Sequential enzymatic synthesis and biodistribution of radiolabelled inositol and inositol analogs

The desired radiolabelled inositol (Ins) and inositol-1-phosphate (IP) were obtained from radiolabelled glucose by sequential enzyme reactions in a short time. Rapid separation and fractionation of enzymes and labelled products from the reaction mixture was achieved by HPLC with a gel-permeation chromatography column. Examination of the biodistribution of radiolabelled Ins, IP and their acetylated analogs suggested that intact Ins labelled with 11C would be more effective than 11C-labelled acetylated Ins as a brain diagnostic agent for positron emission tomographic studies of the metabolism of phosphatidylinositol and its role as a second messenger in the brain.