Pharmaceutics (Feb 2023)

[<sup>18</sup>F]MK-7246 for Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of the Beta-Cell Surface Marker GPR44

  • Pierre Cheung,
  • Mohammad A. Amin,
  • Bo Zhang,
  • Francesco Lechi,
  • Olle Korsgren,
  • Jonas Eriksson,
  • Luke R. Odell,
  • Olof Eriksson

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15020499
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 2
p. 499

Abstract

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The progressive loss of beta-cell mass is a hallmark of diabetes and has been suggested as a complementary approach to studying the progression of diabetes in contrast to the beta-cell function. Non-invasive nuclear medicinal imaging techniques such as Positron Emission Tomography using radiation emitting tracers have thus been suggested as more viable methodologies to visualize and quantify the beta-cell mass with sufficient sensitivity. The transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor GPR44 has been identified as a biomarker for monitoring beta-cell mass. MK-7246 is a GPR44 antagonist that selectively binds to GPR44 with high affinity and good pharmacokinetic properties. Here, we present the synthesis of MK-7246, radiolabeled with the positron emitter fluorine-18 for preclinical evaluation using cell lines, mice, rats and human pancreatic cells. Here, we have described a synthesis and radiolabeling method for producing [18F]MK-7246 and its precursor compound. Preclinical assessments demonstrated the strong affinity and selectivity of [18F]MK-7246 towards GPR44. Additionally, [18F]MK-7246 exhibited excellent metabolic stability, a fast clearance profile from blood and tissues, qualifying it as a promising radioactive probe for GPR44-directed PET imaging.

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