[123I]-6-deoxy-6-iodo-D-glucose (6DIG): a potential tracer of glucose transport

A glucose analogue labelled with iodine-123 in position 6 has been synthesized: [123I]-6-deoxy-6-iodo-D-glucose (6DIG). The aim of this study was to examine its biological behaviour in order to assess whether it could be used to evaluate glucose transport with SPECT. To establish whether 6DIG enters the cells using the glucose transporter, four biological models have been used: human erythrocytes in suspension, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in culture, isolated perfused rat hearts, and biodistribution in mice. 6DIG competed with D-glucose to enter the cells and its entry was increased by insulin and inhibited in the presence of cytochalasin B. The biological behaviour of 6DIG was similar to that of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose. 6DIG is a tracer of glucose transport which is very promising for clinical studies.