| 1. |
- Cheng, Qing, et al.
(författare)
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Preclinical PET imaging of EGFR levels : pairing a targeting with a non-targeting Sel-tagged Affibody-based tracer to estimate the specific uptake
- 2016
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Ingår i: EJNMMI Research. - : Springer. - 2191-219X. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Though overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in several forms of cancer is considered to be an important prognostic biomarker related to poor prognosis, clear correlations between biomarker assays and patient management have been difficult to establish. Here, we utilize a targeting directly followed by a non-targeting tracer-based positron emission tomography (PET) method to examine some of the aspects of determining specific EGFR binding in tumors. Methods: The EGFR-binding Affibody molecule Z(EGFR:2377) and its size-matched non-binding control Z(Taq:3638) were recombinantly fused with a C-terminal selenocysteine-containing Sel-tag (Z(EGFR:2377)-ST and Z(Taq:3638)-ST). The proteins were site-specifically labeled with DyLight488 for flow cytometry and ex vivo tissue analyses or with C-11 for in vivo PET studies. Kinetic scans with the C-11-labeled proteins were performed in healthy mice and in mice bearing xenografts from human FaDu (squamous cell carcinoma) and A431 (epidermoid carcinoma) cell lines. Changes in tracer uptake in A431 xenografts over time were also monitored, followed by ex vivo proximity ligation assays (PLA) of EGFR expressions. Results: Flow cytometry and ex vivo tissue analyses confirmed EGFR targeting by ZE(GFR:2377)-ST-DyLight488. [Methyl-C-11]-labeled Z(EGFR:2377)-ST-CH3 and Z(Taq:3638)-ST-CH3 showed similar distributions in vivo, except for notably higher concentrations of the former in particularly the liver and the blood. [Methyl-C-11]-Z(EGFR:2377)-ST-CH3 successfully visualized FaDu and A431 xenografts with moderate and high EGFR expression levels, respectively. However, in FaDu tumors, the non-specific uptake was large and sometimes equally large, illustrating the importance of proper controls. In the A431 group observed longitudinally, non-specific uptake remained at same level over the observation period. Specific uptake increased with tumor size, but changes varied widely over time in individual tumors. Total (membranous and cytoplasmic) EGFR in excised sections increased with tumor growth. There was no positive correlation between total EGFR and specific tracer uptake, which, since Z(EGFR:2377) binds extracellularly and is slowly internalized, indicates a discordance between available membranous and total EGFR expression levels. Conclusions: Same-day in vivo dual tracer imaging enabled by the Sel-tag technology and C-11-labeling provides a method to non-invasively monitor membrane-localized EGFR as well as factors affecting non-specific uptake of the PET ligand.
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| 2. |
- Wållberg, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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HER2-Positive Tumors Imaged Within 1 Hour Using a Site-Specifically C-11-Labeled Sel-Tagged Affibody Molecule
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Nuclear Medicine. - Stockholm : Society of Nuclear Medicine. - 0161-5505 .- 1535-5667 .- 2159-662X. ; 53:9, s. 1446-1453
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A rapid, reliable method for distinguishing tumors or metastases that overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) from those that do not is highly desired for individualizing therapy and predicting prognoses. In vivo imaging methods are available but not yet in clinical practice; new methodologies improving speed, sensitivity, and specificity are required. Methods: A HER2-binding Affibody molecule, Z(HER2:342), was recombinantly fused with a C-terminal selenocysteine-containing tetrapeptide Sel-tag, allowing site-specific labeling with either C-11 or Ga-68, followed by biodistribution studies with small-animal PET. Dosimetry data for the 2 radiotracers were compared. Imaging of HER2-expressing human tumor xenografts was performed using the C-11-labeled Affibody molecule. Results: Both the C-11- and Ga-68-labeled tracers initially cleared rapidly from the blood, followed by a slower decrease to 4-5 percentage injected dose per gram of tissue at 1 h. Final retention in the kidneys was much lower (>5-fold) for the C-11-labeled protein, and its overall absorbed dose was considerably lower. C-11-Z(HER2:342) showed excellent tumor-targeting capability, with almost 10 percentage injected dose per gram of tissue in HER2-expressing tumors within 1 h. Specificity was demonstrated by preblocking binding sites with excess ligand, yielding significantly reduced radiotracer uptake (P = 0.002), comparable to uptake in tumors with low HER2 expression. Conclusion: To our knowledge, the Sel-tagging technique is the first that enables site-specific C-11-radiolabeling of proteins. Here we present the finding that, in a favorable combination between radionuclide half-life and in vivo pharmacokinetics of the Affibody molecules, C-11-labeled Set-tagged Z(HER2:342) can successfully be used for rapid and repeated PET studies of HER2 expression in tumors.
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| 3. |
- Wållberg, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Specific in vivo imaging of HER2-positive tumors within one hour using a site-specifically 11C-labeled Sel-tagged Affibody molecule
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A rapid, reliable method for distinguishing tumors or metastases that overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) from those that do not is highly desired for improvement of cancer care. In v ivo imaging methods are available, but are not yet in clinical practice; new methodologies improving speed, sensitivity and specificity are required. Here we describe promising results with a HER2‐binding Affibody molecule, ZHER2:342, recombinantly fused with a C‐terminal selenocysteine‐containing tetrapeptide Sel‐tag and site‐specifically labeled with either 11C or 68Ga for molecular imaging applications with positron emissiontomography (PET). In mice, both the 11C‐ and 68Ga‐labeled tracers initially cleared rapidly from the blood, followed by a slower decrease to 4‐5 %ID/g at 1 h. Final uptake in kidneys was much lower (> 5‐fold) for the 11C‐labeled protein, leading to markedly reduced background radioactivity in the abdomen. Furthermore, 11C‐labeled Sel‐tagged ZHER2:342 showed excellent tumor targeting capability, with almost 10 %ID/g in HER2 expressing tumors within the first hour. High specificity was demonstrated by preblocking the binding sites with excess ligand, which yielded low radiotracer uptakes, comparable to those in tumors with low endogenous HER2 expression. To our knowledge the Sel‐tagging technique is the first that enables site‐specific 11C radiolabelingof proteins. Here we present that, in a favorable combination between radionuclide half‐life and in vivo pharmacokinetics of the Affibody molecules, 11C‐labeled Sel taggedZHER2:342 can successfully be used for rapid and repeated PET studies of HER2 expression in tumors.
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