Radiochemical synthesis and preliminary in vivo evaluation of new radioactive platinum complexes with carnosine.

Application of cross-linking agents such as SATA and 2-iminothiolane (2-IT) for radiochemical synthesis of new radioactive Pt(II) and Pt(IV) complexes with carnosine was investigated. The mixed-ligand Pt(II)([(125)I]Hist)(Carnosine) complex has been synthesized in a multi-step reaction. First, carnosine was modified by the attachment of SATA. After chromatographic purification, the conjugate was unprotected to form a reactive sulfhydryl functional group, and then the modified carnosine was substituted to PtCl(2)[(125)I]Hist complex. The Pt(II)(IT-[(125)I]Carnosine) and Pt(IV)(IT-[(131)I]Carnosine) complexes were synthesized in a three-step reaction. First, carnosine was labeled with iodine radionuclide ((125)I or (131)I), followed by conjugation with 2-IT. The modified IT-[*I]Carnosine was complexed with tetrachloroplatinate or hexachloroplatinate. Comparative biodistribution studies were performed in normal Wistar rats and in Lewis rats with implanted (s.c.) rat pancreatic tumor cells (AR42J). The HPLC analysis showed a relatively fast formation of the new mixed-ligand Pt([(125)I]Hist)(Carnosine) complex (yield ca. 50% after 20h). Reaction of K(2)PtCl(4) with [(125)I]Carnosine modified by 2-IT proceeded rapidly and with a high yield (>95% after 2h). The synthesis of the Pt(IV)IT-[*I]Carnosine complex was the slower reaction in comparison to the analogous synthesis of the Pt(II) complex (yield ca. 70% after 12h), thus a purification step was necessary. The biodistribution study proved the in vivo stability of the newly synthesized complexes (a low accumulation in thyroid gland and in GIT) and showed that the conjugation of the modified carnosine changes significantly biodistribution scheme of the Pt complexes comparing to the reference Pt(II)[*I]Hist and Pt(IV)([*I]Hist)(2) complexes. The mixed-ligand complex was rapidly excreted in urine and revealed the highest accumulation in kidneys (>5%ID/g). A very high concentration in blood and in liver was observed for the Pt(II)(IT-[(125)I]Carnosine) complex; however, at the same time the lowest concentration in kidneys was noted. Preliminary studies in the rat's tumor model indicated for this complex a favorable tumor to muscle ratio. In the case of Pt(IV)(IT-[*I]Carnosine) apart from ca. 12-times decrease of the liver accumulation, additional 4-times decrease of an accumulation in kidneys was observed in comparison to the Pt(IV)([*I]Hist)(2) complex. Our study showed that the short peptides can be efficiently substituted to the platinum core via the reactive sulfhydryl group introduced by SATA or 2-IT. The new radioactive platinum complexes with carnosine possess favorable biodistribution schemes, which make them potential candidates for radio-chemotherapeutical agents.