Synthesis and Evaluation of [¹⁸F]AlF-NOTA-c-^DVAP: A Novel PET Probe for Imaging GRP78 in Cancer

Abstract

GRP78, a member of the HSP70 superfamily, is an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone protein overexpressed in various cancers, making it a promising target for cancer imaging and therapy. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging offers unique advantages in real time, noninvasive tumor imaging, rendering it a suitable tool for targeting GRP78 in tumor imaging to guide targeted therapy. Several studies have reported successful tumor imaging using PET probes targeting GRP78. However, existing PET probes face challenges such as low tumor uptake, inadequate in vivo distribution, and high abdominal background signal. Therefore, this study introduces a novel peptide PET probe, [ 18 F]AlF-NOTA-c-D VAP, for targeted tumor imaging of GRP78.[ 18 F]AlF-NOTA-c-D VAP was radiolabeled with fluoride-18 using the aluminum-[ 18 F]fluoride ([ 18 F]AlF) method. The study assessed the partition coefficients, stability in vitro, and metabolic stability of [ 18 F]AlF-NOTA-c-D VAP. Micro-PET imaging, pharmacokinetic analysis, and biodistribution studies were carried out in tumor-bearing mice to evaluate the probe's performance. Docking studies and pharmacokinetic analyses of [ 18 F]AlF-NOTA-c-D VAP were also performed. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analyses were conducted to confirm GRP78 expression in tumor tissues. The probe's binding affinity to GRP78 was analyzed by molecular docking simulation. [ 18 F]AlF-NOTA-c-D VAP was radiolabeled in just 25 min with a high yield of 51 ± 16%, a radiochemical purity of 99%, and molar activity within the range of 20−50 GBq/μmol. [ 18 F]AlF-NOTA-c-D VAP demonstrated high stability in vitro and in vivo, with a logD value of −3.41 ± 0.03. Dynamic PET imaging of [ 18 F]AlF-NOTAc-D VAP in tumors showed rapid uptake and sustained retention, with minimal background uptake. Biodistribution studies revealed rapid blood clearance and excretion through the kidneys following a single-compartment reversible metabolic model. In PET imaging, the T/M ratios for A549 tumors (high GRP78 expression), MDA-MB-231 tumors (medium expression), and HepG2 tumors (low expression) at 60 min postintravenous injection were 10.48 ± 1.39, 6.25 ± 0.47, and 3.15 ± 1.15% ID/g, respectively, indicating a positive correlation with GRP78 expression. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using [ 18 F]AlF-NOTA-c-D VAP as a PET tracer for imaging GRP78 in tumors. The probe shows promising results in terms of stability, specificity, and tumor targeting. Further research may explore the clinical utility and potential therapeutic applications of this PET tracer for cancer diagnosis.