68Ge content quality control of 68Ge/68Ga-generator eluates and 68Ga radiopharmaceuticals--a protocol for determining the 68Ge content using thin-layer chromatography.

(68)Ge breakthrough from a (68)Ge/(68)Ga-generator appears to be one of the most critical parameters for the routine clinical application of this generator and (68)Ga-radiopharmaceuticals. We report a TLC-based (thin-layer chromatography) protocol which allows the (68)Ge breakthrough of a generator to be determined within 1 h post-initial elution. The protocol can also be adapted to allow the (68)Ge content of a (68)Ga-radiopharmaceutical preparation to be determined prior to in vivo application.

Quantitative online isolation of 68Ge from 68Ge/68Ga generator eluates for purification and immediate quality control of breakthrough.

The breakthrough of 68Ge from a 68Ge/68Ga-generator is one of the most sensitive parameters in the context of the clinical application of 68Ga-radiopharmaceuticals. The difficulty in its determination lies in the "spectroscopic invisibility" of 68Ge within an excess of 68Ga. The introduced method for determining the 68Ge content of the 68Ge/68Ga-generator eluate involves the quantitative separation of 68Ga from 68Ge, using a cation-exchanger. The eluate contains 68Ga free of 68Ge, which can be determined immediately, i.e. prior to the application of the 68Ga-radiopharmaceutical.

Measurement of protein synthesis: in vitro comparison of (68)Ga-DOTA-puromycin, [ (3)H]tyrosine, and 2-fluoro-[ (3)H]tyrosine.

AIM: Puromycin has played an important role in our understanding of the eukaryotic ribosome and protein synthesis. It has been known for more than 40 years that this antibiotic is a universal protein synthesis inhibitor that acts as a structural analog of an aminoacyl-transfer RNA (aa-tRNA) in eukaryotic ribosomes. Due to the role of enzymes and their synthesis in situations of need (DNA damage, e.g., after chemo- or radiation therapy), determination of protein synthesis is important for control of antitumor therapy, to enhance long-term survival of tumor patients, and to minimize side-effects of therapy. Multiple attempts to reach this goal have been made through the last decades, mostly using radiolabeled amino acids, with limited or unsatisfactory success. The aim of this study is to estimate the possibility of determining protein synthesis ratios by using (68)Ga-DOTA-puromycin ((68)Ga-DOTA-Pur), [(3)H]tyrosine, and 2-fluoro-[(3)H]tyrosine and to estimate the possibility of different pathways due to the fluorination of tyrosine. METHODS: DOTA-puromycin was synthesized using a puromycin-tethered controlled-pore glass (CPG) support by the usual protocol for automated DNA and RNA synthesis following our design. (68)Ga was obtained from a (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator as described previously by Zhernosekov et al. (J Nucl Med 48:1741-1748, 2007). The purified eluate was used for labeling of DOTA-puromycin at 95°C for 20 min. [(3)H]Tyrosine and 2-fluoro-[(3)H]tyrosine of the highest purity available were purchased from Moravek (Bera, USA) or Amersham Biosciences (Hammersmith, UK). In vitro uptake and protein incorporation as well as in vitro inhibition experiments using cycloheximide to inhibit protein synthesis were carried out for all three substances in DU145 prostate carcinoma cells (ATCC, USA). (68)Ga-DOTA-Pur was additionally used for µPET imaging of Walker carcinomas and AT1 tumors in rats. Dynamic scans were performed for 45 min after IV application (tail vein) of 20-25 MBq (68)Ga-DOTA-Pur. RESULTS: No significant differences in the behavior of [(3)H]tyrosine and 2-fluoro-[(3)H]tyrosine were observed. Uptake of both tyrosine derivatives was decreased by inhibition of protein synthesis, but only to a level of 45-55% of initial uptake, indicating no direct link between tyrosine uptake and protein synthesis. In contrast, (68)Ga-DOTA-Pur uptake was directly linked to ribosomal activity and, therefore, to protein synthesis. (68)Ga-DOTA-Pur µPET imaging in rats revealed high tumor-to-background ratios and clearly defined regions of interest in the investigated tumors. SUMMARY: Whereas the metabolic pathway of (68)Ga-DOTA-Pur is directly connected with the process of protein synthesis and shows high tumor uptake during µPET imaging, neither [(3)H]tyrosine nor 2-fluoro-[(3)H]tyrosine can be considered useful for determination of protein synthesis.

Imaging of protein synthesis: in vitro and in vivo evaluation of (44)Sc-DOTA-puromycin.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether (44)Sc-labeled puromycin can be utilized for imaging of protein synthesis in vivo. METHODS: For micro-positron emission tomographic (µPET) studies, 20-25 MBq of [(44)Sc]-DOTA-puromycin was administered to tumor-bearing rats, and animals were scanned for 1 h dynamically. Results were further validated by dissecting organs and tissues of the animals after the measurement and in vitro blocking experiments using puromycin or cycloheximide to block protein synthesis. RESULTS: µPET images of tumor-bearing rats showed significant tumor uptake of [(44)Sc]-DOTA-puromycin and a clear-cut tumor visualization. In both blocking experiments, cellular uptake of [(44)Sc]-DOTA-puromycin ([(44)Sc]-DOTA-Pur) could be suppressed by blocking protein synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: We report for the first time successful µPET imaging with (44)Sc obtained from a (44)Ti/(44)Sc generator, as well as noninvasive µPET imaging of ribosomal activity, respectively protein synthesis, with a puromycin-based radiopharmaceutical and the direct correlation between cellular uptake of [(44)Sc]-DOTA-Pur and protein synthesis.

Radiolabeling of DOTATOC with the long-lived positron emitter 44Sc.

The positron-emitting radionuclide (44)Sc with a half-life of 3.97 h and a ß(+) branching of 94.3% is of potential interest for clinical PET. As so far it is available from a (44)Ti/(44)Sc generator in Mainz, where long-lived (44)Ti decays to no-carrier-added (nca) (44)Sc. The (44)Sc is a trivalent metal cation and should be suitable for complexation with many well established bifunctional chelators conjugated to peptides or other molecular targeting vectors. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the potential of (44)Sc for labeling of DOTA-conjugated peptides. DOTA-D-Phe(1)-Tyr(3)-octreotide (DOTATOC) was used as a model molecule to study and optimize labeling procedure. Reaction parameters such as buffer conditions, concentration of peptide, pH range, reaction temperature and time were optimized. Addition of 21 nmol of DOTATOC to (44)Sc in ammonium acetate buffer pH 4.0 provided labeling yields >98% within 25 min of heating in an oil-bath at 95°C. This time can be reduced to 3 min only by applying microwave supported heating. (44)Sc-DOTATOC was found to be stable in 0.9% NaCl, PBS pH 7.4, fetal calf and human serums, and also in the presence of competing metal cations (Fe(3+), Ca(2+), Cu(2+), Mg(2+)), as well as other ligand competitors, like EDTA and DTPA, even after almost 25 h incubation at 37°C. Present study shows that nca (44)Sc forms stable complexes with the macrocyclic ligand DOTA and that (44)Sc-DOTATOC and analog targeting vectors may be synthesized for further preclinical and clinical investigations.