Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microglia

As the brain's resident immune cells, microglia perform crucial functions such as phagocytosis, neuronal network maintenance, and injury restoration by adopting various phenotypes. Dynamic imaging of these phenotypes is essential for accessing brain diseases and therapeutic responses. Although...

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Main Authors: Bolin Yao, Yanyan Kong, Jianing Li, Fulin Xu, Yan Deng, Yuncan Chen, Yixiu Chen, Jian Chen, Minhua Xu, Xiao Zhu, Liang Chen, Fang Xie, Xin Zhang, Cong Wang, Cong Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525000140
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author Bolin Yao
Yanyan Kong
Jianing Li
Fulin Xu
Yan Deng
Yuncan Chen
Yixiu Chen
Jian Chen
Minhua Xu
Xiao Zhu
Liang Chen
Fang Xie
Xin Zhang
Cong Wang
Cong Li
author_facet Bolin Yao
Yanyan Kong
Jianing Li
Fulin Xu
Yan Deng
Yuncan Chen
Yixiu Chen
Jian Chen
Minhua Xu
Xiao Zhu
Liang Chen
Fang Xie
Xin Zhang
Cong Wang
Cong Li
author_sort Bolin Yao
collection DOAJ
description As the brain's resident immune cells, microglia perform crucial functions such as phagocytosis, neuronal network maintenance, and injury restoration by adopting various phenotypes. Dynamic imaging of these phenotypes is essential for accessing brain diseases and therapeutic responses. Although numerous probes are available for imaging pro-inflammatory microglia, no PET tracers have been developed specifically to visualize anti-inflammatory microglia. In this study, we present an 18F-labeled PET tracer (QTFT) that targets the P2Y12, a receptor highly expressed on anti-inflammatory microglia. [18F]QTFT exhibited high binding affinity to the P2Y12 (14.43 nmol/L) and superior blood–brain barrier permeability compared to other candidates. Micro-PET imaging in IL-4-induced neuroinflammation models showed higher [18F]QTFT uptake in lesions compared to the contralateral normal brain tissues. Importantly, this specific uptake could be blocked by QTFT or a P2Y12 antagonist. Furthermore, [18F]QTFT visualized brain lesions in mouse models of epilepsy, glioma, and aging by targeting the aberrantly expressed P2Y12 in anti-inflammatory microglia. In a pilot clinical study, [18F]QTFT successfully located epileptic foci, showing enhanced radioactive signals in a patient with epilepsy. Collectively, these studies suggest that [18F]QTFT could serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for imaging various brain disorders by targeting P2Y12 overexpressed in anti-inflammatory microglia.
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spelling doaj-art-58453fe68be349cf8617db3aaeebe9272025-08-20T02:47:37ZengElsevierActa Pharmaceutica Sinica B2211-38352025-02-011521056106910.1016/j.apsb.2025.01.009Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microgliaBolin Yao0Yanyan Kong1Jianing Li2Fulin Xu3Yan Deng4Yuncan Chen5Yixiu Chen6Jian Chen7Minhua Xu8Xiao Zhu9Liang Chen10Fang Xie11Xin Zhang12Cong Wang13Cong Li14School of Pharmacy, MOE Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, ChinaPET Center, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, MOE Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, MOE Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, MOE Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, ChinaPET Center, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China; Corresponding authors.School of Pharmacy, MOE Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai 201318, China; The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science and System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science and System, Shenzhen 518055, China; Corresponding authors.School of Pharmacy, MOE Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, MOE Innovative Center for New Drug Development of Immune Inflammatory Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China; The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science and System, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science and System, Shenzhen 518055, China; Corresponding authors.As the brain's resident immune cells, microglia perform crucial functions such as phagocytosis, neuronal network maintenance, and injury restoration by adopting various phenotypes. Dynamic imaging of these phenotypes is essential for accessing brain diseases and therapeutic responses. Although numerous probes are available for imaging pro-inflammatory microglia, no PET tracers have been developed specifically to visualize anti-inflammatory microglia. In this study, we present an 18F-labeled PET tracer (QTFT) that targets the P2Y12, a receptor highly expressed on anti-inflammatory microglia. [18F]QTFT exhibited high binding affinity to the P2Y12 (14.43 nmol/L) and superior blood–brain barrier permeability compared to other candidates. Micro-PET imaging in IL-4-induced neuroinflammation models showed higher [18F]QTFT uptake in lesions compared to the contralateral normal brain tissues. Importantly, this specific uptake could be blocked by QTFT or a P2Y12 antagonist. Furthermore, [18F]QTFT visualized brain lesions in mouse models of epilepsy, glioma, and aging by targeting the aberrantly expressed P2Y12 in anti-inflammatory microglia. In a pilot clinical study, [18F]QTFT successfully located epileptic foci, showing enhanced radioactive signals in a patient with epilepsy. Collectively, these studies suggest that [18F]QTFT could serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for imaging various brain disorders by targeting P2Y12 overexpressed in anti-inflammatory microglia.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525000140MicrogliaNeuroinflammationP2Y12 receptorBrain diseasesPositron emission tomography (PET)Epilepsy
spellingShingle Bolin Yao
Yanyan Kong
Jianing Li
Fulin Xu
Yan Deng
Yuncan Chen
Yixiu Chen
Jian Chen
Minhua Xu
Xiao Zhu
Liang Chen
Fang Xie
Xin Zhang
Cong Wang
Cong Li
Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microglia
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
Microglia
Neuroinflammation
P2Y12 receptor
Brain diseases
Positron emission tomography (PET)
Epilepsy
title Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microglia
title_full Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microglia
title_fullStr Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microglia
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microglia
title_short Synthesis, preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a P2Y12 receptor targeting radiotracer [18F]QTFT for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti-inflammatory microglia
title_sort synthesis preclinical evaluation and pilot clinical study of a p2y12 receptor targeting radiotracer 18f qtft for imaging brain disorders by visualizing anti inflammatory microglia
topic Microglia
Neuroinflammation
P2Y12 receptor
Brain diseases
Positron emission tomography (PET)
Epilepsy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383525000140
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