Recently discovered methods for both diagnosis and treatment management of heart failure (HF) and other cardiovascular diseases include the use of molecular imaging modalities such as positron emission tomography (PET). As such, PET radiotracers have been developed and show strong evidence for quantifiable sympathetic nervous system (SNS) imaging in animals and humans using radioligands that target the norepinephrine transporter (NET). In this study, the cardiac sympathetic nervous system imaging probe [¹⁸F]meta-fluorobenzylguanidine ([¹⁸F]mFBG) was evaluated in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and hypothesized to i) have measurable NET-dependent uptake kinetics; ii) possess measurable NET reuptake, iii) be stored into vesicles, and remain metabolically stable within the myocardium, iv) be sensitive to changes in sympathetic tone, and v) discriminate between healthy and diseased animals. Using the selective NET inhibitor desipramine (DMI) and nonselective extraneural and neural uptake inhibitor phenoxybenzamine (PBZ) we observed 30-35% and ~70% reduced uptake in the myocardium, respectively. Neuronal ablation with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) resulted in a 36% loss of myocardial retention. DMI and PBZ chase dosing revealed no change in myocardial washout by PET, suggesting minimal reuptake of the tracer and preferential clearance into blood. Pretreatment with the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) inhibitor reserpine (RSP) reduced myocardial retention by 34% within 5 minutes in comparison to baseline, providing evidence for intraneural vesicular retention. Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS) rats were induced with HF via high salt (HS, 8%) diet. After 16 weeks, rats kept on HS diet showed ~32% reduced myocardial uptake in comparison to low salt (LS) controls. Non-invasive PET imaging of HF is therefore sensitive to the expected changes in myocardial uptake in small animal imaging.
The myocardial cholinergic system was evaluated using the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) ligand [¹⁸F]fluoroethoxybenzylvesamicol ([¹⁸F]FEOBV) in CD-1 mice. We hypothesized that i) [¹⁸F]FEOBV uptake in the myocardium is VAChT dependent; and more specific in the absence of isoflurane anesthesia. Baseline uptake was observed in the ventricles. However, pretreatment with vesamicol in the presence and absence of isoflurane did not reduce myocardial activity. Analysis of PET images in mice with differential cardiac VAChT expression showed minimal changes in blood and cardiac activity. These studies have demonstrated a lack of specific binding of [¹⁸F]FEOBV in the myocardium of mice, rendering this imaging probe unfit in interpreting cholinergic function in small animals.
The second half of the thesis is focused on the development of a radiolabeling technique using novel iminophosphorane precursors, and their subsequent reactivity and application using the naturally abundant (99% carbon-12) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging isotope (carbon-11). We hypothesized that the reaction of iminophosphorane precursors with [¹¹C]CO₂ with allow us to i) synthesize a myriad of labelled isocyanate derived functional groups ii) apply this chemistry to label relevant radiopharmaceuticals in high yield and molar activity. Optimization of reaction conditions was performed, and a substrate scope was developed. Using the naturally abundant carbon isotope, we synthesized isocyanate derived functional groups such as carbamates, thiocarbamates, ureas, and amides in 63-94% yield. Pharmaceuticals such as regorafenib, URB694, and melatonin were synthesized in 60-72% yield. When applied to carbon-11 radiochemistry, labelled products were produced in 32-84% radiochemical yield (RCY). Radiopharmaceuticals such as [¹¹C]URB694 and [¹¹C]glibenclamide were synthesized in high yield and molar activity suitable for preclinical evaluation. We have demonstrated the utility of iminophosphorane precursors in synthesizing labelled functional groups and relevant radiopharmaceuticals in high yields, enabling their use for future preclinical or clinical studies.
The recent development of the potent and selective nod-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inhibitor MCC950 has demonstrated remarkable application as a therapeutic in reducing macrophage infiltration and aortic lesion area, but has yet to be applied to PET imaging due to poor synthesis yields. We hypothesized that i) using our previously established iminophosphorane chemistry we can synthesize [¹¹C]MCC950, and ii) selective uptake of [¹¹C]MCC950 occurs in aortic atherosclerotic lesions. We successfully radiolabeled [¹¹C]MCC950 in 45 ± 4 % RCY (27 ± 2 GBq/µmol). Plasma metabolite analysis revealed 94% intact tracer after 15 minutes, and ex vivo autoradiography on excised aortas showed heterogeneous uptake in atherosclerotic plaques of ApoE⁻ᐟ⁻ mice. Pretreatment with nonradioactive MCC950 resulted in significantly increased uptake in aortic lesions (48 ± 17 %ID/m² vs 104 ± 15 %ID/m²), without significantly increasing plasma free fraction (1.3 ± 0.4% vs 1.7 ± 0.8%). The data suggests increased specific binding following blockade which may be due to biochemical mechanisms such as disaggregation of NLRP3 oligomers, artificially increasing the available number of binding sites. Thus, the data suggest [¹¹C]MCC950 uptake demonstrates specific binding and may therefore prove useful as an in vivo imaging probe to detect NLRP3-mediated inflammation in atherosclerosis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/44825 |
| Date | 19 April 2023 |
| Creators | Sayani, Uzair |
| Contributors | Rotstein, Benjamin |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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