Preclinical Evaluation of [(18)F]FACH in Healthy Mice and Piglets: An (18)F-Labeled Ligand for Imaging of Monocarboxylate Transporters with PET

The expression of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) is linked to pathophysiological changes in diseases, including cancer, such that MCTs could potentially serve as diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets. We recently developed [(18)F]FACH as a radiotracer for non-invasive molecular imaging of MCTs by positron emission tomography (PET). The aim of this study was to evaluate further the specificity, metabolic stability, and pharmacokinetics of [(18)F]FACH in healthy mice and piglets. We measured the [(18)F]FACH plasma protein binding fractions in mice and piglets and the specific binding in cryosections of murine kidney and lung. The biodistribution of [(18)F]FACH was evaluated by tissue sampling ex vivo and by dynamic PET/MRI in vivo, with and without pre-treatment by the MCT inhibitor α-CCA-Na or the reference compound, FACH-Na. Additionally, we performed compartmental modelling of the PET signal in kidney cortex and liver. Saturation binding studies in kidney cortex cryosections indicated a K(D) of 118 ± 12 nM and B(max) of 6.0 pmol/mg wet weight. The specificity of [(18)F]FACH uptake in the kidney cortex was confirmed in vivo by reductions in AUC(0–60min) after pre-treatment with α-CCA-Na in mice (−47%) and in piglets (−66%). [(18)F]FACH was metabolically stable in mouse, but polar radio-metabolites were present in plasma and tissues of piglets. The [(18)F]FACH binding potential (BP(ND)) in the kidney cortex was approximately 1.3 in mice. The MCT1 specificity of [(18)F]FACH uptake was confirmed by displacement studies in 4T1 cells. [(18)F]FACH has suitable properties for the detection of the MCTs in kidney, and thus has potential as a molecular imaging tool for MCT-related pathologies, which should next be assessed in relevant disease models.