Purpose: This study aimed to introduce a novel [18F]AlF-labeled ODAP-Urea-based Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) probe, named [18F]AlF-PSMA-137, which was derived from the successful modification of glutamate-like functional group. The preclinically physical and biological characteristics of the probe were analyzed. Polit clinical PET/CT translation was performed to analyze its feasibility in clinical diagnosis of prostate cancer.Methods: [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 was maturely labeled with the [18F]AlF2+ labeling technique. It was analyzed by radio-HPLC for radiochemical purity and stability analysis in vitro and in vivo. The PSMA specificity was investigated in PSMA-positive (LNCaP) and PSMA-negative (PC3) cells, and the binding affinity was evaluated in LNCaP cells. Micro-PET/CT imaging was performed in mice bearing LNCaP or PC3 tumors. Thirteen patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer were included for [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 PET/CT imaging. Physiologic biodistribution and tumor burden were semi-quantitatively evaluated and the radiation dosimetry of [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 was estimated.Results: The radiochemical yield of [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 was 54.2 ± 10.7% (n = 16) with the radiochemical purity over 99% and the specific activity of 26.36 ± 7.33 GBq/μmol. The binding affinity to PSMA was 2.11 ± 0.63 nM. [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 showed high cell/tumor uptake which can be specifically blocked by PSMA inhibitor. According to the biodistribution in patients, [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 was mainly accumulated in kidneys, lacrimal glands, parotid glands, submandibular glands and liver which was similar to the extensive Glu-Ureas based probes. A total of 81 lesions were detected in PET/CT imaging and over 91% of lesions increased between 1 h p.i. (SUVmean: 10.98 ± 18.12) and 2 h p.i. (SUVmean: 14.25 ± 21.28) (p < 0.001). Additionally, the probe showed intensive accumulation in lesions which provided excellent imaging contrast with the high tumor-to-muscle ratio of 15.57 ± 27.21 at 1 h p.i. and 25.42 ± 36.60 at 2 h p.i. (p < 0.001), respectively. The effective dose of [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 was estimated as 0.0119 ± 0.0009 mSv/MBq.Conclusion: An ODAP-Urea-based PSMA probe [18F]AlF-PSMA-137 was successfully prepared with high specificity and binding affinity to PSMA. Micro-PET/CT imaging study demonstrated its feasibility for prostate cancer imaging. Pilot clinical study showed its potential for delay-imaging and prostate cancer detection.
Wang Shuailiang,Zhou Xin,Xu Xiaoxia,Ding Jin,Liu Song,Hou Xingguo,Li Nan,Zhu Hua,Yang Zhi
Purpose In this study, a novel aluminium-[ 18 F]fluoride (Al 18 F)-labelled 1,4,7‑triazacyclononane-N,N′,N″-triacetic acid (NOTA)-conjugated fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) probe, named Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI, was developed for fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-targeted tumour imaging; it could deliver hundreds of millicuries of radioactivity using automated synthesis. The tumour detection efficacy of Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI was further validated in both preclinical and clinical translational studies. Methods The radiolabelling procedure of Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI was optimized. Cell uptake and competitive binding assays were completed with the U87MG and A549 cell lines to evaluate the affinity and specificity of the Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI probe. The biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, radiation dosimetry and tumour imaging efficacy of the Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI probe were researched in healthy Kunming (KM) and/or U87MG model mice. After the approval of the ethical committee, the Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI probe was translated into the clinic for PET/CT imaging of the first 10 cancer patients. Results The radiolabelling yield of Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI was 33.8 ± 3.2% using manual synthesis ( n = 10), with a radiochemical purity over 99% and the specific activity of 9.3–55.5 MBq/nmol. The whole body effective dose of Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI was estimated to be 1.24E − 02 mSv/MBq, which was lower than several other FAPI probes ( 68 Ga-FAPI-04, 68 Ga-FAPI-46 and 68 Ga-FAPI-74). In U87MG tumour-bearing mice, Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI showed good tumour detection efficacy based on the results of micro PET/CT imaging and biodistribution studies. In an organ biodistribution study of patients, Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI showed a lower SUVmean than 2-[ 18 F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-[ 18 F]FDG) in most organs, especially in the liver (1.1 ± 0.2 vs. 2.0 ± 0.9), brain (0.1 ± 0.0 vs. 5.9 ± 1.3), and bone marrow (0.9 ± 0.1 vs. 1.7 ± 0.4). Meanwhile, Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI did not show extensive bone uptake, and was able to detect more lesions than 2-[ 18 F]FDG in the PET/CT imaging of several patients. Conclusion The Al 18 F-NOTA-FAPI probe was successfully fabricated and applied in fibroblast activation protein-targeted tumour PET/CT imaging, which showed excellent imaging quality and tumour detection efficacy in U87MG tumour-bearing mice as well as in cancer patients. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2000038080. Registered 09 September 2020. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=61192