Characterization of [11C]RO5013853, a novel PET tracer for the glycine transporter type 1 (GlyT1) in humans

Dean F. Wong*, Susanne Ostrowitzki, Yun Zhou, Vanessa Raymont, Carsten Hofmann, Edilio Borroni, Anil Kumar, Nikhat Parkar, James R. Brašić, John Hilton, Robert F. Dannals, Meret Martin-Facklam

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We characterize a novel radioligand for the glycine transporter type 1 (GlyT1), [11C]RO5013853, in humans. Ten healthy male volunteers, 23-60years of age, were enrolled in this PET study; seven subjects participated in the evaluation of test-retest reliability and three subjects in whole body dosimetry. Subjects were administered intravenous bolus injections of approximately 1100MBq (30mCi) [11C]RO5013853 with a high specific activity of about 481GBq (13Ci)/μmol. Standard compartmental model analysis with arterial plasma input function, and an alternative noninvasive analysis method which was evaluated and validated by occupancy studies in both baboons and humans, were performed. Mean parameter estimates of the volumes of distribution (VT) obtained by a 2-tissue 5-parameter model were higher in the cerebellum, pons, and thalamus (1.99 to 2.59mL/mL), and lower in the putamen, caudate, and cortical areas (0.86 to 1.13mL/mL), with estimates showing less than 10% difference between test and retest scans. Tracer retention was effectively blocked by the specific glycine reuptake inhibitor (GRI), bitopertin (RG1678). [11C]RO5013853 was safe and well tolerated. Human dosimetry studies showed that the effective dose was approximately 0.0033mSv/MBq, with the liver receiving the highest absorbed dose.In conclusion, quantitative dynamic PET of the human brain after intravenous injection of [11C]RO5013853 attains reliable measurements of GlyT1 binding in accordance with the expected transporter distribution in the human brain. [11C]RO5013853 is a radioligand suitable for further clinical PET studies. Full characterization of a novel radiotracer for GlyT1 in humans is provided. The tracer has subsequently been used to assess receptor occupancy in healthy volunteers and to estimate occupancy at doses associated with best efficacy in a clinical trial with schizophrenic patients with predominantly negative symptoms.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)282-290
Number of pages9
JournalNeuroImage
Volume75
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Jul 2013

Keywords

  • Glycine reuptake inhibitor (GRI)
  • Glycine transporter type 1 (GlyT1)
  • N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)
  • Positron emission tomography (PET)
  • Radioligand assays
  • Receptors
  • Schizophrenia

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