Species Differences in Microsomal Metabolism of Xanthine-Derived A(1) Adenosine Receptor Ligands

Tracer development for positron emission tomography (PET) requires thorough evaluation of pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and dosimetry of candidate radioligands in preclinical animal studies. Since variations in pharmacokinetics and metabolism of a compound occur in different species, careful selection of a suitable model species is mandatory to obtain valid data. This study focuses on species differences in the in vitro metabolism of three xanthine-derived ligands for the A(1) adenosine receptor (A(1)AR), which, in their (18)F-labeled form, can be used to image A(1)AR via PET. In vitro intrinsic clearance and metabolite profiles of 8-cyclopentyl-3-(3-fluoropropyl)-1-propylxanthine (CPFPX), an established A(1)AR-ligand, and two novel analogs, 8-cyclobutyl-3-(3-fluoropropyl)-1-propylxanthine (CBX) and 3-(3-fluoropropyl)-8-(1-methylcyclobutyl)-1-propylxanthine (MCBX), were determined in liver microsomes from humans and preclinical animal species. Molecular mechanisms leading to significant differences between human and animal metabolite profiles were also examined. The results revealed significant species differences regarding qualitative and quantitative aspects of microsomal metabolism. None of the tested animal species fully matched human microsomal metabolism of the three A(1)AR ligands. In conclusion, preclinical evaluation of xanthine-derived A(1)AR ligands should employ at least two animal species, preferably rodent and dog, to predict in vivo behavior in humans. Surprisingly, rhesus macaques appear unsuitable due to large differences in metabolic activity towards the test compounds.