Expression of different neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) isoforms in glioblastoma multiforme: potential implications for targeted therapy.

In clinical trials, overexpression of neurokinin-1 receptors (NK1R) in gliomas has been exploited by intratumoral injection of its radiolabeled ligand, substance P (SP). However, despite proven NK1R expression, patients' response to the therapy was inhomogeneous. This study aims to identify the factors predicting response to NK1R-targeted glioma therapy, thereby allowing the discrimination between potential "responders" and "nonresponders" and thus a personalized therapeutic approach. Four widely used glioblastoma cell lines were examined concerning their RNA levels of full-length and truncated NK1R subtypes. Binding of SP to NK1R and internalization into glioma cells was studied by three different approaches using radiolabeled SP ((177)Lu-[DOTA, Thi(8), Met(O2)(11)]-SP), a fluorescence-labeled SP derivative (SP-FAM), and a toxin-SP conjugate (saporin-SP). While NK1R RNA was detected in all cases, receptor subtype analysis revealed impressive differences between the cell lines; LN319 exhibited the highest level of full-length NK1R RNA. Significant binding of SP conjugates to NK1R, cell internalization, and specific cell killing were only observed with the cell line LN319. Thus, different NK1R subtype profiles of glomerular basement membrane (GBM) cell lines appear to influence the binding of SP conjugates and their cell internalization properties. Both processes are crucial steps for NK1R-based targeted therapy. Pretherapeutic testing for NK1R subtype expression may therefore be advisable before initiation of this generally promising therapeutic modality.

Click-to-Chelate: development of technetium and rhenium-tricarbonyl labeled radiopharmaceuticals.

The Click-to-Chelate approach is a highly efficient strategy for the radiolabeling of molecules of medicinal interest with technetium and rhenium-tricarbonyl cores. Reaction of azide-functionalized molecules with alkyne prochelators by the Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC; click reaction) enables the simultaneous synthesis and conjugation of tridentate chelating systems for the stable complexation of the radiometals. In many cases, the functionalization of (bio)molecules with the ligand system and radiolabeling can be achieved by convenient one-pot procedures. Since its first report in 2006, Click-to-Chelate has been applied to the development of numerous novel radiotracers with promising potential for translation into the clinic. This review summarizes the use of the Click-to-Chelate approach in radiopharmaceutical sciences and provides a perspective for future applications.

Dual-targeting conjugates designed to improve the efficacy of radiolabeled peptides.

Radiolabeled regulatory peptides are useful tools in nuclear medicine for the diagnosis (imaging) and therapy of cancer. The specificity of the peptides towards GPC receptors, which are overexpressed by cancer cells, and their favorable pharmacokinetic profile make them ideal vectors to transport conjugated radionuclides to tumors and metastases. However, after internalization of the radiopeptide into cancer cells and tumors, a rapid washout of a substantial fraction of the delivered radioactivity is often observed. This phenomenon may represent a limitation of radiopeptides for clinical applications. Here, we report the synthesis, radiolabeling, stability, and in vitro evaluation of a novel, dual-targeting peptide radioconjugate designed to enhance the cellular retention of radioactivity. The described trifunctional conjugate is comprised of a Tc-99m SPECT reporter probe, a cell membrane receptor-specific peptide, and a second targeting entity directed towards mitochondria. While the specificity of the first generation of dual-targeting conjugates towards its extracellular target was demonstrated, intracellular targeting could not be confirmed probably due to non-specific binding or hindered passage through the membrane of the organelle. The work presented describes a novel approach with potential to improve the efficacy of radiopharmaceuticals by enhancing the intracellular retention of radioactivity.