skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Evaluation of Cu-64 and Ga-68 Radiolabeled Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists as PET Tracers for Pancreatic β cell Imaging

Journal Article · · Molecular Imaging and Biology
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [1]
  1. Washington Univ. School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (United States). Dept. of Radiology
  2. Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Cambridge, MA (United States). Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry
  3. Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Groton, CT (United States). Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry
  4. Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Cambridge, MA (United States). Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism
  5. Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Cambridge, MA (United States). Clinical and Translational Imaging

PURPOSE: Copper-64 (Cu-64) and Galium-68 (Ga-68) radiolabeled DO3A and NODA conjugates of exendin-4 were used for preclinical imaging of pancreatic β cells via targeting of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R). PROCEDURES: DO3A-VS- and NODA-VS-tagged Cys40exendin-4 (DO3A-VS-Cys40-exendin-4 and NODA-VS-Cys40-exendin-4, respectively) were labeled with Cu-64 and Ga-68 using standard techniques. Biodistribution and dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) were carried out in normal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Ex vivo autoradiography imaging was conducted with freshly frozen pancreatic thin sections. RESULTS: DO3A-VS- and NODA-VS-Cys40-exendin-4 analogues were labeled with Cu-64 and Ga-68 to a specific activity of 518.7 ± 3.7 Ci/mmol (19.19 ± 0.14 TBq/mmol) and radiochemical yield above 98 %. Biodistribution data demonstrated pancreatic uptake of 0.11 ± 0.02 %ID/g for [64Cu]DO3A-VS-, 0.14 ± 0.02 %ID/g for [64Cu]NODA-VS-, 0.11 ± 0.03 for [68Ga]DO3A-VS-, and 0.26 ± 0.03 for [68Ga]NODA-VS-Cys40-exendin-4. Excess exendin-4 and exendin-(9-39)-amide displaced all four Cu-64 and Ga-68 labeled exendin-4 derivatives in blocking studies. CONCLUSIONS: [64Cu]/[68Ga]DO3A-VS-Cys40- and [64Cu]/[68Ga]NODA-VS-Cys40-exendin-4 can be used as PET imaging agents specific for GLP-1R expressed on β cells. Here in this paper, we report the first evidence of pancreatic uptake visualized with exendin-4 derivative in a rat animal model via in vivo dynamic PET imaging.

Research Organization:
The Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0002032
OSTI ID:
1467465
Journal Information:
Molecular Imaging and Biology, Vol. 18, Issue 1; ISSN 1536-1632
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 10 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (35)

Circulation and Degradation of GIP and GLP-1 journal November 2004
Sustained beta cell apoptosis in patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes: indirect evidence for islet regeneration? journal October 2005
In Vivo Imaging of Transplanted Islets with 64 Cu-DO3A-VS-Cys 40 -Exendin-4 by Targeting GLP-1 Receptor journal August 2011
The Glucagon-Like Peptides journal December 1999
Relationship between β-cell mass and diabetes onset journal November 2008
Expression cloning of the pancreatic beta cell receptor for the gluco-incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1. journal September 1992
Receptors for glucagon-like peptide-1(7–36) amide on rat insulinoma-derived cells journal March 1988
In Vivo Imaging of the Glucagonlike Peptide 1 Receptor in the Pancreas with 68Ga-Labeled DO3A-Exendin-4 journal June 2013
The Physiology of Glucagon-like Peptide 1 journal October 2007
Glucagon-like Peptide 1–Receptor Scans to Localize Occult Insulinomas journal August 2008
Copper-64 radiolabeling and biological evaluation of bifunctional chelators for radiopharmaceutical development journal November 2012
Novel hexadentate and pentadentate chelators for 64Cu-based targeted PET imaging journal April 2014
Long-term evaluation of TiO2-based 68Ge/68Ga generators and optimized automation of [68Ga]DOTATOC radiosynthesis journal October 2012
Ex Vivo Imaging of Pancreatic Beta Cells using a Radiolabeled GLP-1 Receptor Agonist journal March 2011
 -Cell Deficit and Increased  -Cell Apoptosis in Humans With Type 2 Diabetes journal January 2003
18F-radiolabeled analogs of exendin-4 for PET imaging of GLP-1 in insulinoma journal December 2011
A new technique for in vivo imaging of specific GLP-1 binding sites: First results in small rodents journal December 2006
Use of 125I-[Y39]exendin-4 to characterize exendin receptors on dispersed pancreatic acini and gastric chief cells from guinea pig journal August 1994
Chelators for copper radionuclides in positron emission tomography radiopharmaceuticals: Chelators for copper radionuclides in PET radiopharmaceuticals journal December 2013
64Cu- and 68Ga-Labelled [Nle14,Lys40(Ahx-NODAGA)NH2]-Exendin-4 for Pancreatic Beta Cell Imaging in Rats journal October 2013
Effects of Chelator Modifications on 68Ga-Labeled [Tyr3]Octreotide Conjugates journal March 2013
Exendin-4-Based Radiopharmaceuticals for Glucagonlike Peptide-1 Receptor PET/CT and SPECT/CT journal July 2010
PET of Insulinoma Using 18 F-FBEM-EM3106B, a New GLP-1 Analogue journal July 2011
Pancreatic islet plasticity: Interspecies comparison of islet architecture and composition journal May 2010
Use of the incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) for the detection of insulinomas: initial experimental results journal March 2002
Expression of the GLP-1 Receptor in Mouse, Rat, and Human Pancreas journal June 2008
Beta-Cell Imaging: Call for Evidence-Based and Scientific Approach journal February 2013
International Union of Pharmacology. XXXV. The Glucagon Receptor Family journal March 2003
GLP-1 Receptor Expression in Human Tumors and Human Normal Tissues: Potential for In Vivo Targeting journal May 2007
Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Analogs: Recent Advances, New Possibilities, and Therapeutic Implications journal November 2014
Postmortem Autolysis in the Pancreas: Multivariate Statistical Study. The Influence of Clinicopathological Conditions journal January 1990
A semi-automated system for the routine production of copper-64 journal August 2012
GLP-1 receptor antagonist as a potential probe for pancreatic β-cell imaging journal November 2009
Isolation and characterization of exendin-4, an exendin-3 analogue, from Heloderma suspectum venom. Further evidence for an exendin receptor on dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas. journal April 1992
Exendin-4 is a high potency agonist and truncated exendin-(9-39)-amide an antagonist at the glucagon-like peptide 1-(7-36)-amide receptor of insulin-secreting beta-cells. journal September 1993

Cited By (4)

Characterization of 5-(2-18F-fluoroethoxy)-L-tryptophan for PET imaging of the pancreas journal January 2016
Characterization of 5-(2-18F-fluoroethoxy)-L-tryptophan for PET imaging of the pancreas journal January 2016
Radiolabeled Cationic Peptides for Targeted Imaging of Infection journal October 2019
Radiomanganese PET Detects Changes in Functional β-Cell Mass in Mouse Models of Diabetes journal May 2017

Similar Records

Non-invasive glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor imaging in pancreas with {sup 18}F-Al labeled Cys{sup 39}-exendin-4
Journal Article · Fri Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · OSTI ID:1467465

GLP-1 receptor antagonist as a potential probe for pancreatic {beta}-cell imaging
Journal Article · Fri Nov 20 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · OSTI ID:1467465

Islet-selectivity of G-protein coupled receptor ligands evaluated for PET imaging of pancreatic {beta}-cell mass
Journal Article · Fri Sep 02 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · OSTI ID:1467465