Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Slo1

Title: Carborane-conjugated 2-quinolinecarboxamide ligands of the translocator protein for boron neutron capture therapy.

Authors: Andrea Cappelli, Salvatore Valenti, Alessandra Mancini, Germano Giuliani, Maurizio Anzini, Saverio Altieri, Silva Bortolussi, Cinzia Ferrari, Anna Maria Clerici, Cecilia Zonta, Fabio Carraro, Irene Filippi, Gianluca Giorgi, Alessandro Donati, Sandra Ristori, Salvatore Vomero, Alessandra Concas, Giovanni Biggio

Journal, date & volume: Bioconjug. Chem., 2010 Dec 15 , 21, 2213-21

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21087014

Abstract
Potential boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) agents have been designed on the basis of the evidence about translocator protein (TSPO) overexpression on the outer mitochondrial membrane of tumor cells. The structure of the first TSPO ligand bearing a carborane cage (compound 2d) has been modified in order to find a suitable candidate for in vivo studies. The designed compounds were synthesized and evaluated for their potential interaction with TSPO and tumor cells. In vitro biological evaluation showed in the case of fluoromethyl derivative 4b a nanomolar TSPO affinity very similar to that of 2d, a significantly lower cytotoxicity, and a slightly superior performance as boron carrier toward breast cancer cells. Moreover, compound 4b could be used as a ¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agent as well as labeled with ¹¹C or ¹⁸F to obtain positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers in order to apply the "see and treat" strategy in BNCT.