| 1. |
- Lundmark, Fanny
(författare)
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Design, Synthesis, and Preclinical Evaluation of Peptide-based Radioligands Targeting PSMA and GRPR in Prostate Cancer
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Prostate cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men worldwide. Enhanced diagnostic strategies are crucial for better patient management and outcomes, ultimately increasing overall survival. Over the past decade, radionuclide-based molecular imaging has emerged as a significant advancement in prostate cancer management. This technique involves the use of radioligands—molecules labelled with radioactive isotopes—that target specific biomarkers associated with the disease. Two key biomarkers are prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) which are overexpressed in prostate cancer tissues and can be effectively targeted using radioligands. Ideal radioligands exhibit high specificity and affinity for their targets, strong retention in tumour tissues, minimal off-target uptake, rapid clearance from healthy organs, and can be synthesised and labelled efficiently. This thesis comprises four original articles focused on enhancing the diagnostic potential of peptide-based radioligands for imaging prostate cancer by optimising the targeting properties.Papers I and II focus on the development of PSMA/GRPR-targeting heterodimeric radioligands. In particular, Paper I investigate the length and hydrophobicity of the functional linkers in indium-111 labelled radioligands for SPECT imaging. It was shown that compound BQ7812 consisting of a shorter GRPR linker in combination with a more hydrophobic PSMA linker was beneficial for the targeting properties. These findings led to Paper II which covers the preclinical evaluation of BQ7812 labelled with gallium-68 for PET imaging. PET imaging provides higher sensitivity compared to SPECT, increasing the possibility to visualise small metastases. Results confirmed [68Ga]Ga-BQ7812 as a promising radioligand for PET imaging of prostate cancer. Paper III covers a SAR study of PSMA-targeting radioligands focusing on the molecular structure of the functional linker. Modifications of the functional linker have been shown to enhance the targeting properties significantly. Radioligand BQ7859 consisting of a 2-naphthyl-L-alanine-L-tyrosine linker, demonstrated improved tumour retention and increased tumour-to-blood ratio. It was concluded that 2-naphthyl-L-alanine was crucial for high affinity while the subsequent linker position was more acceptable for structural changes and could be used for optimising targeting properties. The last study, Paper IV, explores the development of a GRPR-targeting radioligand labelled with fluorine-18 for PET imaging. Fluorine-18 exhibits favourable radionuclide properties well-suited peptide-based radioligands. This study demonstrates the efficient labelling of GRPR-targeting radioligands using the Tz-TCO IEDDA click chemistry approach. This method occurs at physiological pH and room temperature without the need for further purification of the final product, which is favourable compared to other labelling techniques. [18F]F-MeTz-PEG2-RM26 demonstrated specific binding to the target in vivo with stable retention in GRPR-targeted organs and tumours, leading to increased tumour-to-organ ratios over time.In conclusion, the papers included in this thesis demonstrate that careful optimisation of the functional linkers in PSMA and GRPR-targeting radioligands could lead to improved targeting properties for diagnostic imaging of prostate cancer.
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| 2. |
- Abouzayed, Ayman, et al.
(författare)
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The GRPR Antagonist [Tc-99m]Tc-maSSS-PEG(2)-RM26 towards Phase I Clinical Trial : Kit Preparation, Characterization and Toxicity
- 2023
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Ingår i: Diagnostics. - : MDPI AG. - 2075-4418. ; 13:9, s. 1611-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRPRs) are overexpressed in the majority of primary prostate tumors and in prostatic lymph node and bone metastases. Several GRPR antagonists were developed for SPECT and PET imaging of prostate cancer. We previously reported a preclinical evaluation of the GRPR antagonist [Tc-99m]Tc-maSSS-PEG2-RM26 (based on [D-Phe(6), Sta(13), Leu(14)-NH2]BBN(6-14)) which bound to GRPR with high affinity and had a favorable biodistribution profile in tumor-bearing animal models. In this study, we aimed to prepare and test kits for prospective use in an early-phase clinical study. The kits were prepared to allow for a one-pot single-step radiolabeling with technetium-99m pertechnetate. The kit vials were tested for sterility and labeling efficacy. The radiolabeled by using the kit GRPR antagonist was evaluated in vitro for binding specificity to GRPR on PC-3 cells (GRPR-positive). In vivo, the toxicity of the kit constituents was evaluated in rats. The labeling efficacy of the kits stored at 4 degrees C was monitored for 18 months. The biological properties of [Tc-99m]Tc-maSSS-PEG2-RM26, which were obtained after this period, were examined both in vitro and in vivo. The one-pot (gluconic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, stannous chloride, and maSSS-PEG(2)-RM26) single-step radiolabeling with technetium-99m was successful with high radiochemical yields (>97%) and high molar activities (16-24 MBq/nmol). The radiolabeled peptide maintained its binding properties to GRPR. The kit constituents were sterile and non-toxic when tested in living subjects. In conclusion, the prepared kit is considered safe in animal models and can be further evaluated for use in clinics.
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| 3. |
- Liu, Yongsheng, et al.
(författare)
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Radionuclide Therapy of HER2-Expressing Xenografts Using [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 Affibody Molecule Alone and in Combination with Trastuzumab
- 2023
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Ingår i: Cancers. - : MDPI. - 2072-6694. ; 15:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Affibody molecules are artificial proteins that can recognize cancer-related molecular abnormalities in the living body. Clinical studies demonstrated that Affibody molecules can be successfully used for radionuclide diagnostics. Targeted radionuclide therapy selectively delivers cytotoxic radionuclides to malignant tumors, thus sparing normal tissues. For radionuclide therapy, Affibody molecules were re-engineered to decrease accumulation in the kidneys. This study has demonstrated that radionuclide therapy using re-engineered Affibody molecules increases the survival of immunodeficient mice bearing human tumors. The therapy was more efficient than the treatment with a monoclonal antibody, which is currently used in clinical practice. The best results were obtained when both the antibody and radiolabeled Affibody molecules were used simultaneously. This work provides a preclinical rationale for a potentially more efficient treatment in HER2-positive cancers.ABY-027 is a scaffold-protein-based cancer-targeting agent. ABY-027 includes the second-generation Affibody molecule Z(HER2:2891), which binds to human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2). An engineered albumin-binding domain is fused to Z(HER2:2891) to reduce renal uptake and increase bioavailability. The agent can be site-specifically labeled with a beta-emitting radionuclide Lu-177 using a DOTA chelator. The goals of this study were to test the hypotheses that a targeted radionuclide therapy using [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 could extend the survival of mice with HER2-expressing human xenografts and that co-treatment with [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 and the HER2-targeting antibody trastuzumab could enhance this effect. Balb/C nu/nu mice bearing HER2-expressing SKOV-3 xenografts were used as in vivo models. A pre-injection of trastuzumab did not reduce the uptake of [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 in tumors. Mice were treated with [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 or trastuzumab as monotherapies and a combination of these therapies. Mice treated with vehicle or unlabeled ABY-027 were used as controls. Targeted monotherapy using [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 improved the survival of mice and was more efficient than trastuzumab monotherapy. A combination of therapies utilizing [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 and trastuzumab improved the treatment outcome in comparison with monotherapies using these agents. In conclusion, [Lu-177]Lu-ABY-027 alone or in combination with trastuzumab could be a new potential agent for the treatment of HER2-expressing tumors.
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| 4. |
- Rinne, Sara Sophie
(författare)
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Affibody-Based Molecular Imaging and Targeted Therapy of HER3-Expressing Cancer
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The human epidermal growth factor receptor type 3 (HER3) is overexpressed in different types of cancer and is a known contributor to disease progression and resistance to cancer therapy. This thesis is based on five original articles, which aimed to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of affibody-based agents for management of HER3-expressing cancers. Papers I-III focused on the development and optimization of radiolabeled affibody molecules for radionuclide molecular imaging of HER3 expression. In particular, they investigated the influence of different radiometal/chelator complexes and hydrophilicity on the biodistribution and imaging properties of the HER3-targeting affibody molecule ZHER3. Paper IV compared the optimized ZHER3-based radiotracer with antibody and antibody-fragment based radiotracers for PET imaging of HER3 expression. In Paper V, a preclinical therapy study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of different monomeric and dimeric HER3-targeting affibody constructs for treatment of HER3-expressing cancer.It was shown that by optimizing the radiometal/chelator complex and incorporation of a hydrophilic (HE)3-tag the imaging properties of ZHER3-based radiotracers could be improved (Papers I-III). Generally, replacing a positively charged radiometal/chelator complex with a neutral or negatively charged complex improved the image contrast by reducing the normal organ uptake, especially in the liver. Further, it was demonstrated that the optimized affibody-based tracer [68Ga]Ga-(HE)3-ZHER3-NODAGA could provide higher contrast PET images of HER3 expression than the 89Zr-labeled antibody seribantumab and a seribantumab-derived F(ab’)2 fragment (Paper IV). The therapy study showed that the arrangement of the molecular building blocks affected the therapeutic efficacy of ZHER3-based affibody constructs. The monomeric and dimeric ABD-conjugated affibody constructs 3A and 3A3 showed the best therapeutic efficacy among the tested constructs and were able to delay tumor growth and prolong survival with the same efficacy as the therapeutic HER3-targeting antibody seribantumab (Paper V).In conclusion, the results described in this thesis show that HER3-targeting affibody-based agents could be well-suited for molecular imaging of HER3 expression and HER3-targeted therapy in cancer. Careful optimization of the molecular design could improve the imaging properties and therapeutic efficacy of HER3-targeting affibody molecules. Most importantly, it was demonstrated that HER3-targeting affibody molecules could provide superior diagnostic images and similar therapeutic effect than more traditional approaches for management of HER3-expressing cancer.
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| 5. |
- Oroujeni, Maryam, PhD, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of affinity matured Affibody molecules for imaging of the immune checkpoint protein B7-H3
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nuclear Medicine and Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-8051 .- 1872-9614. ; 124-125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- B7-H3 (CD276), an immune checkpoint protein, is a promising molecular target for immune therapy of malignant tumours. Sufficient B7-H3 expression level is a precondition for successful therapy. Radionuclide molecular imaging is a powerful technique for visualization of expression levels of molecular targets in vivo. Use of small radiolabelled targeting proteins would enable high-contrast radionuclide imaging of molecular targets if adequate binding affinity and specificity of an imaging probe could be provided. Affibody molecules, small engineered affinity proteins based on a non-immunoglobulin scaffold, have demonstrated an appreciable potential in radionuclide imaging. Proof-of principle of radionuclide visualization of expression levels of B7-H3 in vivo was demonstrated using the [99mTc]Tc-AC12-GGGC Affibody molecule. We performed an affinity maturation of AC12, enabling selection of clones with higher affinity. Three most promising clones were expressed with a -GGGC (triglycine-cysteine) chelating sequence at the C-terminus and labelled with technetium-99m (99mTc). 99mTc-labelled conjugates bound to B7-H3-expressing cells specifically in vitro and in vivo. Biodistribution in mice bearing B7-H3-expressing SKOV-3 xenografts demonstrated improved imaging properties of the new conjugates compared with the parental variant [99mTc]Tc-AC12-GGGC. [99mTc]Tc-SYNT-179 provided the strongest improvement of tumour-to-organ ratios. Thus, affinity maturation of B7-H3 Affibody molecules could improve biodistribution and targeting properties for imaging of B7-H3-expressing tumours.
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| 6. |
- Westerlund, Kristina, et al.
(författare)
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Radionuclide Therapy of HER2-Expressing Human Xenografts Using Affibody-Based Peptide Nucleic Acid-Mediated Pretargeting : In Vivo Proof of Principle
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Nuclear Medicine. - : Society of Nuclear Medicine. - 0161-5505 .- 1535-5667 .- 2159-662X. ; 59:7, s. 1092-1098
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Affibody molecules are small proteins engineered using a nonanti-body scaffold. Radiolabeled Affibody molecules are excellent imaging probes, but their application to radionuclide therapy has been prevented by high renal reabsorption. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that Affibody-based peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-mediated pretargeted therapy of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-expressing cancer extends survival without accompanying renal toxicity.Methods: A HER2-targeting Affibody molecule ligated with an AGTCGTGATGTAGTC PNA hybridization probe (Z(HER2:342)-SR-HP1) was used as the primary pretargeting agent. A complementary AGTCGTGATGTAGTC PNA conjugated to the chelator DOTA and labeled with the radionuclide Lu-177 (Lu-177-HP2) was used as the secondary agent. The influence of different factors on pretargeting was investigated. Experimental radionuclide therapy in mice bearing SKOV-3 xenografts was performed in 6 cycles separated by 7 d.Results: Optimal tumor targeting was achieved when 16 MBq/3.5 mu g (0.65 nmol) of Lu-177-HP2 was injected 16 h after injection of 100 mu g (7.7 nmol) of Z(HER2:342)-SR-HP1. The calculated absorbed dose to tumors was 1,075 mGy/MBq, whereas the absorbed dose to kidneys was 206 mGy/MBq and the absorbed dose to blood (surrogate of bone marrow) was 4 mGy/MBq. Survival of mice was significantly longer (P < 0.05) in the treatment group (66 d) than in the control groups treated with the same amount of Z(HER2:342)-SR-HP1 only (37 d), the same amount and activity of Lu-177-HP2 only (32 d), or phosphate-buffered saline (37 d).Conclusion: The studied pretargeting system can deliver an absorbed dose to tumors appreciably exceeding absorbed doses to critical organs, making Affibody-based PNA-mediated pretargeted radionuclide therapy highly attractive.
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| 7. |
- Abouzayed, Ayman, et al.
(författare)
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177Lu-labeled PSMA targeting therapeutic with optimized linker for treatment of disseminated prostate cancer; evaluation of biodistribution and dosimetry
- 2023
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Oncology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2234-943X. ; 13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), highly expressed in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), is an established therapeutic target. Theranostic PSMA-targeting agents are widely used in patient management and has shown improved outcomes for mCRPC patients. Earlier, we optimized a urea-based probe for radionuclide visualization of PSMA-expression in vivo using computer modeling. With the purpose to develop a targeting agent equally suitable for radionuclide imaging and therapy, the agent containing DOTA chelator was designed (BQ7876). The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that Lu-177-labeled BQ7876 possesses target binding and biodistribution properties potentially enabling its use for radiotherapy.Methods: BQ7876 was synthesized and labeled with Lu-177. Specificity and affinity of [Lu-177]Lu-BQ7876 to PSMA-expressing PC3-pip cells was evaluated and its processing after binding to cells was studied. Animal studies in mice were performed to assess its biodistribution in vivo, target specificity and dosimetry. [Lu-177]Lu-PSMA-617 was simultaneously evaluated for comparison.Results: BQ7876 was labeled with Lu-177 with radiochemical yield >99%. Its binding to PSMA was specific in vitro and in vivo when tested in antigen saturation conditions as well as in PSMA-negative PC-3 tumors. The binding of [Lu-177]Lu-BQ7876 to living cells was characterized by rapid association, while the dissociation included a rapid and a slow phase with affinities K-D1 = 3.8 nM and K-D2 = 25 nM. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration for Lu-nat-BQ7876 was 59 nM that is equal to 61 nM for Lu-nat-PSMA-617. Cellular processing of [Lu-177]Lu-BQ7876 was accompanied by slow internalization. [Lu-177]Lu-BQ7876 was cleared from blood and normal tissues rapidly. Initial elevated uptake in kidneys decreased rapidly, and by 3 h post injection, the renal uptake (13 +/- 3%ID/g) did not differ significantly from tumor uptake (9 +/- 3%ID/g). Tumor uptake was stable between 1 and 3 h followed by a slow decline. The highest absorbed dose was in kidneys, followed by organs and tissues in abdomen.Discussion: Biodistribution studies in mice demonstrated that targeting properties of [Lu-177]Lu-BQ7876 are not inferior to properties of [Lu-177]Lu-PSMA-617, but do not offer any decisive advantages.
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| 8. |
- Abouzayed, Ayman, et al.
(författare)
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Preclinical Evaluation of 99mTc-Labeled GRPR Antagonists maSSS/SES-PEG2-RM26 for Imaging of Prostate Cancer
- 2021
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Ingår i: Pharmaceutics. - : MDPI. - 1999-4923. ; 13:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is an important target for imaging of prostate cancer. The wide availability of single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) and the generator-produced 99mTc can be utilized to facilitate the use of GRPR-targeting radiotracers for diagnostics of prostate cancers.Methods: Synthetically produced mercaptoacetyl-Ser-Ser-Ser (maSSS)-PEG2-RM26 and mercaptoacetyl-Ser-Glu-Ser (maSES)-PEG2-RM26 (RM26 = d-Phe-Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Sta-Leu-NH2) were radiolabeled with 99mTc and characterized in vitro using PC-3 cells and in vivo, using NMRI or PC-3 tumor bearing mice. SPECT/CT imaging and dosimetry calculations were performed for [99mTc]Tc-maSSS-PEG2-RM26.Results: Peptides were radiolabeled with high yields (>98%), demonstrating GRPR specific binding and slow internalization in PC-3 cells. [99mTc]Tc-maSSS-PEG2-RM26 outperformed [99mTc]Tc-maSES-PEG2-RM26 in terms of GRPR affinity, with a lower dissociation constant (61 pM vs 849 pM) and demonstrating higher tumor uptake. [99mTc]Tc-maSSS-PEG2-RM26 had tumor-to-blood, tumor-to-muscle, and tumor-to-bone ratios of 97 ± 56, 188 ± 32, and 177 ± 79, respectively. SPECT/CT images of [99mTc]Tc-maSSS-PEG2-RM26 clearly visualized the GRPR-overexpressing tumors. The dosimetry estimated for [99mTc]Tc-maSSS-PEG2-RM26 showed the highest absorbed dose in the small intestine (1.65 × 10−3 mGy/MBq), and the effective dose is 3.49 × 10−3 mSv/MBq.Conclusion: The GRPR antagonist maSSS-PEG2-RM26 is a promising GRPR-targeting agent that can be radiolabeled through a single-step with the generator-produced 99mTc and used for imaging of GRPR-expressing prostate cancer.
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| 9. |
- Bezverkhniaia, Ekaterina, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of Molecular Design on the Tumor Targeting and Biodistribution of PSMA-Binding Tracers Labeled with Technetium-99m
- 2024
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Ingår i: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI. - 1661-6596 .- 1422-0067. ; 25:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Previously, we designed the EuK-based PSMA ligand BQ0413 with an maE3 chelator for labeling with technetium-99m. It showed efficient tumor targeting, but our preclinical data and preliminary clinical results indicated that the renal excretion levels need to be decreased. We hypothesized that this could be achieved by a decrease in the ligand's total negative charge, achieved by substituting negatively charged glutamate residues in the chelator with glycine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tumor targeting and biodistribution of two new PSMA inhibitors, BQ0411 and BQ0412, compared to BQ0413. Conjugates were radiolabeled with Tc-99m and characterized in vitro, using PC3-pip cells, and in vivo, using NMRI and PC3-pip tumor-bearing mice. [99mTc]Tc-BQ0411 and [99mTc]Tc-BQ0412 demonstrated PSMA-specific binding to PC3-pip cells with picomolar affinity. The biodistribution pattern for the new conjugates was characterized by rapid excretion. The tumor uptake for [99mTc]Tc-BQ0411 was 1.6-fold higher compared to [99mTc]Tc-BQ0412 and [99mTc]Tc-BQ0413. [99mTc]Tc-BQ0413 has demonstrated predominantly renal excretion, while the new conjugates underwent both renal and hepatobiliary excretion. In this study, we have demonstrated that in such small targeting ligands as PSMA-binding EuK-based pseudopeptides, the structural blocks that do not participate in binding could have a crucial role in tumor targeting and biodistribution. The presence of a glycine-based coupling linker in BQ0411 and BQ0413 seems to optimize biodistribution. In conclusion, the substitution of amino acids in the chelating sequence is a promising method to alter the biodistribution of [99mTc]Tc-labeled small-molecule PSMA inhibitors. Further improvement of the biodistribution properties of BQ0413 is needed.
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| 10. |
- Bezverkhniaia, Ekaterina, et al.
(författare)
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Preclinical Evaluation of a Novel High-Affinity Radioligand [99mTc]Tc-BQ0413 Targeting Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)
- 2023
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Ingår i: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI. - 1661-6596 .- 1422-0067. ; 24:24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Radionuclide imaging using radiolabeled inhibitors of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) can be used for the staging of prostate cancer. Previously, we optimized the Glu-urea-Lys binding moiety using a linker structure containing 2-napththyl-L-alanine and L-tyrosine. We have now designed a molecule that contains mercaptoacetyl-triglutamate chelator for labeling with Tc-99m (designated as BQ0413). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the imaging properties of [Tc-99m]Tc-BQ0413. PSMA-transfected PC3-pip cells were used to evaluate the specificity and affinity of [Tc-99m]Tc-BQ0413 binding in vitro. PC3-pip tumor-bearing BALB/C nu/nu mice were used as an in vivo model. [Tc-99m]Tc-BQ0413 bound specifically to PC3-pip cells with an affinity of 33 +/- 15 pM. In tumor-bearing mice, the tumor uptake of [Tc-99m]Tc-BQ0413 (38 +/- 6 %IA/g in PC3-pip 3 h after the injection of 40 pmol) was dependent on PSMA expression (3 +/- 2 %IA/g and 0.9 +/- 0.3 %IA/g in PSMA-negative PC-3 and SKOV-3 tumors, respectively). We show that both unlabeled BQ0413 and the commonly used binder PSMA-11 enable the blocking of [Tc-99m]Tc-BQ0413 uptake in normal PSMA-expressing tissues without blocking the uptake in tumors. This resulted in an appreciable increase in tumor-to-organ ratios. At the same injected mass (5 nmol), the use of BQ0413 was more efficient in suppressing renal uptake than the use of PSMA-11. In conclusion, [Tc-99m]Tc-BQ0413 is a promising probe for the visualization of PSMA-positive lesions using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
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