis
  • Receptors, sigma / metabolism
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Synaptic Vesicles / metabolism*
  • Temporal Lobe / metabolism
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed / methods*
  • Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins*

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Fluorobenzenes
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents
  • Piperidines
  • Receptors, sigma
  • Slc18a3 protein, rat
  • Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • 4-fluorobenzyltrozamicol
  • vesamicol