Polyfluorinated bis-styrylbenzene beta-amyloid plaque binding ligands.

beta-Amyloid (Abeta) binding affinities and specificities for six bis-styrylbenzenes with multiple magnetically equivalent fluorine atoms in the form of a tetrafluorophenyl core or symmetrical trifluoromethyl and trifluoromethoxy groups were determined by means of fluorescence titrations with amyloid peptide Abeta1-40 and a novel in vitro fluorescence-based assay using APP/PS1 transgenic mouse brain sections. Bis-styrylbenzenes with a tetrafluorophenyl core had increased Abeta binding affinities compared to their monofluorophenyl or phenyl counterparts. Bis-styrylbenzenes with carboxylic acid functional groups had lower Abeta binding affinities than their neutral counterparts. Selected bis-styrylbenzenes were demonstrated to have good blood-brain barrier penetration capabilities. These data extend the SAR of bis-styrylbenzene Abeta binding and provide direction for the development of a noninvasive probe for early detection of Alzheimer's disease using 19F MRI.