Technetium-99m-labeled monoclonal antibodies: influence of technetium-99m binding sites.

UNLABELLED: A number of 99mTc-labeled monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) are being evaluated for diagnostic applications. Preparations are carried out using both direct and indirect (bifunctional chelating agent, BFCA) labeling procedures in which nonspecific 99mTc binding has been postulated. METHODS: By using the ascorbic acid (AA) reduction mediated direct labeling procedure and diaminotetrathiol (N2S4) as a BFCA method, we examined the role of specific binding sites and aliphatic E amino groups of lysine as nonspecific binding sites for 99mTc. RESULTS: Labeling yields for the direct and N2S4 "regular" preparations averaged 73% +/- 2.8% and 91% +/- 2%, for the "specific" preparations, 60% +/- 3.5% and 75% +/- 2% and for the "nonspecific" preparations 13% +/- 1.0% and 16% +/- 1% respectively. All preparations were evaluated in tumor-bearing mice. The control and specific preparations permitted excellent scintigraphic visualization of tumors; the percentages of specific preparations in the tumors being 2.1% +/- 0.5% and 3.1% +/- 0.4%, respectively. With nonspecific preparations, tumors were not visualized and the percentages of administered radioactivity per gram of tumor were only 0.9% +/- 0.2% and 0.9% +/- 0.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In these 99mTc labeling procedures, the amino group-mediated nonspecific binding of 99mTc to Mabs can be as high as 16% and contributes to increased liver uptake and decreased tumor uptake of radioactivity.

Preclinical evaluation of the penciclovir analog 9-(4-[(18)F]fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)guanine for in vivo measurement of suicide gene expression with PET.

UNLABELLED: The gene for herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) is widely used as a suicide gene in experimental gene therapy of cancer. 9-(4-Fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)guanine (FHBG) is an antiviral nucleoside analog that is rapidly phosphorylated by viral thymidine kinase but is a poor substrate for mammalian thymidine kinase. Recently, FHBG labeled in the 4-fluoro position with (18)F has shown promise relative to other similar compounds for imaging in vivo expression of HSV-tk using PET. In this study, we evaluated the uptake of [(18)F]FHBG in vitro and in vivo using transduced and wild-type human colon cancer cells (HT-29). We also imaged [(18)F]FHBG and measured the radioactivity concentrations of circulating [(18)F]FHBG and its metabolites in monkeys. METHODS: Sterile, pyrogen-free [(18)F]FHBG was produced routinely in good yields. Cells were transduced with the retroviral vector G1Tk1SvNa containing HSV-tk gene. In vitro uptake studies were performed by incubating cells with [(18)F]FHBG at 37 degrees C for 1 and 5 h. Biodistribution studies were performed at 2 and 5 h after injection in nude mice bearing tumors grown from wild-type or transduced cells. Sequential, whole-body PET scans of cynomolgus monkeys were obtained over a period of >2 h after intravenous injection of [(18)F]FHBG. Arterial plasma samples obtained from monkeys 15-120 min after intravenous injection were subjected to acid extraction, and the acid-soluble fractions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: In vitro studies showed 31 and 71 (P < 0.001) times higher uptake of the probe at 1 and 5 h, respectively, in transduced cells compared with nontransduced cells. In vivo studies in mice showed that tumor uptake of the radiotracer was 4-fold (P < 0.05) and 13-fold (P < 0.001) higher at 2 and 5 h, respectively, in tumors grown from transduced cells compared with control cells. Transduced tumor-to-normal tissue ratios ranged from 2 to 25 at 2 h and from 2 to 22 at 5 h. Recirculating labeled metabolites had only a minor effect on the biodistribution of radiolabel from [(18)F]FHBG in monkeys. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that [(18)F]FHBG may yield high-contrast PET images of HSV-tk expression in tumors and, therefore, it is a very promising radiotracer for monitoring of gene therapy of cancer with PET.

Single amino acid substitution in the Fc region of chimeric TNT-3 antibody accelerates clearance and improves immunoscintigraphy of solid tumors.

UNLABELLED: Recent studies in antibody catabolism have identified residues at the CH2-CH3 interface of the IgG heavy chain critical for serum persistence of immunoglobulins. Amino acid substitutions in the Fc region of murine IgG1 were shown to drastically accelerate antibody clearance in mice. Our laboratory has previously described a human-mouse chimeric TNT-3 (chTNT-3) monoclonal antibody directed against a universal nuclear antigen that has potential for the radioimmunotherapy of many solid tumors. In the current study, we engineered a chTNT-3 mutant containing a single amino acid substitution, to determine whether a more rapid clearance profile would make the antibody suitable for diagnostic imaging. METHODS: A single amino acid substitution in the CH2 domain of the human gamma1 constant region was made by polymerase chain reaction mutagenesis. High-level expression was achieved using the Glutamine Synthetase Gene Amplification System, and the chTNT-3 mutant was purified by protein A affinity and ion-exchange chromatography. A radioimmunoassay was performed to examine antigen binding, and in vivo studies were undertaken to evaluate clearance and tumor targeting in human tumor xenograft models. RESULTS: The chTNT-3 mutant retained the high affinity of chTNT-3, with a binding constant of 1.5 x 10(-9) mol/L. The mutant was eliminated rapidly from BALB/c mice, with a beta-phase half-life of 33.8 h, compared to 134.2 h for chTNT-3. Moreover, biodistribution studies in human colon tumor-bearing nude mice reflected this accelerated clearance. Tumor levels of the mutant were, respectively, 65%, 39%, and 36% of the tumor levels achieved with the parental chTNT-3 6, 12, and 24 h postinjection. The rapid clearance of the chTNT-3 mutant from the blood resulted in higher tumor-to-normal organ ratios for many normal tissues. Imaging of tumor-bearing mice with 99mTc-labeled chTNT-3 mutant demonstrated early visualization of tumors in 3 different solid tumor xenograft models. CONCLUSION: The accelerated clearance produced by a single amino acid substitution in the Fc region of chTNT-3 leads to improved imaging in tumor-bearing mice. These studies suggest that a rapidly clearing antibody generated by this approach may be useful for the immunoscintigraphy of human tumors.

Blocking catabolism with eniluracil enhances PET studies of 5-[18F]fluorouracil pharmacokinetics.

UNLABELLED: Noninvasive methods for measuring the pharmacokinetics of chemotherapeutic drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (FU) are needed for individualized optimization of treatment regimens. PET imaging of [18F]FU (PET/[18F]FU) is potentially useful in this context, but PET/[18F]FU is severely hampered by low tumor uptake of radiolabel and rapid catabolism of FU in vivo. Pretreatment with eniluracil (5-ethynyluracil) prevents catabolism of FU. Hypothesizing that suppression of catabolism would enhance PET/[18F]FU, we examined the effects of eniluracil on the short-term pharmacokinetics of the radiotracer. METHODS: Anesthetized rats bearing a subcutaneous rat colorectal tumor were given eniluracil or placebo and injected intravenously 1 h later with [18F]FU or [3H]FU. In the 18F studies, dynamic PET image sequences were obtained 0-2 h after injection. Tumors were excised and frozen at 2 h and then analyzed for labeled metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography. Biodistribution of radiolabel was determined by direct tissue assay. RESULTS: Eniluracil improved tumor visualization in PET images. With eniluracil, tumor standardized uptake values ([activity/g]/[injected activity/g body weight]) increased from 0.72 +/- 0.06 (mean +/- SEM; n = 6) to 1.57 +/- 0.20 (n = 12; P < 0.01), and tumor uptake increased by factors of 2 or more relative to plasma (P < 0.05) and bone, liver, and kidney (P < 0.01). Without eniluracil (n = 5), 57% +/- 4% of recovered radiolabel in tumor at 2 h was on catabolites, with the rest divided among FU (2% +/- 1%), anabolites of FU (38% +/- 7%), and unidentified peaks (4% +/- 2%). With eniluracil (n = 8), catabolites, FU, and anabolites comprised 2% +/- 1%, 41% +/- 5%, and 57% +/- 4%, respectively, of the recovered radiolabel in tumors. CONCLUSION: Eniluracil increased tumor accumulation of 18F relative to host tissues and fundamentally changed the biochemical significance of that accumulation. With catabolism suppressed, tumor radioactivity reflected the therapeutically relevant aspect of FU pharmacokinetics--namely, uptake and anabolic activation of the drug. With this approach, it may be feasible to measure the transport and anabolism of [18F]FU in tumors by kinetic modeling and PET. Such information may be useful in predicting and increasing tumor response to FU.

Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of 9-(4-[18F]-fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)guanine ([18F]FHBG): a new potential imaging agent for viral infection and gene therapy using PET.

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of 9-(4-[18F]-fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)-guanine ([18F]FHBG) is reported. 9-(4-Hydroxy-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)-guanine (penciclovir) 4 was converted to 9-[N2, O-bis-(methoxytrityl)-3-(tosylmethybutyl)]guanine 7 by treatment with methoxytrityl chloride followed by tosylation. The tosylate 7 was reacted with either tetrabutylammonium fluoride or KF in the presence of kryptofix 2.2.2. to produce the 4-fluoro-N2-O-bis-(methoxytrityl) derivative 8. Removal of the methoxytrityl groups by acidic hydrolysis produced FHBG 5. Radiolabeled product [18F]FHBG was prepared by fluorination of the tosylate 7 with [18F]KF and kryptofix 2.2.2. The labeled product was isolated by HPLC purification on a reverse-phase C18 column, and eluted at 12 min with 15% acetonitrile in water at a flow rate of 2.25 mL/min. Radiochemical yield was 8.0-22.3% with an average of 12% in 7 runs (corrected for decay). Synthesis time was 90 to 100 min including HPLC purification with radiochemical purity >99%, and average specific activity of 320 mCi/micromol. In vitro studies of the compound in HT-29 colon cancer cells revealed 18.2-fold higher uptake into transduced cells compared to control in 3 h. The agent may be useful for imaging viral infection or transfected cells in gene therapy.

Synthesis of [11C-methyl]-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB).

Alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) labeled with the cyclotron-produced, positron-emitting radionuclide 11C has been synthesized with the label in the alpha-methyl group. Our previously published synthesis of [11C] AIB in the carboxyl position from [11C] HCN requires a rigorous quality assurance program to ensure that the concentration of cyanide in the final product is below certain levels. This can be avoided using the method described here with [11C] CH3I. The radiochemical yield calculated to end of bombardment (EOB) was 45-55% from [11C] CO2 with radiochemical purity of [11C-methyl] AIB exceeding 99%. Synthesis times from [11C] CO2 were about 55 min. Specific activities of 1 Ci/mumol were achieved on average. It has been shown that [11C-carboxyl] AIB is a useful imaging agent in patients with soft tissue cancers and melanoma, and it demonstrates tumor uptake in a spectrum of other animal tumor models. Because AIB is a nonmetabolized amino acid, [11C-methyl] AIB should be equally as useful. Either agent can be employed for the quantification of the A-type amino acid transport system in vivo with PET.

Synthesis of 2'-fluoro-5-[11C]-methyl-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil ([11C]-FMAU): a potential nucleoside analog for in vivo study of cellular proliferation with PET.

Rapid in vivo catabolism limits the use of currently available radiotracers used in tumor proliferation studies with PET. This is manifested by the need to develop complex mathematical models to interpret kinetic and metabolite data obtained from imaging studies with agents such as carbon-11 labeled thymidine. A potential carbon-11 labeled radiotracer for cellular proliferation, 2'-fluoro-5-([11C]-methyl)-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil (FMAU), has been prepared using a previously described method for preparation of [11C]methyl-thymidine where selective alkylation of a pyrimidyl dianion is accomplished with [11C]methyl iodide at the 5-position of the pyrimidine ring. FMAU shares many in vivo characteristics of thymidine, including cellular transport, phosphorylation by mammalian kinase, and incorporation into DNA. Most importantly, in vivo catabolism of FMAU is limited, potentially yielding simplified kinetic models for determination of cellular proliferation with positron emission tomography.

9-[(3-[18F]-fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]guanine ([18F]-FHPG): a potential imaging agent of viral infection and gene therapy using PET.

A no-carrier-added synthesis of 9-[(3-[18F]-fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]-guanine ([18F]-FHPG) is reported. The 9-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl)guanine (DHPG) was converted to 9-[N2,O-bis(methoxytrityl)-3-(tosyl)-2-propoxy-methyl]guanine by treatment with methoxytrityl chloride followed by tosylation. The tosylate was reacted with [18F]-KF in the presence of kryptofix 2.2.2. to produce the 3-fluoro-N2-O-bis-(methoxytrityl) derivative. Removal of the methoxytrityl protecting groups by acid hydrolysis produced [18F]-FHPG. The labeled product was purified by HPLC on a reverse-phase C18 column, and eluted in 9 min with a mobile phase of 5% acetonitrile in water. The radiochemical yield was 7-17%, with an average of 10% in 10 runs (corrected for decay to EOB). The radiochemical purity was > 99%, and specific activities with an average of 526 mCi/mumol were obtained. The synthesis time was 70-80 min, including HPLC purification and determination of radiochemical purity and specific activity.

Evaluation of 9-[(3-18F-fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]guanine ([18F]-FHPG) in vitro and in vivo as a probe for PET imaging of gene incorporation and expression in tumors.

Preparation of 9-[(3-18F-fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]-guanine ([18F]-FHPG) for clinical use, and its evaluation as a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent for gene incorporation and expression in tumors are reported. In vitro studies in human colon cancer cells, HT-29, transduced with the retroviral vector G1Tk1SvNa and nontransduced (wild type) showed 4, 8, 12, and 15 times higher uptake of the probe in 1, 3, 5, and 7 h, respectively, in transduced cells compared with the controls. In vivo studies in tumor-bearing nude mice demonstrated that the tumor uptake of the radiotracer is three and six-fold higher in 2 and 5 h, respectively, in transduced cells compared with the control cells. These results suggest that [18F]-FHPG is a potential in vivo PET imaging agent for monitoring gene incorporation and expression in gene therapy of cancer.

Selective alkylation of pyrimidyl dianions III: no-carrier-added synthesis of [11C-methyl]-thymidine.

A no-carrier-added, high specific activity synthesis of [11C-methyl]-thymidine is reported. Reaction of 3'. 5'-O-bis-(tetrahydropyramyl)-5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine with n-butylithium produced a diamion which was alkylated with [11C]-methyl iodide, and on subsequent hydrolysis, yielded [IIC-methyl]-thymidine. The labeled compound was isolated from the by-product 2'-deoxymidine by HPLC on a reverse phase C18 semipreparative column with mean radiochemical yield of 18.8% (decay corrected) in 30-35 min and radiochemical purity >99%. This no-carrier-added synthesis can be used to produce [11C-methyl]-thymidine with mean specific activity over 1000 mCi/mumol for positron emission tomography (PET) studies.

High performance liquid chromatography of carbon-11 labeled thymidine and its major catabolites for clinical PET studies.

The identity and pharmacology of the rapidly formed radiolabeled metabolites formed following i.v. injection of C-11 thymidine (TdR) labeled in the 5-methyl-position are being studied in animal models and patients with cancer. A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure has been developed for the separation of these metabolites including thymine, dihydrothymine, beta-ureidoisobutyric acid, and beta-aminoisobutyric acid from plasma and tissue extracts. Information obtained regarding the pharmacokinetics of the metabolites are being used to generate mathematical models for C-11 TdR incorporation rates into DNA.

Improved tumor localization and radioimaging with chemically modified monoclonal antibodies.

A method for the chemical modification of monoclonal antibodies using the heterobifunctional crosslinker succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP), has been developed which dramatically alters the physiochemical properties of antibody reagents. For these studies, three murine monoclonal antibodies, B72.3, Lym-1, and TNT-1 were used to demonstrate the effects of chemical modification on clearance and biodistribution in tumor-bearing nude mice. In vitro, all three antibodies, modified to the same degree with SPDP, showed equal immunoreactivities and lower non-specific binding. Modified antibodies also were found to have lower isoelectric points compared to unmodified controls. In vivo, modified antibodies unexpectedly were found to have 2-6 times faster clearance in tumor-bearing nude mice similar to rates obtained with their F(ab')2 fragments. Paired-label in vivo biodistribution and external imaging experiments with intact antibodies and F(ab')2 fragments demonstrated that chemically modified antibodies gave 1.5-3 fold higher tumor uptake and retained less activity in normal organs thus markedly increasing the tumor to normal organ ratios. Because of these results, chemically modified antibodies produced clearer images at earlier time points by external scintigraphy. As "stealth" molecules, chemically modified monoclonal antibodies appear to have significantly improved uptake in tumors and faster clearance times compared to native molecules. These results suggest that alteration of the physicochemical properties of monoclonal antibodies may generate improved reagents for in vivo use.

Pyrimidine nucleosides in molecular PET imaging of tumor proliferation.

Human thymidine kinase (TK1) is a key enzyme that is up-regulated in cancer cells and phosphorylates thymidine and some of its analogs to their monophosphates. The monophosphates are converted to their di- and triphosphates by the nucleoside kinases, and some of these nucleoside triphosphates are incorporated into DNA by DNA polymerase. The nucleoside analogs are transported into cells by concentrative nucleoside transporter or equilibrative nucleoside transporter. Given the unique property of TK1 and the nucleoside transporter systems, thymidine and its analogs have been radiolabeled for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of tumor proliferation and DNA synthesis. Because thymidine is catabolized in vivo by thymidine phosphorylase, radiolabeled thymidine has not been successful in PET imaging of tumor proliferation. However, some of its analogs have been radiolabeled and successfully used in PET imaging of cell proliferation as well as DNA synthesis. Much work has been done in synthesis, radiosynthesis, and biological evaluation of these analogs for PET imaging of tumor proliferation. We review the chemistry, radiochemistry, and biological studies published to date, including structure activity relationship and PET imaging of the radiolabeled thymidine analogs. Information on radiolabeling and PET imaging with various nucleoside analogs is presented.

An improved method of direct labeling monoclonal antibodies with 99mTc.

An improved method of direct labeling MAbs with 99mTc is described. Two murine monoclonal antibodies, designated Lym-1 and B72.3, have been successfully labeled with 99mTc in 0.1 M borate buffer at pH 9.3. The choice of buffer and pH was essential for obtaining a radiolabeling yield greater than or equal to 98%. In vitro studies demonstrated that the radiolabeled antibodies were stable and retained their immunoreactivity. Imaging and biodistribution studies using Raji and LS174T human tumor-bearing nude mice demonstrated a significant tumor uptake at 24-h post-injection of 99mTc-labeled MAbs. This improved labeling method showed better stability than those of previously published methods and resulted in significant improvement in the uptake of antibody in tumor. External images at 24 h post-injection revealed clearly visible tumors demonstrating the benefit of this method for tumor immunoscintigraphy.

Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of a new chelate N2S4 for use in labeling proteins with metallic radionuclides.

The successful attachment of various metallic radionuclides such as 99mTc to monoclonal antibodies for targeting tumor tissue in vivo depends upon the development and use of suitable bifunctional chelating agents. We have successfully synthesized a new N2S4 (compound 4) chelate. This chelate forms a stable complex with 99mTc and is capable of coupling to different proteins. The N2S4 compound is quite stable if kept as a hydrochloride salt and is coupled to antibody under neutral conditions with better than 95% efficiency without the loss of immunoreactivity.

A human-mouse chimeric Lym-1 monoclonal antibody with specificity for human lymphomas expressed in a baculovirus system.

A murine anti-human B-cell monoclonal antibody, Lym-1, has shown considerable promise for the treatment of human malignant lymphomas and has been utilized as a new radioimmunotherapy for refractory lymphoma. In order to enhance its clinical potential, a genetically engineered chimeric Lym-1 (chLym-1) with murine variable regions and human gamma 1 and kappa constant regions was constructed and expressed. The goal of this study was to generate a Lym-1 reagent with decreased immunogenicity and improved effector functions. Murine Lym-1 variable region cDNAs were isolated from the murine Lym-1 hybridoma cell line, fused to gamma 1 and kappa constant region cDNAs, and expressed in an insect cell expression system with the baculovirus transfer vector pAcUW31. The chLym-1 antibody expressed in this system was correctly processed and assembled into the expected immunoglobulin monomer. Chimeric Lym-1 bound to both target antigen-bearing Raji cells and a Lym-1 anti-idiotype antibody and had a similar binding affinity as murine Lym-1. The chimeric and murine versions of Lym-1 were assayed for their ability to mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and to induce complement-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) against Raji targets. Chimeric Lym-1 mediated a two-fold higher level of ADCC than murine Lym-1 and slightly lower levels of CMC than murine Lym-1. In addition, in Raji lymphoma-bearing nude mice, chLym-1 localized to the tumor with approximately equal uptake at 24 and 72 hours. Chimeric Lym-1, however, cleared from the blood of nontumor-bearing mice approximately 5 times faster than murine Lym-1 (20 h vs. 5 days), as expected for a xenogeneic protein. The improved in vitro and in vivo activities of this genetically engineered monoclonal antibody render it a new potential immunotherapeutic reagent for the treatment of human malignant lymphomas.

The evaluation of 186Re-labeled antibodies using N2S4 chelate in vitro and in vivo using tumor-bearing nude mice.

We have recently described a method for radiolabeling monoclonal antibodies, with metallic radionuclides using a new chelating agent N2S3. Using this chelate the monoclonal antibodies Lym-1 and B72.3 were labeled with 186Re and their biological integrity was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. 186Re-labeled antibodies using N2S4 methodology were found to be stable in human serum and retained their immunoreactivity. Intravenous administration of 0.5 mCi 186Re-labeled antibodies resulted in partial or complete regression of tumor tissue in mice.