Multiplexed mAbs: a new strategy in preclinical time-domain imaging of acute myeloid leukemia.

Antibodies play a fundamental role in diagnostic immunophenotyping of leukemias and in cell-targeting therapy. However, this versatility is not reflected in imaging diagnostics. In the present study, we labeled anti­human mAbs monochromatically against selected human myeloid markers expressed on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, all with the same near-infrared fluorochrome. In a novel "multiplexing" strategy, we then combined these mAbs to overcome the limiting target-to-background ratio to image multiple xenografts of AML. Time-domain imaging was used to discriminate autofluorescence from the distinct fluorophore-conjugated antibodies. Imaging with multiplexed mAbs demonstrated superior imaging of AML to green fluorescent protein or bioluminescence and permitted evaluation of therapeutic efficacy with the standard combination of anthracycline and cytarabine in primary patient xenografts. Multiplexing mAbs against CD11b and CD11c provided surrogate imaging biomarkers of differentiation therapy in an acute promyelocytic leukemia model treated with all-trans retinoic acid combined with the histone-deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid. We present herein an optimizedapplication of multiplexed immunolabeling in vivo for optical imaging of AML cellxenografts that provides reproducible, highly accurate disease staging and monitoring of therapeutic effects.

Bi-specific TCR-anti CD3 redirected T-cell targeting of NY-ESO-1- and LAGE-1-positive tumors.

NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 are cancer testis antigens with an ideal profile for tumor immunotherapy, combining up-regulation in many cancer types with highly restricted expression in normal tissues and sharing a common HLA-A*0201 epitope, 157-165. Here, we present data to describe the specificity and anti-tumor activity of a bifunctional ImmTAC, comprising a soluble, high-affinity T-cell receptor (TCR) specific for NY-ESO-1157-165 fused to an anti-CD3 scFv. This reagent, ImmTAC-NYE, is shown to kill HLA-A2, antigen-positive tumor cell lines, and freshly isolated HLA-A2- and LAGE-1-positive NSCLC cells. Employing time-domain optical imaging, we demonstrate in vivo targeting of fluorescently labelled high-affinity NYESO-specific TCRs to HLA-A2-, NY-ESO-1157-165-positive tumors in xenografted mice. In vivo ImmTAC-NYE efficacy was tested in a tumor model in which human lymphocytes were stably co-engrafted into NSG mice harboring tumor xenografts; efficacy was observed in both tumor prevention and established tumor models using a GFP fluorescence readout. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to analyze the expression of both NY-ESO-1 and LAGE-1 antigens in 15 normal tissues, 5 cancer cell lines, 10 NSCLC, and 10 ovarian cancer samples. Overall, LAGE-1 RNA was expressed at a greater frequency and at higher levels than NY-ESO-1 in the tumor samples. These data support the clinical utility of ImmTAC-NYE as an immunotherapeutic agent for a variety of cancers.

Minimally invasive quantification of lymph flow in mice and rats by imaging depot clearance of near-infrared albumin.

There is a lack of available methods to noninvasively quantify lymphatic function in small experimental animals, a necessity for studies on lymphatic system pathophysiology. We present a new method to quantify lymph flow in mice and rats, based on optically monitoring the depot clearance of near-infrared fluorescently labeled albumin and subsequent calculation of removal rate constants (k). BSA was conjugated with Alexa680 NHS ester and remained stable in protein-rich solutions without free dye dissociation. To assess lymph flow, mice or rats were imaged every 30 or 60 min during a 3- to 6-h period following an intradermal injection of 0.5 or 1 µl Alexa680-albumin. Mice were awake between measurements, whereas rats were anesthetized throughout the experiment. The k, a parameter defined as equivalent to lymph flow, was calculated from the slopes of the resultant log-linear washout curves and averaged -0.40 ± 0.03 and -0.30 ± 0.02%/min for control C57BL/6 and C3H mice, respectively. Local administration of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 in mice led to a significant reduction in k, whereas overhydration in rats increased k, reflecting the coupling between capillary filtration and lymph flow. Furthermore, k was 50% of wild type in lymphedema Chy mice where dermal lymphatics are absent. We conclude that lymph flow can be determined as its rate constant k by optical imaging of depot clearance of submicroliter amounts of Alexa680-albumin. The method offers a minimally invasive, reproducible, and simple alternative to assess lymphatic function in mice and rats.

Lentinan: hematopoietic, immunological, and efficacy studies in a syngeneic model of acute myeloid leukemia.

Lentinan, a beta-glucan nutritional supplement isolated from the shitake mushroom (Lentula edodes), is a biological response modifier with immunostimulatory properties. Concomitantly, the role of beta-glucans as chemoimmunotherapeutic in a number of solid cancers has been widely documented. We investigated the effects of nutritional grade lentinan upon BN rats and in a preclinical syngeneic model of acute myeloid leukemia. BN rats supplemented daily with lentinan exhibited weight gains, increased white blood cells, monocytes, and circulating cytotoxic T-cells; and had a reduction in anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-10, and additionally IL-6. Lentinan treatment of BN rats with BNML leukemia resulted in improved cage-side health and reduced cachexia in the terminal stage of this aggressive disease. Combination of lentinan with standards of care in acute myeloid leukemia, idarubicin, and cytarabine increased average survival compared with monotherapy and reduced cachexia. These results indicate that nutritional supplementation of cancer patients with lentinan should be further investigated.

Increased wall thickness using ultrasonography is associated with inflammation in an animal model of experimental colitis.

Experimentally induced colitis is used in animals to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms in inflammatory bowel disease. When following disease course and treatment effects, it should be possible to perform repeated measurements without harming the animals. This pilot study was performed to investigate whether transabdominal ultrasound using a clinical scanner could be used on rats to demonstrate bowel inflammation in an experimental colitis model. Colitis was induced by either 5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for 7 days or a single dose of intracolonic trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). Using ultrasonography, wall thickness of distal colon, cecum, and small bowel was recorded prior to and after DSS, and prior to, 2, and 7 days after TNBS. Blood (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha) and fecal samples (HemoFEC occult blood) were taken from each group on the same days as sonography. Thereafter, rats were killed and specimens for histology were taken. Wall thickness of distal colon, not of cecum or small bowel, increased significantly after 7 days of DSS, and wall thickness of both distal colon and small bowel increased on day 2 and 7 after TNBS. TNF-alpha increased after 7 days in the latter group only. There was a significant correlation between ultrasonographic measurements and combined histology score of distal colon in the DSS group. HemoFEC was also positive in accordance with sonographic and histological features. Increased intestinal wall thickness in response to both DSS- and TNBS-induced colitis was able to be visualized by transabdominal sonography. Moreover, ultrasound findings, occult blood sampling, and histological findings supported each other, indicating that ultrasonography can be used to assess inflammation in a rat experimental model.

Increased plasma colloid osmotic pressure facilitates the uptake of therapeutic macromolecules in a xenograft tumor model.

Elevated tumor interstitial fluid pressure (TIFP) is a characteristic of most solid tumors. Clinically, TIFP may hamper the uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs into the tumor tissue reducing their therapeutic efficacy. In this study, a means of modulating TIFP to increase the flux of macromolecules into tumor tissue is presented, which is based on the rationale that elevated plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP) pulls water from tumor interstitium lowering the TIFP. Concentrated human serum albumin (20% HSA), used as an agent to enhance COP, reduced the TIFP time-dependently from 8 to 2 mm Hg in human tumor xenograft models bearing A431 epidermoid vulva carcinomas. To evaluate whether this reduction facilitates the uptake of macromolecules, the intratumoral distribution of fluorescently conjugated dextrans (2.5 mg/ml) and cetuximab (2.0 mg/ml) was probed using novel time domain nearinfrared fluorescence imaging. This method permitted discrimination and semiquantification of tumor-accumulated conjugate from background and unspecific probe fluorescence. The coadministration of 20% HSA together with either dextrans or cetuximab was found to lower the TIFP significantly and increase the concentration of the substances within the tumor tissue in comparison to control tumors. Furthermore, combined administration of 20% HSA plus cetuximab reduced the tumor growth significantly in comparison to standard cetuximab treatment. These data demonstrate that increased COP lowers the TIFP within hours and increases the uptake of therapeutic macromolecules into the tumor interstitium leading to reduced tumor growth. This model represents a novel approach to facilitate the delivery of therapeutics into tumor tissue, particularly monoclonal antibodies.