Introduction In this study, a structurally modified phosphoramidate scaffold, with improved prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) avidity, stability and in vivo characteristics, as a PET imaging agent for prostate cancer (PCa), was prepared and evaluated. Methods p-Fluorobenzoyl-aminohexanoate and 2-(3-hydroxypropyl)glycine were introduced into the PSMA-targeting scaffold yielding phosphoramidate 5. X-ray crystallography was performed on the PSMA/5 complex. [18F]5 was synthesized, and cell uptake and internalization studies were conducted in PSMA(+) LNCaP and CWR22Rv1 cells and PSMA(−) PC-3 cells. In vivo PET imaging and biodistribution studies were performed at 1 and 4 h post injection in mice bearing CWR22Rv1 tumor, with or without blocking agent. Results The crystallographic data showed interaction of the p-fluorobenzoyl group with an arene-binding cleft on the PSMA surface. In vitro studies revealed elevated uptake of [18F]5 in PSMA(+) cells (2.2% in CWR22Rv1 and 12.1% in LNCaP) compared to PSMA(−) cells (0.08%) at 4 h. In vivo tumor uptake of 2.33% ID/g and tumor-to-blood ratio of 265:1 was observed at 4 h. Conclusions We have successfully synthesized, radiolabeled and evaluated a new PSMA-targeted PET agent. The crystal structure of the PSMA/5 complex highlighted the interactions within the arene-binding cleft contributing to the overall complex stability. The high target uptake and rapid non-target clearance exhibited by [18F]5 in PSMA(+) xenografts substantiates its potential use for PET imaging of PCa. Advances in Knowledge The only FDA-approved imaging agent for PCa, Prostascint®, targets PSMA but suffers from inherent shortcomings. The data acquired in this manuscript confirmed that our new generation of [18F]-labeled PSMA inhibitor exhibited promising in vivo performance as a PET imaging agent for PCa and is well-positioned for subsequent clinical trials. Implications for Patient Care Our preliminary data demonstrate that this tracer possesses the required imaging characteristics to be sensitive and specific for PCa imaging in patients at all stages of the disease.

The early detection of many human diseases is crucial if they are to be treated successfully. Therefore, the development of imaging techniques that can facilitate early detection of disease is of high importance. Changes in the levels of enzyme expression are known to occur in many diseases, making their accurate detection at low concentrations an area of considerable active research. Activatable fluorescent probes show immense promise in this area. If properly designed they should exhibit no signal until they interact with their target enzyme, reducing the level of background fluorescence and potentially endowing them with greater sensitivity. The mechanisms of fluorescence changes in activatable probes vary. This review aims to survey the field of activatable probes, focusing on their mechanisms of action as well as illustrating some of the in vitro and in vivo settings in which they have been employed.

New radiolabeled probes for positron-emission tomography (PET) are providing an ever-increasing ability to answer diverse research and clinical questions and to facilitate the discovery, development, and clinical use of drugs in patient care. Despite the high equipment and facility costs to produce PET probes, many radiopharmacies and radiochemistry laboratories use a dedicated radiosynthesizer to produce each probe, even if the equipment is idle much of the time, to avoid the challenges of reconfiguring the system fluidics to switch from one probe to another. To meet growing demand, more cost-efficient approaches are being developed, such as radiosynthesizers based on disposable "cassettes," that do not require reconfiguration to switch among probes. However, most cassette-based systems make sacrifices in synthesis complexity or tolerated reaction conditions, and some do not support custom programming, thereby limiting their generality. In contrast, the design of the ELIXYS FLEX/CHEM cassette-based synthesizer supports higher temperatures and pressures than other systems while also facilitating flexible synthesis development. In this paper, the syntheses of 24 known PET probes are adapted to this system to explore the possibility of using a single radiosynthesizer and hot cell for production of a diverse array of compounds with wide-ranging synthesis requirements, alongside synthesis development efforts. Most probes were produced with yields and synthesis times comparable to literature reports, and because hardware modification was unnecessary, it was convenient to frequently switch among probes based on demand. Although our facility supplies probes for preclinical imaging, the same workflow would be applicable in a clinical setting.

It is proposed that schizophrenic patients who engage in sexually offensive activities fall into four broad groups: (1) those with a pre-existing paraphilia; (2) those whose deviant sexuality arises in the context of illness and/or its treatment; (3) those whose deviant sexuality is one manifestation of more generalized antisocial behaviour, and (4) factors other than the above. This classification provides a useful framework for evaluating and treating sexually offensive behaviours in schizophrenic patients.