Preparation, radiolabeling and biodistribution of a new class of bisaminothiol (BAT) ligands as possible imaging agents.

In developing new ligands as potential brain and heart perfusion imaging agents two ligands based upon N2S2 donor atoms with the biphenyl backbone were synthesized. Biphenyl-2,2'-bis(N-1-amino-2-methyl-propane-2-thiol) (BP-BAT-TM) and biphenyl-2,2'-bis(N-1-amino-2-ethyl-butane-2-thiol) (BP-BAT-TE) form stable, neutral and lipid soluble complexes with [99mTc]pertechnetate in the presence of tin(II) tartarate as a reducing agent. The [99mTc]BP-BAT-TM complex penetrates the blood-brain barrier following i.v. injection into rats. Washout from the brain is fast, indicating no retention. The biodistribution of [99mTc]BP-BAT-TE in rats showed an initial heart uptake (0.8%/organ, at 2 min) and a slow washout (0.74% at 15 min). No brain uptake was found (0.05%). Significant uptake and retention in liver was observed. An imaging study of [99mTc]BP-BAT-TE in a monkey showed no brain uptake and a clear indication of liver uptake and gall bladder clearance. These results indicate that this ligand system may be suitable as the basic core structure for the development of new imaging agents. Further studies with structural variations in the biphenyl backbone are warranted to develop new 99mTc imaging agents for clinical applications.