scholarly journals Translational Development of a Zr-89-Labeled Inhibitor of Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen for PET Imaging in Prostate Cancer

Author(s):  
Sergio Muñoz Vázquez ◽  
Heike Endepols ◽  
Thomas Fischer ◽  
Samir-Ghali Tawadros ◽  
Melanie Hohberg ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose We present here a Zr-89-labeled inhibitor of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) as a complement to the already established F-18- or Ga-68-ligands. Procedures The precursor PSMA-DFO (ABX) was used for Zr-89-labeling. This is not an antibody, but a peptide analogue of the precursor for the production of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. The ligand [89Zr]Zr-PSMA-DFO was compared with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]F-JK-PSMA-7 in vitro by determination of the Kd value, cellular uptake, internalization in LNCaP cells, biodistribution studies with LNCaP prostate tumor xenografts in mice, and in vivo by small-animal PET imaging in LNCaP tumor mouse models. A first-in-human PET was performed with [89Zr]Zr-PSMA-DFO on a patient presenting with a biochemical recurrence after brachytherapy and an ambiguous intraprostatic finding with [18F]F-JK-PSMA-7 but histologically benign cells in a prostate biopsy 7 months previously. Results [89Zr]Zr-PSMA-DFO was prepared with a radiochemical purity ≥ 99.9% and a very high in vitro stability for up to 7 days at 37 °C. All radiotracers showed similar specific cellular binding and internalization, in vitro and comparable tumor uptake in biodistribution experiments during the first 5 h. The [89Zr]Zr-PSMA-DFO achieved significantly higher tumor/background ratios in LNCaP tumor xenografts (tumor/blood: 309 ± 89, tumor/muscle: 450 ± 38) after 24 h than [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (tumor/blood: 112 ± 57, tumor/muscle: 58 ± 36) or [18F]F-JK-PSMA-7 (tumor/blood: 175 ± 30, tumor/muscle: 114 ± 14) after 4 h (p < 0.01). Small-animal PET imaging demonstrated in vivo that tumor visualization with [89Zr]Zr-PSMA-DFO is comparable to [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 or [18F]F-JK-PSMA-7 at early time points (1 h p.i.) and that PET scans up to 48 h p.i. clearly visualized the tumor at late time points. A late [89Zr]Zr-PSMA-DFO PET scan on a patient with biochemical recurrence (BCR) had demonstrated intensive tracer accumulation in the right (SUVmax 13.25, 48 h p.i.) and in the left prostate lobe (SUV max 9.47), a repeat biopsy revealed cancer cells on both sides. Conclusion [89Zr]Zr-PSMA-DFO is a promising PSMA PET tracer for detection of tumor areas with lower PSMA expression and thus warrants further clinical evaluation.

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (19) ◽  
pp. 5819
Author(s):  
Lisa Russelli ◽  
Francesco De Rose ◽  
Loredana Leone ◽  
Sybille Reder ◽  
Markus Schwaiger ◽  
...  

In this work, we designed, developed, characterized, and investigated a new chelator and its bifunctional derivative for 89Zr labeling and PET-imaging. In a preliminary study, we synthesized two hexadentate chelators named AAZTHAS and AAZTHAG, based on the seven-membered heterocycle AMPED (6-amino-6-methylperhydro-1,4-diazepine) with the aim to increase the rigidity of the 89Zr complex by using N-methyl-N-(hydroxy)succinamide or N-methyl-N-(hydroxy)glutaramide pendant arms attached to the cyclic structure. N-methylhydroxamate groups are the donor groups chosen to efficiently coordinate 89Zr. After in vitro stability tests, we selected the chelator with longer arms, AAZTHAG, as the best complexing agent for 89Zr presenting a stability of 86.4 ± 5.5% in human serum (HS) for at least 72 h. Small animal PET/CT static scans acquired at different time points (up to 24 h) and ex vivo organ distribution studies were then carried out in healthy nude mice (n = 3) to investigate the stability and biodistribution in vivo of this new 89Zr-based complex. High stability in vivo, with low accumulation of free 89Zr in bones and kidneys, was measured. Furthermore, an activated ester functionalized version of AAZTHAG was synthesized to allow the conjugation with biomolecules such as antibodies. The bifunctional chelator was then conjugated to the human anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody Trastuzumab (Tz) as a proof of principle test of conjugation to biologically active molecules. The final 89Zr labeled compound was characterized via radio-HPLC and SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography, and its stability in different solutions was assessed for at least 4 days.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren L. Radford ◽  
Solana Fernandez ◽  
Rebecca Beacham ◽  
Retta El Sayed ◽  
Renata Farkas ◽  
...  

Overexpression of folate receptors (FRs) on different tumor types (e.g., ovarian, lung) make FRs attractive in vivo targets for directed diagnostic/therapeutic agents. Currently, no diagnostic agent suitable for positron emission tomography (PET) has been adopted for clinical FR imaging. In this work, two 55Co-labeled albumin-binding folate derivatives-[55Co]Co-cm10 and [55Co]Co-rf42-with characteristics suitable for PET imaging have been developed and evaluated. High radiochemical yields (≥95%) and in vitro stabilities (≥93%) were achieved for both compounds, and cell assays demonstrated FR-mediated uptake. Both 55Co-labeled folate conjugates demonstrated high tumor uptake of 17% injected activity per gram of tissue (IA/g) at 4 h in biodistribution studies performed in KB tumor-bearing mice. Renal uptake was similar to other albumin-binding folate derivatives, and liver uptake was lower than that of previously reported [64Cu]Cu-rf42. Small animal PET/CT images confirmed the biodistribution results and showed the clear delineation of FR-expressing tumors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Nozaki ◽  
Yuka Nakatani ◽  
Aya Mawatari ◽  
Nina Shibata ◽  
William E. Hume ◽  
...  

Abstract Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can assist in the early-phase diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation of tumors. Here, we report the radiosynthesis, small animal PET imaging, and biological evaluation of a L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1)-specific PET probe, 18F-FIMP. This probe demonstrates increased tumor specificity, compared to existing tumor-specific PET probes (18F-FET, 11C-MET, and 18F-FDG). Evaluation of probes by in vivo PET imaging, 18F-FIMP showed intense accumulation in LAT1-positive tumor tissues, but not in inflamed lesions, whereas intense accumulation of 18F-FDG was observed in both tumor tissues and in inflamed lesions. Metabolite analysis showed that 18F-FIMP was stable in liver microsomes, and mice tissues (plasma, urine, liver, pancreas, and tumor). Investigation of the protein incorporation of 18F-FIMP showed that it was not incorporated into protein. Furthermore, the expected mean absorbed dose of 18F-FIMP in humans was comparable or slightly higher than that of 18F-FDG and indicated that 18F-FIMP may be a safe PET probe for use in humans. 18F-FIMP may provide improved specificity for tumor diagnosis, compared to 18F-FDG, 18F-FET, and 11C-MET. This probe may be suitable for PET imaging for glioblastoma and the early-phase monitoring of cancer therapy outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Miederer ◽  
Stefanie Pektor ◽  
Isabelle Miederer ◽  
Nicole Bausbacher ◽  
Isabell Sofia Keil ◽  
...  

Abstract Background RNA-based vaccination strategies tailoring immune response to specific reactions have become an important pillar for a broad range of applications. Recently, the use of lipid-based nanoparticles opened the possibility to deliver RNA to specific sites within the body, overcoming the limitation of rapid degradation in the bloodstream. Here, we have investigated whether small animal PET/MRI can be employed to image the biodistribution of RNA-encoded protein. For this purpose, a reporter RNA coding for the sodium-iodide-symporter (NIS) was in vitro transcribed in cell lines and evaluated for expression. RNA-lipoplex nanoparticles were then assembled by complexing RNA with liposomes at different charge ratios, and functional NIS protein translation was imaged and quantified in vivo and ex vivo by Iodine-124 PET upon intravenous administration in mice. Results NIS expression was detected on the membrane of two cell lines as early as 6 h after transfection and gradually decreased over 48 h. In vivo and ex vivo PET/MRI of anionic spleen-targeting or cationic lung-targeting NIS-RNA lipoplexes revealed a visually detectable rapid increase of Iodine-124 uptake in the spleen or lung compared to control-RNA-lipoplexes, respectively, with minimal background in other organs except from thyroid, stomach and salivary gland. Conclusions The strong organ selectivity and high target-to-background acquisition of NIS-RNA lipoplexes indicate the feasibility of small animal PET/MRI to quantify organ-specific delivery of RNA.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Siow ◽  
Renata Kowalczyk ◽  
Margaret A. Brimble ◽  
Paul W.R. Harris

Background: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with approximately 1.1 million cases diagnosed annually. The rapid development of molecular imaging has facilitated greater structural understanding which can help formulate novel combination therapeutic regimens and more accurate diagnosis avoiding unnecessary prostate biopsies. This accumulated knowledge also provides greater understanding into aggressive stages of the disease and tumour recurrence. Recently, much progress has been made on developing peptidomimetic-based inhibitors as promising candidates to effectively bind to the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) which is expressed by prostate cancer cells. Objective: In this review, recent advances covering small-molecule and peptide-based PSMA inhibitors will be extensively reviewed providing a base for the rational design of future PSMA inhibitors. Method: Herein, we review the literature on selected PSMA inhibitors that have been developed from 1996-2020, emphasizing recent synthetic advances and chemical strategies whilst highlighting therapeutic potential and drawbacks of each inhibitor. Results: Synthesized inhibitors presented in this review demonstrate the clinical application of certain PSMA inhibitors exhibited in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: This review highlights the clinical potential of PSMA inhibitors, analyzing the advantages and setbacks of the chemical synthetic methodologies utilized, setting precedence for the discovery of novel PSMA inhibitors for future clinical application.


Author(s):  
MiaoMiao Xu ◽  
Jun Guo ◽  
JiaCheng Gu ◽  
LinLin Zhang ◽  
ZiHao Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the brain is a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Highly sensitive Aβ positron emission tomography (PET) imaging plays an essential role in diagnosing and evaluating the therapeutic effects of AD. Aim To synthesize a new Aβ tracer [18F]DRKXH1 (5-(4-(6-(2-[18]fluoroethoxy)ethoxy)imidazo[1,2-alpha]pyridin-2-yl)phenyl) and evaluate the tracer performance by biodistribution analysis, in vivo small-animal PET-CT dynamic scan, ex vivo and in vitro autoradiography, and PET in human subjects. Methods [18F]DRKXH1 was synthesized automatically by the GE FN module. Log D (pH 7.4) and biodistribution of [18F]DRKXH1 were investigated. Small-animal-PET was used for [18F]DRKXH1 and [18F]AV45 imaging study in AD transgenic mice (APPswe/PSEN1dE9) and age-matched normal mice. The distribution volume ratios (DVR) and standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) were calculated with the cerebellum as the reference region. The deposition of Aβ plaques in the brain of AD transgenic mice was determined by ex vivo autoradiography and immunohistochemistry. In vitro autoradiography was performed in the postmortem brain sections of AD patients and healthy controls. Two healthy control subjects and one AD patient was subjected to in vivo PET study using [18F]DRKXH1. Results The yield of [18F]DRKXH1 was 40%, and the specific activity was 156.64 ± 11.55 GBq/μmol. [18F]DRKXH1 was mainly excreted through the liver and kidney. The small-animal PET study showed high initial brain uptake and rapid washout of [18F]DRKXH1. The concentration of [18F]DRKXH1 was detected in the cortex and hippocampus of AD transgenic mice brain. The cortex DVR of AD transgenic mice was higher than that of WT mice (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the SUVRs of AD transgenic mice were higher than those of WT mice based on the 0–60-min dynamic scanning. In vitro autoradiography showed a significant concentration of tracer in the Aβ plaque-rich areas in the brain of AD transgenic mice. The DVR value of [18F]-DRKXH1 is higher than that of [18F]-AV45 (1.29 ± 0.05 vs. 1.05 ± 0.08; t = 5.33, P = 0.0003). Autoradiography of postmortem human brain sections showed [18F]DRKXH1-labeled Aβ plaques in the AD brain. The AD patients had high retention in cortical regions, while healthy control subjects had uniformly low radioactivity uptake. Conclusions [18F]DRKXH1 is an Aβ tracer with high sensitivity in preclinical study and has the potential for in vivo detection of the human brain.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Lindner ◽  
Annette Altmann ◽  
Frederik Giesel ◽  
Clemens Kratochwil ◽  
Christian Kleist ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cancer-associated fibroblasts are found in the stroma of epithelial tumors. They are characterized by overexpression of the fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a serine protease which was already proven as attractive target for chelator-based theranostics. Unfortunately, the value of gallium-68 labeled tracers is limited by their batch size and the short nuclide half-life. To overcome this drawback, radiolabeling with aluminum fluoride complexes and 6-fluoronicotinamide derivatives of the longer-lived nuclide fluorine-18 was established. The novel compounds were tested for their FAP-specific binding affinity. Uptake and binding competition were studied in vitro using FAP expressing HT-1080 cells. HEK cells transfected with the closely related dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (HEK-CD26) were used as negative control. Small animal positron emission tomography imaging and biodistribution experiments were performed in HT-1080-FAP xenografted nude mice. [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 was selected for PET/CT imaging in a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient. Results In vitro, 18F-labeled FAPI-derivatives demonstrated high affinity (EC50 = < 1 nm to 4.2 nm) and binding of up to 80% to the FAP-expressing HT1080 cells while no binding to HEK-CD26 cells was observed. While small animal PET imaging revealed unfavorable biliary excretion of most of the 18F-labeled compounds, the NOTA bearing compounds [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 and -75 achieved good tumor-to-background ratios, as a result of their preferred renal excretion. These two compounds showed the highest tumor accumulation in PET imaging. The organ distribution values of [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 were in accordance with the small animal PET imaging results. Due to its less complex synthesis, fast clearance and low background values, [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 was chosen for clinical imaging. PET/CT of a patient with metastasized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), enabled visualization of the primary tumor and its metastases at the hepatic portal and in several bones. This was accompanied by a rapid clearance from the blood pool and low background in healthy organs. Conclusion [18F]AlF-labeled FAPI derivatives represent powerful tracers for PET. Owing to an excellent performance in PET imaging, FAPI-74 can be regarded as a promising precursor for [18F]AlF-based FAP-imaging.


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