Purpose: TRPC5 belongs to the mammalian superfamily of transient receptor potential (TRP) Ca2+-permeable cationic channels and it has been implicated in various CNS disorders. As part of our ongoing interest in the development of a PET radiotracer for imaging TRPC5, herein, we explored the radiosynthesis, and in vitro and in vivo evaluation of a new C-11 radiotracer [11C]HC070 in rodents and nonhuman primates.
Procedures: [11C]HC070 was radiolabeled utilizing the corresponding precursor and [11C]CH3I via N-methylation protocol. Ex vivo biodistribution study of [11C]HC070 was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats. In vitro autoradiography study was conducted for the rat brain sections to characterize the radiotracer distribution in the brain regionals. MicroPET brain imaging studies of [11C]HC070 were done for 129S1/SvImJ wild-type mice and 129S1/SvImJ TRPC5 knockout mice for 0-60-min dynamic data acquisition after intravenous administration of the radiotracer. Dynamic PET scans (0-120 min) for the brain of cynomolgus male macaques were performed after the radiotracer injection.
Results: [11C]HC070 was efficiently prepared with good radiochemical yield (45 ± 5%, n = 15), high chemical and radiochemical purity (> 99%), and high molar activity (320.6 ± 7.4 GBq/μmol, 8.6 ± 0.2 Ci/μmol) at the end of bombardment (EOB). Radiotracer [11C]HC070 has good solubility in the aqueous dose solution. The ex vivo biodistribution study showed that [11C]HC070 had a quick rat brain clearance. Autoradiography demonstrated that [11C]HC070 specifically binds to TRPC5-enriched regions in rat brain. MicroPET study showed the peak brain uptake (SUV value) was 0.63 in 129S1/SvImJ TRPC5 knockout mice compared to 1.13 in 129S1/SvImJ wild-type mice. PET study showed that [11C]HC070 has good brain uptake with maximum SUV of ~ 2.2 in the macaque brain, followed by rapid clearance.
Conclusions: Our data showed that [11C]HC070 is a TRPC5-specific radiotracer with high brain uptake and good brain washout pharmacokinetics in both rodents and nonhuman primates. The radiotracer is worth further investigating of its suitability to be a PET radiotracer for imaging TRPC5 in animals and human subjects in vivo.
Keywords: Carbon-11 Radiotracer; Ionic Channel; PET Imaging; TRPC 5.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to World Molecular Imaging Society.