Synthesis of [11C] MDL 72222 as a potential radiopharmaceutical for the study of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5HT3) receptor

The eventual goal of this work is to determine the distribution of the 5HT3 serotonin receptor subtype in the human brain using positron emission tomography (PET). 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors have been divided into three major classes. In vivo radioligand binding techniques have been developed to detect and analyze 5-HT3 binding sites in both the CNS and in neuroblastoma cell lines. Hence, the 5-HT3 receptors have been evidenced in vitro, but not yet in vivo. Accordingly, the authors have prepared a positron emitting analogue of MDL 72222 to assess its potential as an imaging radioligand for PET