18F-NIDA-522131

A novel radioligand, 6‐chloro‐3‐((2‐(S)‐azetidinyl)methoxy)‐5‐(2‐fluoropyridin‐4‐yl)pyridine (NIDA522131), for imaging extrathalamic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) was characterized in vitro and in vivo using positron emission tomography. The Kd and T1/2 of dissociation of NIDA522131 binding measured at 37°C in vitro were 4.9 ± 0.4 pmol/L and 81 ± 5 min, respectively. The patterns of radioactivity distribution in monkey brain in vivo was similar to that of 2‐[18F]fluoro‐3‐(2(S)‐azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine (2FA), a radioligand that has been successfully used in humans, and matched the α4β2* nAChRs distribution. Comparison between [18F]NIDA522131 and 2FA demonstrated better in vivo binding properties of the new radioligand and substantially greater radioactivity accumulation in brain. Consistent with [18F]NIDA522131 elevated affinity for nAChRs and its increased lipophilicity, both, the total and non‐displaceable distribution volumes were substantially higher than those of 2FA. Estimated binding potential values in different brain regions, characterizing the specificity of receptor binding, were 3–4 fold higher for [18F]NIDA522131 than those of 2FA. Pharmacological evaluation in mice demonstrated a toxicity that was comparable to 2FA and is in agreement with a 2300 fold higher affinity at α4β2* versus α3β4* nAChRs. These results suggest that [18F]NIDA522131 is a promising positron emission tomography radioligand for studying extrathalamic nAChR in humans.

Potential positron emission tomography (PET) ligands with low picomolar affinity at the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and with lipophilicity (log D) ranging from -1.6 to +1.5 have been synthesized. Most members of the series, which are derivatives of 5-substituted-6-halogeno-A-85380, exhibited a higher binding affinity at alpha4beta2-nAChRs than epibatidine. An analysis, by molecular modeling, revealed an important role of the orientation of the additional heterocyclic ring on the binding affinity of the ligands with nAChRs. The existing nicotinic pharmacophore models do not accommodate this finding. Two compounds of the series, 6-[(18)F]fluoro-5-(pyridin-3-yl)-A-85380 ([(18)F]31) and 6-chloro-3-((2-(S)-azetidinyl)methoxy)-5-(2-[(18)F]fluoropyridin-5-yl)pyridine) ([(18)F]35), were radiolabeled with (18)F. Comparison of PET data for [(18)F]31 and 2-[(18)F]FA shows the influence of lipophilicity on the binding potential. Our recent PET studies with [(18)F]35 demonstrated that its binding potential values in Rhesus monkey brain were ca. 2.5 times those of 2-[(18)F]FA. Therefore, [(18)F]35 and several other members of the series, when radiolabeled, will be suitable for quantitative imaging of extrathalamic nAChRs.