Synthesis and evaluation of Al18F-NODA complex conjugated 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazole as a potential tumor imaging agent

[Display omitted] •Al18F-NODA conjugated 2-arylbenzothiazole was prepared as a tumor tracer.•Al18F-5 displayed good tumor-binding ability in HeLa and MCF-7 cells.•Al18F-5 clearly delineated HeLa and MCF-7 tumors in model mice by PET imaging. The objective of the study was to prepare and evaluate a 18F-radiolabled tracer (Al18F-5), derivated from the antitumor agent 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazole, as a PET probe for tumor imaging. Al18F-5 was successfully prepared with approx. 40% radiochemical yield in aqueous phase. In in vitro cell uptake experiments and competition assay, Al18F-5 displayed good tumor-binding ability and specificity in HeLa cells (24.7 ± 0.9% ID/106 cells, IC50 = 63.8 ± 13.6 nM) and MCF-7 cells (6.8 ± 0.3% ID/106 cells, IC50 = 331.1 ± 33.7 nM). The nonradioactive compound, Al19F-5, visibly marked HeLa cells and MCF-7 cells but did not stain HEB cells in florescent staining, which further indicated the tumor-binding ability of Al18F-5. In in vivo PET imaging, HeLa and MCF-7 tumors were clearly delineated by specific accumulation of Al18F-5 in model mice. In biodistribution study, Al18F-5 exhibited good tumor uptake (4.66 ± 0.13% ID/g and 3.69 ± 0.56% ID/g, respectively), moderate tumor-to-muscle ratio (3.38 and 2.48, respectively) at 1 h post injection, which were in a good consistency with the results of PET imaging. In conclusion, Al18F-5 might be developed as a candidate PET probe for tumor imaging, though additional optimizations are still needed to improve pharmacokinetics in vivo.