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BackgroundTracers triggering αvβ3 integrins, such as certain RGD-containing peptides, were found promising in previous pilot studies characterizing high-grade gliomas. However, only limited comparisons have been performed with current PET tracers. This study aimed at comparing the biodistribution of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) with that of 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD, an easily synthesized monomeric RGD compound with rapid kinetics, in two different rodent models of engrafted human glioblastoma.MethodsNude rodents bearing human U87-MG glioblastoma tumor xenografts in the flank (34 tumors in mice) or in the brain (5 tumors in rats) were analyzed. Kinetics of 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD and of 18F-FDG were compared with PET imaging in the same animals, along with additional autohistoradiographic analyses and blocking tests for 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD.ResultsBoth tracers showed a primary renal route of clearance, although with faster clearance for 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD resulting in higher activities in the kidneys and bladder. The tumor activity from 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD, likely corresponding to true integrin binding (i.e., suppressed by co-injection of a saturating excess of unlabeled RGD), was found relatively high, but only at the 2nd hour following injection, corresponding on average to 53% of total tumor activity. Tumor uptake of 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD decreased progressively with time, contrary to that of 18F-FDG, although 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD exhibited 3.4 and 3.7-fold higher tumor-to-normal brain ratios on average compared to 18F-FDG in mice and rat models, respectively. Finally, ex-vivo analyses revealed that the tumor areas with high 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD uptake also exhibited the highest rates of cell proliferation and αv integrin expression, irrespective of cell density.Conclusions68Ga-NODAGA-RGD has a high potential for PET imaging of glioblastomas, especially for areas with high integrin expression and cell proliferation, although PET recording needs to be delayed until the 2nd hour following injection in order to provide sufficiently high integrin specificity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13550-018-0405-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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We present an efficient fully automated sodium [18F]fluoride radiosynthesis on a new iMiDEV™ cassette-based microfluidic platform.

This work describes the development of new 6-[(18) F]fluoro-carbohydrate-based prosthetic groups equipped with an azido arm that are able to participate in copper(I)-catalyzed cycloadditions for (18) F labeling of biomolecules under mild conditions. The radiolabeling in high radiochemical yields (up to 68 ± 6%) of these different prosthetic groups is presented. The flexibility of the azido arm introduced on the carbohydrate moieties allows efficient click reactions with different alkyne functionalized peptides such as gluthation or Arg-Gly-Asp derivatives in order to prepare glycopeptides. The radiosyntheses of (18) F-labeled glycopeptides proceed in high radiochemical yields (up to 76%) in an automated process with excellent radiochemical purity. The addition of a sugar moiety on peptides should enhance the bioavailability, pharmacokinetic, and in vivo clearance properties of these glycopeptides, compared with the unlabeled native peptide, and these properties are highly favorable for positron emission tomography imaging. A high uptake of (18) F-β-gluco-c(RGDfC) is shown by positron emission tomography imaging in a subcutaneous abscess model in the rat, revealing the potential of this tracer to monitor integrin expression as a part of inflammation and/or angiogenesis processes.

Considering the individual characteristics of positron emission tomography (PET) and optical imaging (OI) in terms of sensitivity, spatial resolution, and tissue penetration, the development of dual imaging agents for bimodal PET/OI imaging is a growing field. A current major breakthrough in this field is the design of monomolecular agent displaying both a radioisotope for PET and a fluorescent dye for OI. We took advantage of the multifunctionalities allowed by a clickable C-glycosyl scaffold to gather the different elements. We describe, for the first time, the synthesis of a cyanine-based dual PET/OI imaging probe based on a versatile synthetic strategy and its direct radiofluorination via [18F]F-C bond formation. The non-radioactive dual imaging probe coupled with two c(RGDfK) peptides was evaluated in vitro and in vivo in fluorescence imaging. The binding on αvβ3 integrin (IC50 = 16 nM) demonstrated the efficiency of the dimeric structure and PEG linkers in maintaining the affinity. In vivo fluorescence imaging of U-87 MG engrafted nude mice showed a high tumor uptake (40- and 100-fold increase for orthotopic and ectopic brain tumors, respectively, compared to healthy brain). In vitro and in vivo evaluations and resection of the ectopic tumor demonstrated the potential of the conjugate in glioblastoma cancer diagnosis and image-guided surgery.

Fully automated and modular radiosynthesis of [18F]fluoro-C-glyco-RGD conjugate.