Last-step enzymatic [18F]-fluorination of cysteine-tethered RGD peptides using modified Barbas linkers

We thank the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK, for a research grant.We report a last-step fluorinase-catalyzed [18F]-fluorination of a cysteine-containing RGD peptide. The peptide was attached through sulfur to a modified and more hydrophilic variant of the recently disclosed Barbas linker which was itself linked to a chloroadenosine moiety via a PEGylated chain. The fluorinase was able to use this construct as a substrate for a transhalogenation reaction to generate [18F]-radiolabeled RGD peptides, which retained high affinity to cancer-cell relevant αvβ3 integrins.PostprintPeer reviewe