Fluorinated matrix metalloproteinases inhibitors--Phosphonate based potential probes for positron emission tomography.

Fluorine-containing inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) can serve as lead structures for the development of (18)F-labeled radioligands. These compounds might be useful as non-invasive imaging probes to characterize pathologies associated with increased MMP activity. Results with a series of fluorinated analogs of a known biphenyl sulfonamide inhibitor have shown that fluorine can be incorporated into two different positions of the molecular scaffold without significant loss of potency in the nanomolar range. Additionally, the potential of a hitherto unknown fluorinated tertiary sulfonamide as MMP inhibitor has been demonstrated.