Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of 3-[(18)F]fluoro-5-(2-pyridinylethynyl)benzonitrile as a PET radiotracer for imaging metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5

The metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5) has been reported to be implicated in various neurological disorders in the central nervous system. To investigate physiological and pathological functions of mGluR5, noninvasive imaging in a living body with PET technology and an mGluR5-specific radiotracer is urgently needed. Here, we report the synthesis of 3-[(18)F]fluoro-5-(2-pyridinylethynyl)benzonitrile ([(18)F]FPEB) through a convenient thermal reaction as a highly specific PET radiotracer for mGluR5. The precursor and standard compounds were prepared by a coupling reaction catalyzed by palladium. Radiosynthesis of [(18)F]FPEB was performed using nitro as a leaving group replaced by [(18)F]fluoride under conventional heating condition. Biodistribution, metabolite, and microPET studies were performed using Sprague-Dawley rats. Upto 30 mCi of [(18)F]FPEB was obtained with a radiochemical yield of 5% and a specific activity of 1900 +/- 200 mCi/mumol at the end of syntheses. Biodistribution showed rapid clearance from the blood pool and fast and steady accumulation of radioactivity into the brain. Metabolite studies indicated that only 22% of [(18)F]FPEB remained in the blood system 10 min after administration, and that a metabolite existed which was much more polar than the parent tracer. MicroPET studies demonstrated that [(18)F]FPEB accumulated specifically in mGluR5-rich regions of the brain such as striatum and hippocampus, and that blockade with 2-methyl-6-(2-phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP) and 3-[(2-methyl-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)ethynyl]pyridine (MTEP) substantially reduced the activity uptake in these regions. Selectivity was investigated by blockage with 6-amino-N-cyclohexyl-N,3-dimethylthiazolo[3,2-a]benzimidazole-2-caroxamide (YM-298198), a specific antagonist for mGluR1. [(18)F]FPEB was prepared conveniently and showed high specificity and selectivity toward mGluR5. It possesses the potential to be used in human studies to evaluate mGluR5 functions in various neurological disorders.