Development of an 18F-labeled azobenzothiazole tracer for α-synuclein aggregates in the brain

Org Biomol Chem. 2024 Jun 5;22(22):4550-4558. doi: 10.1039/d4ob00492b.

Abstract

Nuclear imaging of aggregated α-synuclein pathology is an urgent clinical need for Parkinson's disease, yet promising tracers for brain α-synuclein aggregates are still rare. In this work, a class of compact benzothiazole derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for α-synuclein aggregates. Among them, azobenzothiazoles exhibited specific and selective detection of α-synuclein aggregates under physiological conditions. Fluoro-pegylated azobenzothiazole NN-F further demonstrated high-affinity binding to α-synuclein aggregates and efficient 18F-radiolabeling via nucleophilic displacement of a tosyl precursor. [18F]NN-F was stable in plasma in vitro and showed efficient brain uptake with little defluorination in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Benzothiazoles* / chemical synthesis
  • Benzothiazoles* / chemistry
  • Brain* / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain* / metabolism
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes* / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Protein Aggregates*
  • alpha-Synuclein* / chemistry
  • alpha-Synuclein* / metabolism

Substances

  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Protein Aggregates
  • Fluorine-18