PET Imaging Evaluation of Four σ Radiotracers in Nonhuman Primates.

The σ receptors (S1Rs) are implicated in a variety of diseases including Alzheimer disease and cancer. Previous PET S1R radiotracers are characterized by slow kinetics or off-target binding that impedes their use in humans. Here, we report the first PET imaging evaluation in rhesus monkeys of 4 F-labeled spirocyclic piperidine-based PET radiotracers (F- to F-). Baseline scans for the 4 radiotracers were obtained on an adult male rhesus monkey. Blocking scans were obtained with the S1R-selective agonist SA4503 to assess binding specificity of F- and F- Arterial input functions were measured, and binding parameters were determined with kinetic modeling analysis. In the rhesus brain, all 4 radiotracers showed high and fast uptake. Tissue activity washout was rapid for F- and F-, and much slower for F- and F-, in line with their respective in vitro S1R-binding affinities. Both the 1-tissue-compartment and multilinear analysis-1 kinetic models provided good fits of time-activity curves and reliable estimates of distribution volume. Regional distribution volume values were highest in the cingulate cortex and lowest in the thalamus for all radiotracers. F- showed greater differential uptake across brain regions and 3-fold-higher binding potential than F- SA4503 at the dose of 0.5 mg/kg blocked approximately 85% (F-) and 95% (F-) of radiotracer binding. Tracers F- and F- displayed high brain uptake and fast tissue kinetics, with F- having higher specific binding signals than F- in the same monkey. Taken together, these data indicate that both F- and F- possess the requisite kinetic and imaging properties as viable PET tracers for imaging S1R in the human brain.