Purpose: Positron emission tomography with the radioligand [11C]D-deprenyl has shown an increased signal at the location of pain in patients with ankle sprains, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic whiplash injury, but the mechanism of this tracer uptake and its exact binding site in inflammation or tissue injury is still unclear. The aim of this study was to further evaluate [11C]D-deprenyl´s usefulness as a marker of acute inflammation.
Methods: An animal PET/CT study was performed three days after the induction of a rat model of inflammatory or surgical pain. Fourteen adult male Sprague-Dawley rats and three tracers [11C]D-deprenyl, [11C]L-dideuterumdeprenyl and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose were used.
Results: No [11C]D-deprenyl accumulation was seen in a rat model of musculoskeletal pain. In the rat model of inflammatory pain all three ligands were shown to visualize the inflamed ankle joint with much lower uptake in the control ankle joint. The uptake was largest with [11C]D-deprenyl and [11C]L- dideuteriumdeprenyl, where approximately 1 % of the injected dose could be found in the affected ankle joint during the first minutes, whereas the uptake of [18F]FDG was approximately 0.5 % of the injected dose. However, the ratio of uptake of the injected ankle joint versus the control ankle joint was much higher for [18F]FDG (around 10 fold increase) than for the two deprenyl enantiomers (2 – 3 fold increase). The uptake pattern of [11C]D-deprenyl and [11C]L-dideuteriumdeprenyl did not show signs of specific binding or irreversible trapping.
Conclusions: Contrary to our expectations, of the three tracers only [18F]FDG may be used as markers of peripheral inflammation in a rat model of inflammatory pain. However, as a high site-specificity is required, [11C]D-deprenyl and [11C]L-dideyteriumdeprenyl deserve further exploration regarding sensitivity, specificity and uptake mechanisms in human pain syndromes.
The understanding of etiological mechanisms of whiplash associated disorder is still inadequate. Objective visualization and quantification of peripheral musculoskeletal injury and possible painful inflammation in whiplash associated disorder would facilitate diagnosis, strengthen patients’ subjective pain reports and aid clinical decisions eventually leading to better treatments. In the current study, we further evaluated the potential to use [11C]D-deprenyl PET/CT to visualize inflammation after whiplash injury. Sixteen patients with whiplash injury grade II were recruited at the emergency department and underwent [11C]D-deprenyl PET/CT in the acute phase and at 6 months after injury. Subjective pain levels, self rated neck disability and active cervical range of motion were recorded at each imaging session. Results showed that the molecular aspects of inflammation and possible tissue injuries after acute whiplash injury could be visualized, objectively quantified and followed over time with [11C]-D-deprenyl PET/CT. An altered [11C]D-deprenyl uptake in the cervical bone structures and facet joints was associated with subjective pain levels and self rated disability during both imaging occasions. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of affected peripheral structures in whiplash injury and strengthens the idea that PET/CT detectable organic lesions in peripheral tissue may be relevant for the development of persistent pain and disability in whiplash injury.
Perspective: This article presents a novel way of objectively visualizing possible structural damage and inflammation that cause pain and disability in whiplash injury. This PET method can bring an advance in pain research and eventually would facilitate the clinical management of patients in pain.
Background:
Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has become increasingly valuable in lymph node imaging, yet the clinical utility of this technique in the staging of lymphoma has not been established.
Purpose:
To compare whole-body DWI with FDG-PET/CT in the staging of lymphoma patients.
Material and Methods:
Thirty-one patients, eight with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and 23 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (18 aggressive and five indolent) underwent both whole-body DWI, whole-body MRI (T1W and T2W-STIR) and FDG-PET/CT. Lesions on whole-body DWI were only considered positive if they correlated with lesions on T1W and T2W-STIR images. The staging given by each technique was compared, according to the Ann Arbor staging system. Differences in staging were solved using biopsy results, and clinical and CT follow-ups as standard of reference.
Results:
The staging was the same for DWI and FDG-PET/CT in 28 (90.3%) patients and different in three (9.7%). Of the 28 patients with the same staging, 11 had stage IV in both techniques and 17 had stages 0-III. No HL or aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients had different staging. Three indolent small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (SLL/CLL) lymphoma had higher staging with DWI when compared with FDG-PET/CT. One small subcutaneous breast lymphoma was not seen but all other extranodal sites were detected by both techniques.
Conclusion:
Whole-body DWI is a promising technique for staging of both (aggressive and indolent) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and HL.
Label free time-lapse video microscopy based monitoring of time evolving cell population morphology has potential to offer a simple and cost effective method for identity control of cell lines. Such morphology monitoring also has potential to offer discovery of chemically induced differential changes between pairs of cell lines of interest, for example where one in a pair of cell lines is normal/sensitive and the other malignant/resistant. A new simple algorithm, pixel histogram hierarchy comparison (PHHC), for comparison of time evolving morphologies (TEM) in phase contrast time-lapse microscopy movies was applied to a set of 10 different cell lines and three different iso-genic colon cancer cell line pairs, each pair being genetically identical except for a single mutation. PHHC quantifies differences in morphology by comparing pixel histogram intensities at six different resolutions. Unsupervised clustering and machine learning based classification methods were found to accurately identify cell lines, including their respective iso-genic variants, through time-evolving morphology. Using this experimental setting, drugs with differential activity in iso-genic cell line pairs were likewise identified. Thus, this is a cost effective and expedient alternative to conventional molecular profiling techniques and might be useful as part of the quality control in research incorporating cell line models, e.g. in any cell/tumor biology or toxicology project involving drug/agent differential activity in pairs of cell line models.
The thickness of a primary malignant melanoma tumor is the most important prognostic indicator for a patient with primary cutaneous malignant melanoma. To optimize the management and treatment of melanoma patients there is an unmet need to identify characteristics that can further stratify melanoma patients into high or low risk for progressive disease. Despite numerous studies no single marker has yet been shown to add significant prognostic information. An algorithmic approach, combining data from several markers provides an attractive model to identify patients of increased risk of dying from malignant melanoma. The primary aim of the present study was to analyze the correlation between clinical outcome and protein expression patterns of multiple proteins in malignant melanoma tumors using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarrays. Candidate proteins were identified based on a selective and differential expression pattern in melanoma tumors and tested in a cohort of 143 melanoma patients. Protein expression was analyzed using both manual scoring and automated image analysis-based algorithms. We found no single marker of prognosis that was independent of tumor thickness. When combining potential prognostic markers we could define a prognostic index, based on RBM3, MITF, SOX10 and Ki-67, that was independent of tumor thickness in multivariate analysis. Our findings suggest that a good prognosis signature can be identified in melanoma patients with tumors showing a low fraction of Ki-67 positive tumor cells and a high fraction of RBM3 positive tumor cells combined with low intensity levels of SOX10 and MITF.
Introduction: Molecular imaging of HER2-expression in malignant tumors provides potentially important information for patient management. Affibody molecules have shown to be suitable tracers for imaging applications using SPECT or PET. Results from an earlier evaluation of the application of site specific 99mTc-labeling on the Affibody molecule, ZHER2:2395-C, were favorable.
Methods: As a preparation for clinical application of this tracer we have developed and evaluated a robust single-vial freeze-dried kit, allowing labeling of the Affibody molecule, ZHER2:2395-C, with 99mTc.
Results: The composition of the kit (containing glucoheptonate, EDTA and tin(II)-chloride), as well as the protein amount and the pertechnetate volume were optimized for a high labeling yield (> 90 %) and minimal presence of reduced hydrolyzed technetium colloids (< 1 %). The specificity to HER2 receptors, the binding competence and the stability in PBS and murine serum were verified in vitro. The shelf-life was also evaluated in vitro, showing no reduction in labeling yield or binding capacity to HER2-expressing cells after over 400 days of storage of the single-vial freeze-dried kit.
Conclusions: ZHER2:2395-C labeled with 99mTc using the lyophilized kit was stable and resulted in a favorable biodistribution in an in vivo evaluation in normal NMRI mice.
Overexpression of HER2 in breast carcinomas predicts response to trastuzumab therapy. Affibody molecules based on a non-immunoglobulin scaffold have demon-strated high potential for in vivo molecular imaging of HER2-expressing tumors. Re-engineering of the molecular scaffold has led to a second generation of optimized Affibody molecules, having a surface distinctly different from the parental protein domain from staphylococcal protein A. The new tracer showed further increased melting point, stability and overall hydrophilicity compared to the parental molecule, and was shown to be more amenable for chemical peptide synthesis. The goal of this study was to assess potential effects of this extensive re-engineering on HER2 targeting, using ABY-025, a DOTA conjugated variant of the novel tracer.
Methods: 111In-ABY-025 was compared with previously evaluated parent HER2-binding Affibody tracers in vitro and in vivo. The in vivo behavior was further evaluated in mice bearing SKOV-3 xenografts, in rats and in cynomolgus macaques.
Results: 111In-ABY-025 bound specifically to HER2 in vitro and in vivo. Direct comparison with the previous generation of HER2-binding tracers showed that ABY-025 retained excellent targeting properties. Rapid blood clearance was shown in mice, rats and macaques. A highly specific tumor uptake of 16.7 ± 2.5 %IA/g was seen at 4 h after injection. The tumor-to-blood ratio was 6.3 at 0.5 h, 88 at 4 h, and increased up to 3 days after injection. Gamma camera imaging of tumors was already possible 0.5 h after injection. Furthermore, repeated i.v. administration of ABY-025 did not induce antibody formation in rats.
Conclusions: The biodistribution of 111In-ABY-025 was in remarkably good agreement with the parent tracers, despite profound re-engineering of the non-binding surface. The molecule displayed rapid blood clearance in all species investigated and excellent targeting capacity in tumor bearing mice, leading to high tumor-to-organ-ratios and high contrast imaging shortly after injection.
The current way to increase efficacy of cancer therapy is the use of molecular recognition of aberrantly expressed gene products for selective treatment. However, only a fraction of the patients have tumors with a particular molecular target. Radionuclide imaging of molecular targets might help to stratify patient for cancer treatment. Affibody molecules are scaffold proteins, which can be selected for high affinity recognition of proteinaceous molecular targets. The capacity to re-fold under physiological conditions allows labeling of Affibody molecules in a broad range of pH and temperatures with preserved binding properties. Peptide synthesis or introduction of a unique cysteine enables site-specific labeling of Affibody molecules, resulting in uniform conjugates with well-defined pharmacological characteristics. The small size (7 kDa) of Affibody molecules provides rapid extravasation, rapid tumor penetration, and rapid clearance of unbound tracer from healthy organs and tissues. In combination with sub-nanomolar affinity, this results in high contrast in vivo imaging a few hours after injection. Excellent targeting has been demonstrated in pre-clinical studies with HER2-targeting Affibody molecules labeled with (99m)Tc and (111)In for single photon computed tomography (SPECT), and (18)F, (64)Cu, (124)I and (68)Ga for positron emission tomography (PET). Pilot clinical data confirm the high potential of Affibody molecules.
An experimental model consisting of athymic rats carrying human colonic tumours from cell line LS 174T in both hind legs was used. 125I-labelled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (anti-CEA) monoclonal antibodies were injected intra-arterially (i.a.), either alone (21 rats) or together with degradable starch microspheres (6 rats). As a control, an irrelevant antibody was injected i.a., alone (6 rats) or together with microspheres (3 rats). An intra-arterial injection was given on the side bearing one tumour in each rat, while the contralateral tumour served as an 'intravenous' control. The rats were submitted to external gamma measurements daily for four days. On the fourth day they were killed and pieces from the tumours and from various organs were examined by in vitro measurements. The results indicate strong expression of CEA in LS 174T cells grafted to athymic rats. No lasting enhancement of the tumour uptake was achieved by intra-arterial injection of antibodies as compared with the control tumours.
In a previous report athymic rats carrying transplanted human colonic tumours from cell line LS 174T in both hind legs were injected intra-arterially (i.a.) with 125I-labelled anti-carcinoembryonic (anti-CEA) monoclonal antibodies. The i.a. injection was given on one side bearing a tumour in each rat, while the contralateral tumour served as an 'intravenous' control. In the same experimental model and treated in the same way, 10 rats were injected i.a. with anti-CEA monoclonal antibodies after an i.a. mannitol infusion. In both groups of rats external gamma measurements were performed daily for four days. On the fourth day the rats were killed and pieces of the tumours and of various organs were weighed and the activity was determined with a gamma-counter. The tumour uptake of antibodies was significantly enhanced after mannitol infusion.
The macro- and microvasculature of the human colonic cancer cell line LS 174 T, 2-8 weeks after subcutaneous deposition in both hind legs of congenitally athymic rats was investigated by light microscopy, angiography, and microvascular corrosion casting with analysis in a scanning electron microscope. The tumour blood vessels were connected to branches of the femoral artery. Only the outer 200-500 micron of the tumour was extensively vascularized, with several concentric, incomplete layers of tortuous vessels, resembling onion skin. Light microscopy revealed necrosis and bleeding in the centre of the tumour, especially in the older tumours, which corresponded well to the central avascularity observed in the casts. There was an increase in venular and capillary density and tortousity towards the tumour in the adjacent muscular fascia. It is concluded that the cell line LS 174 T grows invasively inwards and recruits its vessels from the nude rat host. The overall tumour vascular pattern was unorganized, suggesting limited control of new vessel formation. Extravasations of resin, which were encountered in all cast tumours, can be a rough indicator of enhanced vascular permeability.
A recently developed experimental model consisting of athymic rats carrying human colonic tumours from the cell line LS 174 T in both hind legs was used. 125I-labelled anti-carcinoembryonic (anti-CEA) monoclonal antibodies were injected either intra-arterially after a bolus injection of mannitol, or intra-peritoneally with or without mannitol. On the fourth day the rats were killed and pieces from the tumours and various organs were measured in a well scintillation counter. Tumour pieces were then submitted to autoradiography and immunohistochemistry for examination of the antibody distribution at the cellular level. In all examined tumours injected with anti-CEA antibodies, most of the antibodies were located in the periphery close to fibrovascular septa. It appears, in addition to the specificity of the antibody for the CEA, that the tumour vascular permeability and anatomy are of utmost importance for tumour targeting in this experimental model with the particular antibody used.
PURPOSE:
To evaluate the use of carbon-11-labeled L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) in the diagnosis of pancreatic endocrine tumors with positron emission tomography (PET).
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Twenty-two consecutive patients with clinically and biochemically verified pancreatic endocrine tumors were examined with computed tomography (CT) and PET with L-DOPA alone (n = 16) or both C-11-L-DOPA and C-11-5-HTP (n = 6).
RESULTS:
Tumor uptake of L-DOPA was found in 11 patients, eight of whom had metastatic disease. Heterogeneity of tracer uptake was noted among different lesions in the same patient (ie, high uptake in some lesions and low uptake in others). Results in patients examined with both L-DOPA and 5-HTP correlated well, but the uptake levels of 5-HTP were higher in two of three patients with positive findings. In two additional patients, CT enabled detection of tumors not detected at PET.
CONCLUSION:
The current PET technique can be a valuable complement to CT in demonstration of functional pancreatic endocrine tumors, in particular, glucagonomas, but is less useful in detection of nonfunctional tumors.
A consecutive series of 27 patients with symptoms compatible with sacroiliitis underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the sacroiliac joints. The diagnostic sensitivity of MRI was similar to that of computed tomography or conventional radiography. However, MRI seems to have the potential of providing unique information about the disease process in sacroiliitis by demonstrating abnormalities in subchondral bone and periarticular bone marrow. The results of this study suggest that early inflammatory changes in sacroiliitis occur in the subchondral structures of the sacroiliac joints.
To describe and discuss previous and ongoing clinical and experimental studies with MnDPDP (Teslascan) as a pancreas-specific contrast agent for MR imaging.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
All results, both experimental and clinical, applying MnDPDP as a pancreas-specific contrast agent for MR imaging, were collected.
An increase of up to 100% in signal intensity was seen in normal pancreatic parenchyma, reaching its maximum approximately 25 min after the beginning of MnDPDP administration. Maximal enhancement was sustained for 4 h. Enhancement was only seen in the T1-weighted images. No enhancement was observed in tumours and an increase in contrast-to-noise of about 200% was obtained. The uptake of MnDPDP in pancreatitis compared with normal pancreatic parenchyma was decreased in an animal model.
Improved depiction and demarcation of pancreatic tumours with MR imaging were obtained after administration of MnDPDP. MR imaging with and without MnDPDP might be valuable for staging of pancreatitis.
In nine healthy adult volunteers, pulmonary magnetic resonance angiography was performed with the blood pool agent NC100150 injection combined with respiratory gating with a navigator echo. With increasing doses of the contrast agent, higher signal intensities and vessel branch order visualization were achieved. No motion artifacts were seen. The blood pool agent NC100150 injection in combination with respiratory navigator gating permitted acquisition of high-quality MR angiograms of the pulmonary vasculature during continuous breathing.
Biliary obstruction was treated with endoprosthetic drainage in 30 patients with pancreatic, 10 with gallbladder and 27 with biliary duct cancer, and 13 of the patients received more than one endoprosthesis. The median survival time in the respective cancer groups was 12, 10 and 9 weeks, including 6, 3 and 4 weeks spent in the patients' own homes. The patients with multiple endoprostheses had 24 weeks median survival with 22 weeks at home. Another patient, with a medically treated malignant endocrine tumour of the pancreas, lived for more than 3 years after biliary tract stenting. Complications associated with insertion of endoprosthesis were few, and clinical cholangitis occurred in seven cases. For individual patients it is difficult to predict the benefit of endoprosthetic drainage, but the procedure seems questionable if the predrainage bilirubin level is very high.
Eleven patients with biochemically confirmed endocrine pancreatic tumours were examined with intra-arterial (i.a.) dynamic computed tomography (CT) and angiography preoperatively. Seven of the patients suffered from the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) syndrome. All patients were operated upon and surgical palpation and ultrasound were the peroperative localization methods. Of the 33 tumours which were found at histopathologic analysis of the resected specimens in the 11 patients, 7 tumours in 7 patients were correctly localized by both i.a. dynamic CT and angiography. Six patients with MEN-1 syndrome had multiple tumours and this group of patients together had 28 tumours, of which 5 (18%) were localized preoperatively by both CT and angiography. I.a. dynamic CT, with the technique used by us, does not seem to improve the localization of endocrine pancreatic tumours, especially in the rare group of MEN-1 patients, as compared with angiography.
Evaluation of positron emission tomography (PET) using (18)fl 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18FDG) and L-methyl-11C-methionine in the diagnosis and staging of urinary bladder carcinoma.
Twenty-three patients with biopsy-proven urinary bladder carcinoma were examined with PET after intravenous injection of 11C-methionine; 2 were also examined with 18FDG. The results from the PET investigations were compared with CT or MR findings and TNM classification before and after treatment.
The urinary excretion of 18FDG prevented distinction of the primary tumour from the surrounding tracer. With 11C-methionine it was possible to detect 18/23 primary tumours. A trend was seen, suggesting that the higher the uptake values of 11C-methionine in the tumour, the greater the tumour stage.
It is possible to visualize urinary bladder tumours larger than 1 cm in diameter with PET using (11)C-methionine, but the value of the method in the staging of the lesions is not superior to conventional methods.
Thirty-seven consecutive bone biopsies guided with computed tomography were performed in 32 patients by use of three different techniques to penetrate cortical bone and gain access to the lesion. The following instruments were used: a thin bone biopsy needle (12 biopsies), a conventional drill with an outer cannula (six biopsies), and a coaxial biopsy system that consists of a drill with an eccentric tip and an outer cannula (19 biopsies). This eccentric drill makes a hole in the bone larger than the diameter of the cannula and thereby makes it easy to advance the cannula over the drill until the cannula is anchored in the bone. One can then obtain multiple samples through the cannula. The thin bone biopsy needle could not penetrate thick (8 mm thick) cortical bone. The outer cannula was not anchored in the bone when the conventional drill was used. In 16 biopsies, the new coaxial biopsy system penetrated cortical bone with a thickness of 1-8 mm and was anchored there, and lesion samples were obtained through the anchored cannula.
A detector response correction arrangement and method is proposed for online determination of correction factors for arbitrary positions from arbitrary incident fluence distributions. As modern radiotherapy utilizes more of the available degrees of freedom of radiation machines, dosimetry has to be able to present reliable measurements for all these degrees of freedom. To determine correction factors online during measurement, Monte Carlo technique is used to precalculate fluence pencil kernels from a monodirectional beam to fully describe the particle fluence in an irradiated medium. Assuming that the particle fluence is not significantly altered by the introduction of a small detector volume, the fluence pencil kernels (212) can be integrated (214), and correction factors (216) determined, e.g. by Cavity Theory, in different positions for the detector material.
Omega-3 is known to enhance the effects of several chemotherapeutic agents and to exert several immunoregulatory actions In the present study, we evaluated the effects of a 21-day feeding regimen with omega-3-rich fish oil (FO) and its corresponding control, omega-6 rich corn oil (CO), on the BU-CY conditioning and the development of GVHD after BMT in mice. Before conditioning, FO, but not CO, feeding caused a significant attenuation in the number and functionality of splenic FoxP3+ T regulatory cells (Treg). FO feeding also enhanced the effects of the conditioning through severe depletion of Treg cells in the spleen and CD11b+ myeloid cells in both the BM and spleen. Consequently, FO-fed animals conditioned with BU-CY showed exacerbated GVHD following transplantation with allogeneic BM and splenic cells. In contrast, identical transplantation in CO-fed mice resulted in poor engraftment and body weight loss. Moreover, in standard-fed recipients, BMT with cells from FO-fed donors resulted in moderate GVHD and improved the survival time, whereas BMT with cells from CO-fed donors shortened the survival time and caused anemia. We conclude that food supplements should be considered in patients undergoing BMT and/or chemotherapy treatment.
An important concern for the use of antibodies in various applications, such as western blot (WB) or immunohistochemistry (IHC), is specificity. This calls for systematic validations using well-designed conditions. Here, we have analyzed 13000 antibodies using western blot with lysates from human cell lines, tissues, and plasma. Standardized stratification showed that 45% of the antibodies yielded supportive staining, and the rest either no staining (12%) or protein bands of wrong size (43%). A comparative study of WB and IHC showed that the performance of antibodies is application-specific, although a correlation between no WB staining and weak IHC staining could be seen. To investigate the influence of protein abundance on the apparent specificity of the antibody, new WB analyses were performed for 1369 genes that gave unsupportive WBs in the initial screening using cell lysates with overexpressed full-length proteins. Then, more than 82% of the antibodies yielded a specific band corresponding to the full-length protein. Hence, the vast majority of the antibodies (90%) used in this study specifically recognize the target protein when present at sufficiently high levels. This demonstrates the context- and application-dependence of antibody validation and emphasizes that caution is needed when annotating binding reagents as specific or cross-reactive. WB is one of the most commonly used methods for validation of antibodies. Our data implicate that solely using one platform for antibody validation might give misleading information and therefore at least one additional method should be used to verify the achieved data.
Affibody molecules constitute a class of small (7 kDa) scaffold proteins that can be engineered to have excellent tumor targeting properties. High reabsorption in kidneys complicates development of affibody molecules for radionuclide therapy. In this study, we evaluated the influence of the composition of cysteine-containing C-terminal peptide-based chelators on the biodistribution and renal retention of 188Re-labeled anti-HER2 affibody molecules. Biodistribution of affibody molecules containing GGXC or GXGC peptide chelators (where X is G, S, E or K) was compared with biodistribution of a parental affibody molecule ZHER2:2395 having a KVDC peptide chelator. All constructs retained low picomolar affinity to HER2-expressing cells after labeling. The biodistribution of all 188Re-labeled affibody molecules was in general comparable, with the main observed difference found in the uptake and retention of radioactivity in excretory organs. The 188Re-ZHER2:V2 affibody molecule with a GGGC chelator provided the lowest uptake in all organs and tissues. The renal retention of 188Re-ZHER2:V2 (3.1±0.5 %ID/g at 4 h after injection) was 55-fold lower than retention of the parental 188Re-ZHER2:2395 (172±32 %ID/g). We show that engineering of cysteine-containing peptide-based chelators can be used for significant improvement of biodistribution of 188Re-labeled scaffold proteins, particularly reduction of their uptake in excretory organs.
Affibody molecules constitute a class of small (7 kDa) scaffold proteins that can be engineered to have excellent tumor targeting properties. High reabsorption in kidneys complicates development of affibody molecules for radionuclide therapy. In this study, we evaluated the influence of the composition of cysteine-containing C-terminal peptide-based chelators on the biodistribution and renal retention of 188Re-labeled anti-HER2 affibody molecules. Biodistribution of affibody molecules containing GGXC or GXGC peptide chelators (where X is G, S, E or K) was compared with biodistribution of a parental affibody molecule ZHER2:2395 having a KVDC peptide chelator. All constructs retained low picomolar affinity to HER2-expressing cells after labeling. The biodistribution of all 188Re-labeled affibody molecules was in general comparable, with the main observed difference found in the uptake and retention of radioactivity in excretory organs. The 188Re-ZHER2:V2 affibody molecule with a GGGC chelator provided the lowest uptake in all organs and tissues. The renal retention of 188Re-ZHER2:V2 (3.1 ± 0.5 %ID/g at 4 h after injection) was 55-fold lower than retention of the parental 188Re-ZHER2:2395 (172 ± 32 %ID/g). We show that engineering of cysteine-containing peptide-based chelators can be used for significant improvement of biodistribution of 188Re-labeled scaffold proteins, particularly reduction of their uptake in excretory organs.
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) are transmembrane receptors regulating cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, motility and recruitment of the vasculature. Aberrant expression and/or function of RTK have been detected in many malignant tumors and are considered to be a part of the transformed phenotype. The action of several classes of anti-cancer drugs is based on specific recognition of RTK. Monoclonal antibodies target extracellular binding domains, while tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) bind to intracellular kinase domains to suppress RTK signaling. The issues regarding the efficient use of RTK targeting are the inter- and intra-patient heterogeneity of RTK expression and the changes of expression levels during the course of disease and in response to therapy. Radionuclide molecular imaging of RTK expression may aid in selecting patients who would benefit from RTK-targeting therapy and in identifying non-responders. Therefore, the therapy would be more personalized. Currently, radiolabeled proteins (monoclonal antibodies and their fragments, natural peptides ligands to RTK and de novo selected affinity proteins) and TKI and their analogues are under development for the visualization of RTK. In this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches.
Introduction
Affibody molecules have demonstrated potential for radionuclide molecular imaging. The aim of this study was to synthesize and evaluate a maleimido derivative of the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1-glutaric acid-4,7-diacetic acid (NODAGA) for site-specific labeling of anti-HER2 Affibody molecule.
Methods
The maleimidoethylmonoamide NODAGA (MMA-NODAGA) was synthesized and conjugated to ZHER2:2395 Affibody molecule having a C-terminal cysteine. Labeling efficiency, binding specificity to and cell internalization by HER2-expressing cells of [111In-MMA-NODAGA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 were studied. Biodistribution of [111In-MMA-NODAGA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 and [111In-MMA-DOTA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 was compared in mice.
Results
The affinity of [MMA-NODAGA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 binding to HER2 was 67 pM. The 111In-labeling yield was 99.6%±0.5% after 30 min at 60°C. [111In-MMA-NODAGA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 bound specifically to HER2-expressing cells in vitro and in vivo. Tumor uptake of [111In-MMA-NODAGA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 in mice bearing DU-145 xenografts (4.7%±0.8% ID/g) was lower than uptake of [111In-MMA-DOTA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 (7.5%±1.6% ID/g). However, tumor-to-organ ratios were higher for [111In-MMA-NODAGA-Cys61]-ZHER2:2395 due to higher clearance rate from normal tissues.
Conclusions
MMA-NODAGA is a promising chelator for site-specific labeling of targeting proteins containing unpaired cysteine. Appreciable influence of chelators on targeting properties of Affibody molecules was demonstrated.
Accurate detection of cancer-associated molecular abnormalities in tumors could make cancer treatment more personalized. Affibody molecules enable high contrast imaging of tumor-associated protein expression shortly after injection. The use of the generator-produced positron-emitting radionuclide 68Ga should increase sensitivity of HER2 imaging. The chemical nature of radionuclides and chelators influences the biodistribution of Affibody molecules, providing an opportunity to further increase the imaging contrast. The aim of the study was to compare maleimido derivatives of DOTA and NODAGA for site-specific labeling of a recombinant ZHER2:2395 HER2-binding Affibody molecule with 68Ga. DOTA and NODAGA were site-specifically conjugated to the ZHER2:2395 Affibody molecule having a C-terminal cysteine and labeled with 68Ga and 111In. All labeled conjugates retained specificity to HER2 in vitro. Most of the cell-associated activity was membrane-bound with a minor difference in internalization rate. All variants demonstrated specific targeting of xenografts and a high tumor uptake. The xenografts were clearly visualized using all conjugates. The influence of chelator on the biodistribution and targeting properties was much less pronounced for 68Ga than for 111In. The tumor uptake of 68Ga-NODAGA-ZHER2:2395 and 68Ga-DOTA-ZHER2:2395 and tumor-to-blood ratios at 2 h p.i. did not differ significantly. However, the tumor-to-liver ratio was significantly higher for 68Ga-NODAGA- ZHER2:2395 (8 ± 2 vs 5.0 ± 0.3) offering the advantage of better liver metastases visualization. In conclusion, influence of chelators on biodistribution of Affibody molecules depends on the radionuclides and reoptimization of labeling chemistry is required when a radionuclide label is changed.
Affibody molecules (6-7 kDa) are a new class of small robust three-helical scaffold proteins. Radiolabeled subnanomolar anti-HER2 affibody Z(HER2:342) was developed for imaging of HER2 expression in tumors, and a clinical study has demonstrated that the In-111- and Ga-68-labeled affibody molecules can efficiently detect HER2 expressing metastases in breast cancer patients. However, a significant renal accumulation of radioactivity after systemic injection of a radiolabeled anti-HER2 affibody conjugate is observed. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of renal reabsorption of anti-HER2 affibody at the molecular level. Renal accumulation of radiolabeled anti-HER2 affibody molecules was studied in a murine model and in vitro using opossum-derived proximal tubule (OK) cells. It was found that kidney reabsorption of affibody molecule was not driven by megalin/cubilin. Amino acids in the target-binding side of affibody molecule were involved in binding to OK cells. On OK cells, two types of receptors for anti-HER2 affibody molecule were found: K-D1 = 0.8 nM, B-max1 = 71,500 and K-D2 = 9.2 nM, B-max2 = 367,000. The results of the present study indicate that affibody molecule and other scaffold-based targeting proteins with a relatively low kidney uptake can be selected using in vitro studies with tubular kidney cells.
Affibody molecules are small (7 kDa) nonimmunoglobulin scaffold proteins with favorable tumor-targeting properties. Studies concerning the influence of chelators on biodistribution of 99mTc-labeled Affibody molecules demonstrated that the variant with a C-terminal glycyl-glycyl-glycyl-cysteine peptide–based chelator (designated ZHER2:V2) has the best biodistribution profile in vivo and the lowest renal retention of radioactivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate 188Re-ZHER2:V2 as a potential candidate for radionuclide therapy of human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2)–expressing tumors.
Methods:
ZHER2:V2 was labeled with 188Re using a gluconate-containing kit. Targeting of HER2-overexpressing SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma xenografts in nude mice was studied for a dosimetry assessment.
Binding of 188Re-ZHER2:V2 to living SKOV-3 cells was demonstrated to be specific, with an affinity of 6.4 ± 0.4 pM. The biodistribution study showed a rapid blood clearance (1.4 ± 0.1 percentage injected activity per gram [%ID/g] at 1 h after injection). The tumor uptake was 14 ± 2, 12 ± 2, 5 ± 2, and 1.8 ± 0.5 %IA/g at 1, 4, 24, and 48 h after injection, respectively. The in vivo targeting of HER2-expressing xenografts was specific. Already at 4 h after injection, tumor uptake exceeded kidney uptake (2.1 ± 0.2 %IA/g). Scintillation-camera imaging showed that tumor xenografts were the only sites with prominent accumulation of radioactivity at 4 h after injection. Based on the biokinetics, a dosimetry evaluation for humans suggests that 188Re-ZHER2:V2 would provide an absorbed dose to tumor of 79 Gy without exceeding absorbed doses of 23 Gy to kidneys and 2 Gy to bone marrow. This indicates that future human radiotherapy studies may be feasible.
188Re-ZHER2:V2 can deliver high absorbed doses to tumors without exceeding kidney and bone marrow toxicity limits.
Affibody molecules constitute a novel class of molecular display selected affinity proteins based on non-immunoglobulin scaffold. Preclinical investigations and pilot clinical data have demonstrated that Affibody molecules provide high contrast imaging of tumor-associated molecular targets shortly after injection. The use of cysteine-containing peptide-based chelators at the C-terminus of recombinant Affibody molecules enabled site-specific labeling with the radionuclide (99m)Tc. Earlier studies have demonstrated that position, composition and the order of amino acids in peptide-based chelators influence labeling stability, cellular processing and biodistribution of Affibody molecules. To investigate the influence of the amino acid order, a series of anti-HER2 Affibody molecules, containing GSGC, GEGC and GKGC chelators have been prepared and characterized. The affinity to HER2, cellular processing of (99m)Tc-labeled Affibody molecules and their biodistribution were investigated. These properties were compared with that of the previously studied (99m)Tc-labeled Affibody molecules containing GGSC, GGEC and GGKC chelators. All variants displayed picomolar affinities to HER2. The substitution of a single amino acid in the chelator had an appreciable influence on the cellular processing of (99m)Tc. The biodistribution of all (99m)Tc-labeled Affibody molecules was in general comparable, with the main difference in uptake and retention of radioactivity in excretory organs. The hepatic accumulation of radioactivity was higher for the lysine-containing chelators and the renal retention of (99m)Tc was significantly affected by the amino acid composition of chelators. The order of amino acids influenced renal uptake of some conjugates at 1 h after injection, but the difference decreased at later time points. Such information can be helpful for the development of other scaffold protein-based imaging and therapeutic radiolabeled conjugates.
Cellular receptor systems are expected to present complex ligand interaction patterns that cannot beevaluated assuming a simple one ligand:one receptor interaction model. We have previously evaluatedheterogeneous interactions using an alternative method to regression analysis, called Interaction Map(IM). IM decomposes a time-resolved binding curve into its separate components. By replacing the reductionistic,scalar kinetic association rate constant ka and dissociation rate constant kd with a two-dimensionaldistribution of ka and kd, it is possible to display heterogeneous data as a map where each peakcorresponds to one of the components that contribute to the cumulative binding curve. Here we challengethe Interaction Map approach by artificially generating heterogeneous data from two known interactions,on either LigandTracer or Surface Plasmon Resonance devices. We prove the ability of IM toaccurately decompose these man-made heterogeneous binding curves composed of two different interactions.We conclude that the Interaction Map approach is well suited for the analysis of complex bindingdata and forecast that it has a potential to resolve previously uninterpretable data, in particular thosegenerated in cell-based assays.
Objectives. To evaluate the additional information of second trimester magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared to ultrasound in fetuses with identified or suspected non-CNS anomalies and to study the clinical impact of the MRI information on pregnancy management. Design. Prospective study during 2003-2007. The fetal MRI examination was planned to be performed within three days after the ultrasound. Setting. Uppsala University hospital. Material and methods. Sixty-three women, where the second trimester ultrasound identified or raised suspicion of fetal anomalies were included. Ultrasound was compared to MRI in relation to the final diagnosis, which was based on the assessment of all available data including post-partum clinical follow-up and autopsy results. Main outcome measures. Evaluation of the additional information gained from MRI and the consequences it had on pregnancy management. Results. The mean interval between ultrasound and MRI was 2.6 days (range 0-15). In 42 (67%) cases MRI was performed within three days. All MRI examinations were assessable. In 43 (68%) fetuses MRI provided no additional information, in 17 (27%) MRI added information without changing the management and in three (5%) MRI provided additional information which changed the management. All these three cases had oligohydramnios. In all six cases of diaphragmatic hernia MRI provided additional information. Conclusions. Fetal MRI of non-CNS anomalies in the second trimester seems to be a valuable adjunct to ultrasound diagnosis of non-CNS anomalies, especially in cases of oligohydramnios and diaphragmatic hernia.
The therapeutic and diagnostic efficiency of engineered small proteins, peptides, and chemical drug candidates is hampered by short in vivo serum half-life. Thus, strategies to tailor their biodistribution and serum persistence are highly needed. An attractive approach is to take advantage of the exceptionally long circulation half-life of serum albumin or IgG, which is attributed to a pH-dependent interaction with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) rescuing these proteins from intracellular degradation. Here, we present molecular evidence that a minimal albumin binding domain (ABD) derived from streptococcal protein G can be used for efficient half-life extension by indirect targeting of FcRn. We show that ABD, and ABD recombinantly fused to an Affibody molecule, in complex with albumin does not interfere with the strictly pH-dependent FcRn-albumin binding kinetics. The same result was obtained in the presence of IgG. An in vivo study performed in rat confirmed that the clinically relevant human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-targeting Affibody molecule fused to ABD has a similar half-life and biodistribution profile as serum albumin. The proof-of-concept described may be broadly applicable to extend the in vivo half-life of short lived biological or chemical drugs ultimately resulting in enhanced therapeutic or diagnostic efficiency, a more favorable dosing regimen, and improved patient compliance.
Combining MRI morphological data with functional PET data offers significant advantages in research as well as in many clinical situations. Automatic methods are needed, however, to coregister the data from the two modalities.
METHODS:
Simulated PET images were created by simple and automatic segmentation of MR images followed by the assignment of different uptake values to various tissue types. The simulated PET images were registered to actual PET images using a pixel-by-pixel, PET-PET registration method. The transformation matrix was then applied to the MR images. The method was used to register MRI data to PET transmission scans and emission scans obtained with FDG, nomifensine and raclopride. Validation was performed by comparing the results to those obtained by matching internal points manually defined in both volumes.
Emission and transmission PET images were successfully registered to MR data. Comparison to the manual method indicated a registration accuracy on the order of 1-2 mm in each direction. No difference in accuracy between the different tracers was found. The error sensitivity for the method's assumptions seemed to be sufficiently low to allow complete automation of the method.
We present a rapid, robust and fully automated method to register PET and MR brain images with sufficient accuracy for most clinical applications.
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is the main tissue involved in non-shivering heat production. A greater understanding of BAT could possibly lead to new ways of prevention and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The increasing prevalence of these conditions and the problems they cause society and individuals make the study of the subject important.
An ongoing study performed at the Turku University Hospital uses images acquired using PET/MRI with 18F-FDG as the tracer. Scans are performed on sedentary and athlete subjects during normal room temperature and during cold stimulation. Sedentary subjects then undergo scanning during cold stimulation again after a six weeks long exercise training intervention. This degree project used images from this study.
The objective of this degree project was to examine methods to automatically and objectively quantify parameters relevant for activation of BAT in combined PET/MRI data. A secondary goal was to create images showing glucose uptake changes in subjects from images taken at different times.
Parameters were quantified in adipose tissue directly without registration (image matching), and for neck scans also after registration. Results for the first three subjects who have completed the study are presented. Larger registration errors were encountered near moving organs and in regions with less information.
The creation of images showing changes in glucose uptake seem to be working well for the neck scans, and somewhat well for other sub-volumes. These images can be useful for identification of BAT. Examples of these images are shown in the report.
Metal objects in the body such as hip prostheses cause artifacts in CT images. When CT images degraded by artifacts are used for treatment planning of radiotherapy, the artifacts can yield inaccurate dose calculations and, for particle beams, erroneous penetration depths. A metal artifact reduction software (O-MAR) installed on a Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT has been tested for applications in treatment planning of proton radiotherapy. Hip prostheses mounted in a water phantom were used as test objects. Images without metal objects were acquired and used as reference data for the analysis of artifact-affected regions outside of the metal objects in both the O-MAR corrected and the uncorrected images. Water equivalent thicknesses (WET) based on proton stopping power data were calculated to quantify differences in the calculated proton beam penetration for the different image sets. The WET to a selected point of interest between the hip prostheses was calculated for several beam directions of clinical relevance. The results show that the calculated differences in WET relative to the reference case were decreased when the O-MAR algorithm was applied. WET differences up to 2.0 cm were seen in the uncorrected case while, for the O-MAR corrected case, the maximum difference was decreased to 0.4 cm. The O-MAR algorithm can significantly improve the accuracy in proton range calculations. However, there are some residual effects, and the use of proton beam directions along artifact streaks should only be used with caution and appropriate margins.
In conjunction with the defense of a doctoral thesis on the deciphering of complex protein interactions on living cells, six scientists shared their view on time in molecular and cellular biology. This brief review takes the form of a conference report and summarizes the contributions of the speakers and the defense. Opportunities and challenges for time resolved assays in molecular and cellular biology were vividly discussed during two days with a pan-European audience. Awareness of biological timeframes and understanding the temporal aspects were claimed critical for analytical applications in biology.