Iodine-125 metaraminol: A new platelet specific labeling agent

In the search for a platelet specific labeling agent, Metaraminol (MA), which is a sympatomimetic amine used for the treatment of hypotension, cardiogenic shock and well recognized as a drug actively incorporated and accumulated in platelet, attracted the authors' attention. Using the classical chloramine-T iodination method, a high labeling efficiency near 98%, reaching a specific activity up to about 1000 Ci/mmole was obtained. Upon the harvest of platelet, only as platelet rich plasma (PRP), the labeling with this radiopharmaceutical was easily performed by incubation at 370C for 10 min. Labeling efficiency as high as 63.0 +- 3.1% at 24 x 10/sup 8/ cells/ml was obtained. In in-vitro studies, the unaltered state of I-125 MA labeled platelet, with their cellular functions fully retained was demonstrated. Pharmacological study indicated a specific incorporation of I-125 MA by active transport system similar to that of 5-HT, along with passive diffusion. Then the in-vivo study carried out in rabbits with induced thrombi on the femoral artery, showed rather rapid disappearance of the I-125 MA labeled autologous platelet radioactivity, from circulating blood reaching as high thrombus-to-blood activity ratio as 19.8+-4.3 within 30 min post-administration. This new platelet labeling agent, I-125 MA, has many advantages over the use of IN-111 oxine and holds considerable promise for thrombus imaging with single photon emission CT upon the availability of I-123 MA