In Vivo DA D1 Receptor Selectivity of NNC 112 and SCH 23390

Purpose[11C]NNC 112 and [11C]SCH 23390 are selective positron emission tomography (PET) tracers for visualizing dopamine D1 receptors. It is known that both have some affinity for serotonin 2A receptors, but previous studies have suggested this is negligible compared to D1 affinity. We sought to verify this property in vivo.ProceduresTwo baboons were scanned to measure the selectivity of both tracers with a displacement paradigm. Four baboons were scanned to directly assess [11C] NNC 112 affinity for both receptors.ResultsIn vivo, D1 to 5-HT2A selectivity is six to fourteenfold, not 100-fold as previously reported by other investigators.ConclusionWe conclude that about 1/4 of the cortical signal of both [11C]NNC 112 and [11C]SCH 23390 is due to binding to 5-HT2A receptors. If confirmed in humans, this suggests caution should be exercised when drawing conclusions from studies using either tracer. These results also indicate the need for more selective tracers for the D1 receptor.