Synthesis of new 123I-labeled free fatty acids analogues and first evaluation as potential tracers for SPECT imaging to elucidate fatty acid flux in mouse

Abstract

The aim of our study was to synthesize new radiotracers for in vivo imaging to examine the metabolic fate of fatty acids according to their unsaturation degree. Three different fatty acids of the 18-carbon series have been synthesized, labeled with ¹²³I, and their biodistribution has been evaluated in mice in vivo. The main result shows a different distribution pattern of the fatty acids according to their degree of unsaturation between the white adipose tissue and the muscles, which is coherent with previous studies using stable isotopes.