Molecular imaging of chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1) in experimental acute lung injury.

The lack of techniques for noninvasive imaging of inflammation has challenged precision medicine management of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Here, we determined the potential of positron emission tomography (PET) of chemokine-like receptor-1 (CMKLR1) to monitor lung inflammation in a murine model of lipopolysaccharide-induced injury. Lung uptake of a CMKLR1-targeting radiotracer, [64Cu]NODAGA-CG34, was significantly increased in lipopolysaccharide-induced injury, correlated with the expression of multiple inflammatory markers, and reduced by dexamethasone treatment. Monocyte-derived macrophages, followed by interstitial macrophages and monocytes were the major CMKLR1-expressing leukocytes contributing to the increased tracer uptake throughout the first week of lipopolysaccharide-induced injury. The clinical relevance of CMKLR1 as a biomarker of lung inflammation in ARDS was confirmed using single-nuclei RNA-sequencing datasets which showed significant increases in CMKLR1 expression among transcriptionally distinct subsets of lung monocytes and macrophages in COVID-19 patients vs. controls. CMKLR1-targeted PET is a promising strategy to monitor the dynamics of lung inflammation and response to anti-inflammatory treatment in ARDS.

Anti-GD2 antibody for radiopharmaceutical imaging of osteosarcoma.

PURPOSE: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most frequently diagnosed bone cancer in children with little improvement in overall survival in the past decades. The high surface expression of disialoganglioside GD2 on OS tumors and restricted expression in normal tissues makes it an ideal target for anti-OS radiopharmaceuticals. Since human and canine OS share many biological and molecular features, spontaneously occurring OS in canines has been an ideal model for testing new imaging and treatment modalities for human translation. In this study, we evaluated a humanized anti-GD2 antibody, hu3F8, as a potential delivery vector for targeted radiopharmaceutical imaging of human and canine OS. METHODS: The cross-reactivity of hu3F8 with human and canine OS cells and tumors was examined by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. The hu3F8 was radiolabeled with indium-111, and the biodistribution of [111In]In-hu3F8 was assessed in tumor xenograft-bearing mice. The targeting ability of [111In]In-hu3F8 to metastatic OS was tested in spontaneous OS canines. RESULTS: The hu3F8 cross reacts with human and canine OS cells and canine OS tumors with high binding affinity. Biodistribution studies revealed selective uptake of [111In]In-hu3F8 in tumor tissue. SPECT/CT imaging of spontaneous OS canines demonstrated avid uptake of [111In]In-hu3F8 in all metastatic lesions. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the extensive binding of radiolabeled hu3F8 within both osseous and soft lesions. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of targeting GD2 on OS cells and spontaneous OS canine tumors using hu3F8-based radiopharmaceutical imaging. Its ability to deliver an imaging payload in a targeted manner supports the utility of hu3F8 for precision imaging of OS and potential future use in radiopharmaceutical therapy.

The Heterogeneity Metabolism of Renal Cell Carcinomas.

According to data from the American Cancer Society, cancer is one of the deadliest health problems globally. Annually, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) causes more than 100,000 deaths worldwide [1-4], posing an urgent need to develop effective treatments to increase patient survival outcomes. New therapies are expected to address a major factor contributing to cancer's resistance to standard therapies: oncogenic heterogeneity. Gene expression can vary tremendously among different types of cancers, different patients of the same tumor type, and even within individual tumors; various metabolic phenotypes can emerge, making singletherapy approaches insufficient. Novel strategies targeting the diverse metabolism of cancers aim to overcome this obstacle. Though some have yielded positive results, it remains a challenge to uncover all of the distinct metabolic profiles of RCC. In the quest to overcome this obstacle, the metabolic oriented research focusing on these cancers has offered freshly new perspectives, which are expected to contribute heavily to the development of new treatments.

Evaluation of (68)Ga- and (177)Lu-DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A for VLA-4-Targeted PET Imaging and Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma.

Malignant melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer, and the incidence of this disease is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate. Despite advances in the treatment of melanoma, patients with metastatic disease still have a poor prognosis and low survival rate. New strategies, including targeted radiotherapy, would provide options for patients who become resistant to therapies such as BRAF inhibitors. Very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) is expressed on melanoma tumor cells in higher levels in more aggressive and metastatic disease and may provide an ideal target for drug delivery and targeted radiotherapy. In this study, we evaluated (177)Lu- and (68)Ga-labeled DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A as a VLA-4-targeted radiotherapeutic with a companion PET agent for diagnosis and monitoring metastatic melanoma treatment. DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A was synthesized by solid-phase synthesis. The affinity of (177)Lu- and (68)Ga-labeled DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A to VLA-4 was determined in B16F10 melanoma cells by saturation binding and competitive binding assays, respectively. Biodistribution of the LLP2A conjugates was determined in C57BL/6 mice bearing B16F10 subcutaneous tumors, while PET/CT imaging was performed in subcutaneous and metastatic models. (177)Lu-DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A showed high affinity to VLA-4 with a Kd of 4.1 ± 1.5 nM and demonstrated significant accumulation in the B16F10 melanoma tumor after 4 h (31.5 ± 7.8%ID/g). The tumor/blood ratio of (177)Lu-DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A was highest at 24 h (185 ± 26). PET imaging of metastatic melanoma with (68)Ga-DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A showed high uptake in sites of metastases and correlated with bioluminescence imaging of the tumors. These data demonstrate that (177)Lu-DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A has potential as a targeted therapeutic for treating melanoma as well as other VLA-4-expressing tumors. In addition, (68)Ga-DOTA-PEG4-LLP2A is a readily translatable companion PET tracer for imaging of metastatic melanoma.

Positron emission tomographic imaging of copper 64- and gallium 68-labeled chelator conjugates of the somatostatin agonist tyr3-octreotate.

The bifunctional chelator and radiometal have been shown to have a direct effect on the pharmacokinetics of somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-targeted imaging agents. We evaluated three Y3-TATE analogues conjugated to NOTA-based chelators for radiolabeling with 64Cu and 68Ga for small-animal positron emission tomographic/computed tomographic (PET/CT) imaging. Two commercially available NOTA analogues, p-SCN-Bn-NOTA and NODAGA, were evaluated. The p-SCN-Bn-NOTA analogues were conjugated to Y3-TATE through ß-Ala and PEG8 linkages. The NODAGA chelator was directly conjugated to Y3-TATE. The analogues labeled with 64Cu or 68Ga were analyzed in vitro for binding affinity and internalization and in vivo by PET/CT imaging, biodistribution, and Cerenkov imaging (68Ga analogues). We evaluated the effects of the radiometals, chelators, and linkers on the performance of the SSTR subtype 2--targeted imaging agents and also compared them to a previously reported agent, 64Cu-CB-TE2A-Y3-TATE. We found that the method of conjugation, particularly the length of the linkage between the chelator and the peptide, significantly impacted tumor and nontarget tissue uptake and clearance. Among the 64Cu- and 68Ga-labeled NOTA analogues, NODAGA-Y3-TATE had the most optimal in vivo behavior and was comparable to 64Cu-CB-TE2A-Y3-TATE. An advantage of NODAGA-Y3-TATE is that it allows labeling with 64Cu and 68Ga, providing a versatile PET probe for imaging SSTr subtype 2-positive tumors.

Evaluation of targeting αVß3 in breast cancers using RGD peptide-based agents.

Patients with HER2-positive and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) are associated with increased risk to develop metastatic disease including reoccurring disease that is resistant to standard and targeted therapies. The αVß3 has been implicated in BC including metastatic disease. The aims of this study were to investigate the potential of αVß3-targeted peptides to deliver radioactive payloads to BC tumors expressing αVß3 on the tumor cells or limited to the tumors' neovascular. Additionally, we aimed to assess the pharmacokinetic profile of the targeted α-particle therapy (TAT) agent [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-cRGDfK dimer peptide and the in vivo generated decay daughters. The expression of αVß3 in a HER2-positive and a TNBC cell line were evaluated using western blot analysis. The pharmacokinetics of [111In]In-DOTA-cRGDfK dimer, a surrogate for the TAT-agent, was evaluated in subcutaneous mouse tumor models. The pharmacokinetic of the TAT-agent [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-cRGDfK dimer and its decay daughters were evaluated in healthy mice. Selective uptake of [111In]In-DOTA-cRGDfK dimer was shown in subcutaneous tumor models using αVß3-positive tumor cells as well as αVß3-negative tumor cells where the expression is limited to the neovasculature. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated rapid accumulation in the tumors with clearance from non-target organs. Dosimetric analysis of [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-cRGDfK dimer showed the highest radiation absorbed dose to the kidneys, which included the contributions from the free in vivo generated decay daughters. This study shows the potential of delivering radioactive payloads to BC tumors that have αVß3 expression on the tumor cells as well as limited expression to the neovascular of the tumor. Furthermore, this work determines the radiation absorbed doses to normal organs/tissues and identified key organs that act as suppliers and receivers of the actinium-225 free in vivo generated α-particle-emitting decay daughters.

Noninvasive assessment of the lung inflammation-fibrosis axis by targeted imaging of CMKLR1.

Precision management of fibrotic lung diseases is challenging due to their diverse clinical trajectories and lack of reliable biomarkers for risk stratification and therapeutic monitoring. Here, we validated the accuracy of CMKLR1 as an imaging biomarker of the lung inflammation-fibrosis axis. By analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing datasets, we demonstrated CMKLR1 expression as a transient signature of monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMφ) enriched in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Consistently, we identified MDMφ as the major driver of the uptake of CMKLR1-targeting peptides in a murine model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. Furthermore, CMKLR1-targeted positron emission tomography in the murine model enabled quantification and spatial mapping of inflamed lung regions infiltrated by CMKLR1-expressing macrophages and emerged as a robust predictor of subsequent lung fibrosis. Last, high CMKLR1 expression by bronchoalveolar lavage cells identified an inflammatory endotype of IPF with poor survival. Our investigation supports the potential of CMKLR1 as an imaging biomarker for endotyping and risk stratification of fibrotic lung diseases.

ImmunoPET imaging of TIGIT in the glioma microenvironment.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. Currently, there are few effective treatment options for GBM beyond surgery and chemo-radiation, and even with these interventions, median patient survival remains poor. While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against non-central nervous system cancers, ICI trials for GBM have typically had poor outcomes. TIGIT is an immune checkpoint receptor that is expressed on activated T-cells and has a role in the suppression of T-cell and Natural Killer (NK) cell function. As TIGIT expression is reported as both prognostic and a biomarker for anti-TIGIT therapy, we constructed a molecular imaging agent, [89Zr]Zr-DFO-anti-TIGIT (89Zr-αTIGIT), to visualize TIGIT in preclinical GBM by immunoPET imaging. PET imaging and biodistribution analysis of 89Zr-αTIGIT demonstrated uptake in the tumor microenvironment of GBM-bearing mice. Blocking antibody and irrelevant antibody tracer studies demonstrated specificity of 89Zr-αTIGIT with significance at a late time point post-tracer injection. However, the magnitude of 89Zr-αTIGIT uptake in tumor, relative to the IgG tracer was minimal. These findings highlight the features and limitations of using 89Zr-αTIGIT to visualize TIGIT in the GBM microenvironment.

2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose Positron Emission Tomography to Monitor Lung Inflammation and Therapeutic Response to Dexamethasone in a Murine Model of Acute Lung Injury.

PURPOSE: To image inflammation and monitor therapeutic response to anti-inflammatory intervention using 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in a preclinical model of acute lung injury (ALI). PROCEDURES: Mice were intratracheally administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2.5 mg/kg) to induce ALI or phosphate-buffered saline as the vehicle control. A subset of mice in the ALI group received two intraperitoneal doses of dexamethasone 1 and 24 h after LPS. [18F]FDG PET/CT was performed 2 days after the induction of ALI. [18F]FDG uptake in the lungs was quantified by PET (%ID/mLmean and standardized uptake value (SUVmean)) and ex vivo γ-counting (%ID/g). The severity of lung inflammation was determined by quantifying the protein level of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and the activity of neutrophil elastase and glycolytic enzymes. In separate groups of mice, flow cytometry was performed to estimate the contribution of individual immune cell types to the total pulmonary inflammatory cell burden under different treatment conditions. RESULTS: Lung uptake of [18F]FDG was significantly increased during LPS-induced ALI, and a decreased [18F]FDG uptake was observed following dexamethasone treatment to an intermediate level between that of LPS-treated and control mice. Protein expression of inflammatory biomarkers and the activity of neutrophil elastase and glycolytic enzymes were increased in the lungs of LPS-treated mice versus those of control mice, and correlated with [18F]FDG uptake. Furthermore, dexamethasone-induced decreases in cytokine/chemokine protein levels and enzyme activities correlated with [18F]FDG uptake. Neutrophils were the most abundant cells in LPS-induced ALI, and the pattern of total cell burden during ALI with or without dexamethasone therapy mirrored that of [18F]FDG uptake. CONCLUSIONS: [18F]FDG PET noninvasively detects lung inflammation in ALI and its response to anti-inflammatory therapy in a preclinical model. However, high [18F]FDG uptake by bone, brown fat, and myocardium remains a technical limitation for quantification of [18F]FDG in the lungs.

Targeted imaging of very late antigen-4 for noninvasive assessment of lung inflammation-fibrosis axis.

BACKGROUND: The lack of noninvasive methods for assessment of dysregulated inflammation as a major driver of fibrosis (i.e., inflammation-fibrosis axis) has been a major challenge to precision management of fibrotic lung diseases. Here, we determined the potential of very late antigen-4 (VLA-4)-targeted positron emission tomography (PET) to detect inflammation in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced fibrotic lung injury. METHOD: Single time-point and longitudinal VLA-4-targeted PET was performed using a high-affinity peptidomimetic radiotracer, 64Cu-LLP2A, at weeks 1, 2, and 4 after bleomycin-induced (2.5 units/kg) lung injury in C57BL/6J mice. The severity of fibrosis was determined by measuring the hydroxyproline content of the lungs and expression of markers of extracellular matrix remodeling. Flow cytometry and histology was performed to determine VLA-4 expression across different leukocyte subsets and their spatial distribution. RESULTS: Lung uptake of 64Cu-LLP2A was significantly elevated throughout different stages of the progression of bleomycin-induced injury. High lung uptake of 64Cu-LLP2A at week-1 post-bleomycin was a predictor of poor survival over the 4-week follow up, supporting the prognostic potential of 64Cu-LLP2A PET during the early stage of the disease. Additionally, the progressive increase in 64Cu-LLP2A uptake from week-1 to week-4 post-bleomycin correlated with the ultimate extent of lung fibrosis and ECM remodeling. Flow cytometry revealed that LLP2A binding was restricted to leukocytes. A combination of increased expression of VLA-4 by alveolar macrophages and accumulation of VLA-4-expressing interstitial and monocyte-derived macrophages as well as dendritic cells was noted in bleomycin-injured, compared to control, lungs. Histology confirmed the increased expression of VLA-4 in bleomycin-injured lungs, particularly in inflamed and fibrotic regions. CONCLUSIONS: VLA-4-targeted PET allows for assessment of the inflammation-fibrosis axis and prediction of disease progression in a murine model. The potential of 64Cu-LLP2A PET for assessment of the inflammation-fibrosis axis in human fibrotic lung diseases needs to be further investigated.

Assessment of Novel Mesothelin-Specific Human Antibody Domain VH-Fc Fusion Proteins-Based PET Agents.

Mesothelin (MSLN) is a tumor-associated antigen found in a variety of cancers and is a target for imaging and therapeutic applications in MSLN-expressing tumors. We have developed high affinity anti-MSLN human VH domain antibodies, providing alternative targeting vectors to conventional IgG antibodies that are associated with long-circulating half-lives and poor penetration of tumors, limiting antitumor activity in clinical trials. Based on two newly identified anti-MSLN VH binders (3C9, 2A10), we generated VH-Fc fusion proteins and modified them for zirconium-89 radiolabeling to create anti-MSLN VH-Fc PET tracers. The focus of this study was to assess the ability of PET-imaging to compare the in vivo performance of anti-MSLN VH-Fc fusion proteins (2A10, 3C9) targeting different epitopes of MSLN vs IgG1 (m912; a clinical benchmark antibody with an overlapped epitope as 2A10) for PET imaging in a mouse model of colorectal cancer (CRC). The anti-MSLN VH-Fc fusion proteins were successfully modified and radiolabeled with zirconium-89. The resulting MSLN-targeted PET-imaging agents demonstrated specific uptake in the MSLN-expressing HCT116 tumors. The in vivo performance of the MSLN-targeted PET-imaging agents utilizing VH-Fc showed more rapid and greater accumulation and deeper penetration within the tumor than the full-length IgG1 m912-based PET-imaging agent. Furthermore, PET imaging allowed us to compare the pharmacokinetics of epitope-specific VH domain-based PET tracers. Overall, these data are encouraging for the incorporation of PET imaging to assess modified VH domain structures to develop novel anti-MSLN VH domain-based therapeutics in MSLN-positive cancers as well as their companion PET imaging agents.

Evaluation of the pharmacokinetics, dosimetry, and therapeutic efficacy for the α-particle-emitting transarterial radioembolization (αTARE) agent [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA-Lipiodol® against hepatic tumors.

BACKGROUND: The liver is a common site for metastatic disease for a variety of cancers, including colorectal cancer. Both primary and secondary liver tumors are supplied through the hepatic artery while the healthy liver is supplied by the portal vein. Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) using yttrium-90 glass or resin microspheres have shown promising results with reduced side-effects but have similar survival benefits as chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This highlights the need for new novel agents against HCC. Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) is highly potent treatment due to the short range (sparing adjacent normal tissue), and densely ionizing track (high linear energy transfer) of the emitted α-particles. The incorporation of α-particle-emitting radioisotopes into treatment of HCC has been extremely limited, with our recent publication pioneering the field of α-particle-emitting TARE (αTARE). This study focuses on an in-depth evaluation of the αTARE-agent [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA-Lipiodol® as an effective therapeutic agent against HCC regarding pharmacokinetics, dosimetry, stability, and therapeutic efficacy. RESULTS: [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA was shown to be a highly stable with bench-top stability at ≥ 95% radiochemical purity (RCP) over a 3-day period and serum stability was ≥ 90% RCP over 5-days. The pharmacokinetic data showed retention in the tumor of [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA-Lipiodol® and clearance through the normal organs. In addition, the tumor and liver acted as suppliers of the free daughters, which accumulated in the kidneys supplied via the blood. The dose limiting organ was the liver, and the estimated maximum tolerable activity based on the rodents whole-body weight: 728-3641 Bq/g (male rat), 396-1982 Bq/g (male mouse), and 453-2263 Bq/g (female mouse), depending on an RBE-value (range 1-5). Furthermore, [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA-Lipiodol® showed significant improvement in survival for both the male and female mice (median survival 47-days) compared with controls (26-days untreated, and 33-35-days Lipiodol® alone). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA-Lipiodol® is a stable compound allowing for centralized manufacturing and distribution world-wide. Furthermore, the result of this study support the continue development of evaluation of the αTARE-agent [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA-Lipiodol® as a potential treatment option for treating hepatic tumors.

Immuno-PET Imaging of CD69 Visualizes T-Cell Activation and Predicts Survival Following Immunotherapy in Murine Glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor in adults. Immunotherapy may be promising for the treatment of some patients with GBM; however, there is a need for noninvasive neuroimaging techniques to predict immunotherapeutic responses. The effectiveness of most immunotherapeutic strategies requires T-cell activation. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate an early marker of T-cell activation, CD69, for its use as an imaging biomarker of response to immunotherapy for GBM. Herein, we performed CD69 immunostaining on human and mouse T cells following in vitro activation and post immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in an orthotopic syngeneic mouse glioma model. CD69 expression on tumor-infiltrating leukocytes was assessed using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from patients with recurrent GBM receiving ICI. Radiolabeled CD69 Ab PET/CT imaging (CD69 immuno-PET) was performed on GBM-bearing mice longitudinally to quantify CD69 and its association with survival following immunotherapy. We show CD69 expression is upregulated upon T-cell activation and on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in response to immunotherapy. Similarly, scRNA-seq data demonstrated elevated CD69 on TILs from patients with ICI-treated recurrent GBM as compared with TILs from control cohorts. CD69 immuno-PET studies showed a significantly higher tracer uptake in the tumors of ICI-treated mice compared with controls. Importantly, we observed a positive correlation between survival and CD69 immuno-PET signals in immunotherapy-treated animals and established a trajectory of T-cell activation by virtue of CD69-immuno-PET measurements. Our study supports the potential use of CD69 immuno-PET as an immunotherapy response assessment imaging tool for patients with GBM. Significance: Immunotherapy may hold promise for the treatment of some patients with GBM. There is a need to assess therapy responsiveness to allow the continuation of effective treatment in responders and to avoid ineffective treatment with potential adverse effects in the nonresponders. We demonstrate that noninvasive PET/CT imaging of CD69 may allow early detection of immunotherapy responsiveness in patients with GBM.

Preliminary evaluation of alpha-emitting radioembolization in animal models of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver cancer and the fifth most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide. Most patients with advanced disease are offered non-surgical palliative treatment options. This work explores the first alpha-particle emitting radioembolization for the treatment and monitoring of hepatic tumors. Furthermore, this works demonstrates the first in vivo simultaneous multiple-radionuclide SPECT-images of the complex decay chain of an [225Ac]Ac-labeled agent using a clinical SPECT system to monitor the temporal distribution. A DOTA chelator was modified with a lipophilic moiety and radiolabeled with the α-particle emitter Actinium-225. The resulting agent, [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA, was emulsified in ethiodized oil and evaluated in vivo in mouse model and the VX2 rabbit technical model of liver cancer. SPECT imaging was performed to monitor distribution of the TAT agent and the free daughters. The [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-TDA emulsion was shown to retain within the HEP2G tumors and VX2 tumor, with minimal uptake within normal tissue. In the mouse model, significant improvements in overall survival were observed. SPECT-imaging was able to distinguish between the Actinium-225 agent (Francium-221) and the loss of the longer lived daughter, Bismuth-213. An α-particle emitting TARE agent is capable of targeting liver tumors with minimal accumulation in normal tissue, providing a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma as well as a variety of hepatic tumors. In addition, SPECT-imaging presented here supports the further development of imaging methodology and protocols that can be incorporated into the clinic to monitor Actinium-225-labeled agents.

Sustained localized delivery of immunotherapy to lymph nodes reverses immunosuppression and increases long-term survival in murine glioblastoma.

Introduction: Despite the advent of immunotherapy as a promising therapeutic, glioblastoma (GBM) remains resistant to using checkpoint blockade due to its highly immunosuppressive tumor milieu. Moreover, current anti-PD-1 treatment requires multiple infusions with adverse systemic effects. Therefore, we used a PCL:PEG:PCL polymer gel loaded with anti-PD-1 and implanted at the site of lymph nodes in an attempt to maximize targeting of inactivated T cells as well as mitigate unnecessary systemic exposure. Methods: Mice orthotopically implanted with GL261 glioma cells were injected with hydrogels loaded with anti-PD-1 in one of the following locations: cervical lymph nodes, inguinal lymph nodes, and the tumor site. Mice treated systemically with anti-PD-1 were used as comparative controls. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated for all arms, with ex vivo flow cytometric staining for L/D, CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8, TNF-α and IFN-y and co-culture ELISpots were done for immune cell activation assays. Results: Mice implanted with PCL:PEG:PCL hydrogels carrying anti-PD-1 at the site of their lymph nodes showed significantly improved survival outcomes compared to mice systemically treated with anti-PD-1 (P = .0185). Flow cytometric analysis of brain tissue and co-culture of lymph node T cells from mice implanted with gels demonstrated increased levels of IFN-y and TNF-α compared to mice treated with systemic anti-PD-1, indicating greater reversal of immunosuppression compared to systemic treatment. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate proof of principle for using localized therapy that targets lymph nodes for GBM. We propose an alternative treatment paradigm for developing new sustained local treatments with immunotherapy that are able to eliminate the need for multiple systemic infusions and their off-target effects.

Author Correction: Radiopharmaceutical therapy in cancer: clinical advances and challenges.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Response of breast cancer carcinoma spheroids to combination therapy with radiation and DNA-PK inhibitor: growth arrest without a change in α/ß ratio.

PURPOSE: Agents that increase tumor radiosensitivity are of interest in improving outcomes in radiotherapy (XRT). DNA-PK inhibitors radiosensitize and alter cell adhesion proteins. We investigated combination radiation and a DNA-PK inhibitor in monolayers vs spheroids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using HER2 positive mammary carcinoma cells, we investigated the impact of NU7441, a DNA-PK inhibitor, on irradiated monolayer and spheroid cultures. Colony formation assays were performed with monolayer culture cells and spheroids after irradiation with/without NU7441 (5 µM). RESULTS: In monolayer culture cells, α/ß increased from 3.0 ± 0.2 Gy (XRT alone) to 6.9 ± 0.2 Gy (XRT+NU7441). Corresponding α/ß values for cells obtained by disaggregating treated spheroids were 3.6 ± 0.7 Gy (XRT alone) and 3.5 ± 0.2 Gy (XRT+NU7441). However, spheroid survival was highly sensitive to NU7441 incubation. After 4 Gy XRT alone 75% of the irradiated spheroids remained intact; when NU7441 treatment was involved, 13% remained intact. No spheroids survived to 3 weeks at 6 Gy or more. The discrepancy between the minimal change in α/ß from cells derived from spheroids and the spheroid growth response was not related to poor penetration of NU7441. CONCLUSIONS: DNA-PK inhibitor NU7441 radiosensitized monolayer cells but not cells obtained from spheroids. NU7441 and radiation increased spheroid fragmentation.

Radiopharmaceutical therapy in cancer: clinical advances and challenges.

Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is emerging as a safe and effective targeted approach to treating many types of cancer. In RPT, radiation is systemically or locally delivered using pharmaceuticals that either bind preferentially to cancer cells or accumulate by physiological mechanisms. Almost all radionuclides used in RPT emit photons that can be imaged, enabling non-invasive visualization of the biodistribution of the therapeutic agent. Compared with almost all other systemic cancer treatment options, RPT has shown efficacy with minimal toxicity. With the recent FDA approval of several RPT agents, the remarkable potential of this treatment is now being recognized. This Review covers the fundamental properties, clinical development and associated challenges of RPT.

Evaluation of [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-anti-VLA-4 for targeted alpha therapy of metastatic melanoma.

Very late antigen 4 (VLA-4; also called integrin α4ß1) is overexpressed in melanoma tumor cells with an active role in tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis, making VLA-4 a potential target for targeted alpha therapy (TAT). METHODS: An anti-VLA-4 antibody was conjugated to DOTA for [225Ac]Ac-labeling and DTPA for [111In]In-labeling. The resulting agents, [225Ac]Ac- or [111In]In-labeled anti-VLA-4 were evaluated in vitro, including binding affinity, internalization, and colony formation assays as well as in vivo biodistribution studies. In addition, the therapeutic efficacy of [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-anti-VLA-4 was evaluated in a disseminated disease mouse model of melanoma. RESULTS: [111In]In-DTPA-anti-VLA-4 demonstrated high affinity for VLA-4 (Kd = 5.2 ± 1.6 nM). [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-anti-VLA-4 was labeled with an apparent molar activity of 3.5 MBq/nmol and > 95% radiochemical purity. Colony formation assays demonstrated a decrease in the surviving fraction of B16F10 cells treated with [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-anti-VLA-4 compared to control. Biodistribution studies demonstrated accumulation in the VLA-4-positive tumor and VLA-4 rich organs. Therapeutic efficacy studies demonstrated a significant increase in survival in mice treated with [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-anti-VLA-4 as compared to controls. CONCLUSION: The work presented here demonstrated that [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-anti-VLA-4 was effective as a treatment in mice with disseminated disease, but potentially has dose limiting hematopoietic toxicity. Preliminary studies presented here also supported the potential to overcome this limitation by exploring a pre-loading or blocking dose strategy, to optimize the targeting vector to help minimize the absorbed dose to VLA-4 rich organs while maximizing the dose delivered to VLA-4-positive melanoma tumor cells.

Human HER2 overexpressing mouse breast cancer cell lines derived from MMTV.f.HuHER2 mice: characterization and use in a model of metastatic breast cancer.

Preclinical evaluation of therapeutic agents against metastatic breast cancer require cell lines and animal models that recapitulate clinical metastatic breast cancer as much as possible. We have previously used cell lines derived from the neu-N transgenic model to investigate anti-neu targeting of metastatic breast cancer using an alpha-emitter labeled antibody reactive with the rat variant of HER2/neu expressed by the neu-N model. To investigate alpha-particle emitter targeting of metastatic breast cancer using clinically relevant, commercially available anti-HER2/neu antibodies, we have developed cell lines derived from primary tumors and lung metastases from HuHER2 transgenic mice. We extracted primary mammary gland tumors, isolated the epithelial breast cancer cells, and established seven different cell lines. We also established 2 different cell lines from spontaneous lung metastases and cell lines from a serial transplantation of tumor tissues in HuHER2 transgenic mice. HuHER2 protein was overexpressed in all of the established cell lines. The mRNA level of ER (estrogen receptor) and PR (progesterone receptor) was relatively low in the cell lines compared to normal mammary gland (MG). As EMT markers, the expression of E-Cadherin in the cell lines was downregulated while the expression of TWIST1 and Vimentin were upregulated, relative to MG. Furthermore, trastuzumab directly inhibited cellular viability. Biodistribution studies with 111In-DTPA-trastuzumab in HuHER2 cell tumor xenografts demonstrated specific targeting with a clinically relevant antibody. Collectively, these cell lines show all the hallmarks of highly aggressive, metastatic breast cancer and are being used to evaluate combination therapy with alpha-particle emitter labeled HER2/neu reactive antibodies.