Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are enzymes that play a major role in cell signalling by hydrolysing the second messengers cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and/or cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) throughout the body and brain. Altered cyclic nucleotide-mediated signalling has been associated with a wide array of disorders, including neurodegenerative disorders. Recently, PDE5 has been shown to be involved in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease but its precise role has not been elucidated yet. To visualize and quantify the expression of this enzyme in brain, we developed a radiotracer for specific PET imaging of PDE5. A quinoline based lead compound has been structurally modified resulting in the fluoroethoxymethyl derivative ICF24027 with high inhibitory activity towards PDE5 (IC₅₀ = 1.89 nM). Radiolabelling with fluorine-18 was performed by a one-step nucleophilic substitution reaction using a tosylate precursor (RCY_(EOB) = 12.9 ± 1.8%; RCP >99%; SA_(EOS) = 70-126 GBq/µmol). In vitro autoradiographic studies of [¹⁸F]ICF24027 on different mouse tissue as well as on porcine brain slices demonstrated a moderate specific binding to PDE5. In vivo studies in mice revealed that [¹⁸F]ICF24027 was metabolized under formation of brain penetrable radiometabolites making the radiotracer not suitable for PET imaging of PDE5 in brain.