PET imaging and optical imaging with D-luciferin [11C]methyl ester and D-luciferin [11C]methyl ether of luciferase gene expression in tumor xenografts of living mice

New carbon-11 labeled D-luciferin analogs D-luciferin [C-11]methyl ester ([C-11]LMEster, [C-11]1) and D-luciferin [C-11]methyl ether ([C-11]LMEther, [C-11]2) were synthesized in 25-55% radiochemical yield. PET studies with [C-11]LMEster and [C-11]LMEther demonstrate a lower retention of the C-11 label at 45 min post-injection in luciferase expression tumor. Optical imaging with unlabeled substrate D-luciferin and radiotracers [C-11]LMEster and [C-11]LMEther gave tumor luciferase images within a few minutes of photon counting. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.