1
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Kanellopoulos P, Nock BA, Rouchota M, Loudos G, Krenning EP, Maina T. Side-Chain Modified [ 99mTc]Tc-DT1 Mimics: A Comparative Study in NTS 1R-Positive Models. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15541. [PMID: 37958525 PMCID: PMC10647616 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiolabeled neurotensin analogs have been developed as candidates for theranostic use against neurotensin subtype 1 receptor (NTS1R)-expressing cancer. However, their fast degradation by two major peptidases, neprilysin (NEP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), has hitherto limited clinical success. We have recently shown that palmitoylation at the ε-amine of Lys7 in [99mTc]Tc-[Lys7]DT1 (DT1, N4-Gly-Arg-Arg-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Leu-OH, N4 = 6-(carboxy)-1,4,8,11-tetraazaundecane) led to the fully stabilized [99mTc]Tc-DT9 analog, displaying high uptake in human pancreatic cancer AsPC-1 xenografts but unfavorable pharmacokinetics in mice. Aiming to improve the in vivo stability of [99mTc]Tc-DT1 without compromising pharmacokinetics, we now introduce three new [99mTc]Tc-DT1 mimics, carrying different pendant groups at the ε-amine of Lys7: MPBA (4-(4-methylphenyl)butyric acid)-[99mTc]Tc-DT10; MPBA via a PEG4-linker-[99mTc]Tc-DT11; or a hydrophilic PEG6 chain-[99mTc]Tc-DT12. The impact of these modifications on receptor affinity and internalization was studied in NTS1R-positive cells. The effects on stability and AsPC-1 tumor uptake were assessed in mice without or during NEP/ACE inhibition. Unlike [99mTc]Tc-DT10, the longer-chain modified [99mTc]Tc-DT11 and [99mTc]Tc-DT12 were significantly stabilized in vivo, resulting in markedly improved tumor uptake compared to [99mTc]Tc-DT1. [99mTc]Tc-DT11 was found to achieve the highest AsPC-1 tumor values and good pharmacokinetics, either without or during NEP inhibition, qualifying for further validation in patients with NTS1R-positive tumors using SPECT/CT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Berthold A. Nock
- Molecular Radiopharmacy, INRaSTES, NCSR “Demokritos”, 15341 Athens, Greece; (P.K.); (B.A.N.)
| | - Maritina Rouchota
- BIOEMTECH, Lefkippos Attica Technology Park NCSR “Demokritos”, 15310 Athens, Greece; (M.R.); (G.L.)
| | - George Loudos
- BIOEMTECH, Lefkippos Attica Technology Park NCSR “Demokritos”, 15310 Athens, Greece; (M.R.); (G.L.)
| | - Eric P. Krenning
- Cyclotron Rotterdam BV, Erasmus MC, 3015 CE Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Theodosia Maina
- Molecular Radiopharmacy, INRaSTES, NCSR “Demokritos”, 15341 Athens, Greece; (P.K.); (B.A.N.)
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2
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Kanellopoulos P, Nock BA, Krenning EP, Maina T. Toward Stability Enhancement of NTS 1R-Targeted Radioligands: Structural Interventions on [ 99mTc]Tc-DT1. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2092. [PMID: 37631306 PMCID: PMC10459693 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurotensin subtype 1 receptor (NTS1R) is overexpressed in a number of human tumors, thereby representing a valid target for cancer theranostics with radiolabeled neurotensin (NT) analogs like [99mTc]Tc-DT1 (DT1, N4-Gly7-NT(8-13)). Thus far, the fast degradation of intravenously injected NT-radioligands by neprilysin (NEP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) has compromised their clinical applicability. Aiming at metabolic stability enhancements, we herein introduce (i) DT7 ([DAsn14]DT1) and (ii) DT8 ([β-Homoleucine13]DT1), modified at the C-terminus, along with (iii) DT9 ([(palmitoyl)Lys7]DT1), carrying an albumin-binding domain (ABD) at Lys7. The biological profiles of the new [99mTc]Tc-radioligands were compared with [99mTc]Tc-DT1, using NTS1R-expressing AsPC-1 cells and mice models without or during NEP/ACE inhibition. The radioligands showed enhanced in vivo stability vs. [99mTc]Tc-DT1, with [99mTc]Tc-DT9 displaying full resistance to both peptidases. Furthermore, [99mTc]Tc-DT9 achieved the highest cell internalization and tumor uptake even without NEP/ACE-inhibition but with unfavorably high background radioactivity levels. Hence, unlike C-terminal modification, the introduction of a pendant ABD group in the linker turned out to be the most promising strategy toward metabolic stability, cell uptake, and tumor accumulation of [99mTc]Tc-DT1 mimics. To improve the observed suboptimal pharmacokinetics of [99mTc]Tc-DT9, the replacement of palmitoyl on Lys7 by other ABD groups is currently being pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Berthold A. Nock
- Molecular Radiopharmacy, INRaSTES, NCSR “Demokritos”, 15341 Athens, Greece; (P.K.); (B.A.N.)
| | - Eric P. Krenning
- Cyclotron Rotterdam BV, Erasmus MC, 3015 CE Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Theodosia Maina
- Cyclotron Rotterdam BV, Erasmus MC, 3015 CE Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
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3
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Benfante V, Stefano A, Ali M, Laudicella R, Arancio W, Cucchiara A, Caruso F, Cammarata FP, Coronnello C, Russo G, Miele M, Vieni A, Tuttolomondo A, Yezzi A, Comelli A. An Overview of In Vitro Assays of 64Cu-, 68Ga-, 125I-, and 99mTc-Labelled Radiopharmaceuticals Using Radiometric Counters in the Era of Radiotheranostics. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13071210. [PMID: 37046428 PMCID: PMC10093267 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13071210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Radionuclides are unstable isotopes that mainly emit alpha (α), beta (β) or gamma (γ) radiation through radiation decay. Therefore, they are used in the biomedical field to label biomolecules or drugs for diagnostic imaging applications, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and/or single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). A growing field of research is the development of new radiopharmaceuticals for use in cancer treatments. Preclinical studies are the gold standard for translational research. Specifically, in vitro radiopharmaceutical studies are based on the use of radiopharmaceuticals directly on cells. To date, radiometric β- and γ-counters are the only tools able to assess a preclinical in vitro assay with the aim of estimating uptake, retention, and release parameters, including time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity and kinetic parameters. This review has been designed for researchers, such as biologists and biotechnologists, who would like to approach the radiobiology field and conduct in vitro assays for cellular radioactivity evaluations using radiometric counters. To demonstrate the importance of in vitro radiopharmaceutical assays using radiometric counters with a view to radiogenomics, many studies based on 64Cu-, 68Ga-, 125I-, and 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals have been revised and summarized in this manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Benfante
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy
| | - Alessandro Stefano
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy
| | - Muhammad Ali
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Walter Arancio
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonino Cucchiara
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), Via Tricomi 5, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabio Caruso
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), Via Tricomi 5, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Cammarata
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy
| | - Claudia Coronnello
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giorgio Russo
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, National Research Council (IBFM-CNR), 90015 Cefalù, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Monica Miele
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Vieni
- Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), Via Tricomi 5, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonino Tuttolomondo
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Anthony Yezzi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Albert Comelli
- Ri.MED Foundation, Via Bandiera 11, 90133 Palermo, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
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4
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Li D, Minnix M, Allen R, Bading J, Chea J, Wong P, Bowles N, Poku E, Shively JE. Preclinical PET Imaging of NTSR-1-Positive Tumors with 64Cu- and 68Ga-DOTA-Neurotensin Analogs and Therapy with an 225Ac-DOTA-Neurotensin Analog. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2020; 36:651-661. [PMID: 32822229 DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2020.3926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The aim of the study was to perform PET imaging and radiotherapy with a novel neurotensin derivative for neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR-1)-positive tumors in an animal model. Materials and Methods: A di-DOTA analog of NT(6-13) with three unnatural amino acids was synthesized and radiolabeled with either 64Cu or 68Ga and tested for serum stability and tumor imaging in mice bearing NTSR-1-positive PC3, and HT29 xenografts. A dose-response therapy study was performed with 18.5, 37, and 74 kBq of 225Ac-di-DOTA-α,ɛ-Lys-NT(6-13). Results: 68Ga-di-DOTA-α,ɛ-Lys-NT(6-13) was >99% stable in serum for 48 h, had an IC50 of 5 nM using 125I labeled NT(8-13) for binding to HT-29 cells, and high uptake in tumor models expressing NTSR-1. 68Ga-di-DOTA-α,ɛ-Lys-NT(6-13) had an average %ID/g (n = 4) at 2 h of 4.0 for tumor, 0.5 for blood, 12.0 for kidney, and <1 for other tissues, resulting in a favorable T/B of 8. Mean survivals of tumor-bearing mice treated with 18.5 or 37 kBq of 225Ac-di-DOTA-α,ɛ-Lys-NT(6-13) were 81 and 93 d, respectively, versus 53 d for controls. Whole-body toxicity was seen for the 74 kBq dose. Conclusions: Based on the results of the animal model, di-DOTA-α,ɛ-Lys-NT(6-13) is a useful imaging agent for NTSR-1-positive tumors when radiolabeled with 68Ga, and when radiolabeled with 225Ac, a potent therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daneng Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Megan Minnix
- Deparment of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Rebecca Allen
- Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - James Bading
- Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Junie Chea
- Radiopharmacy, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Patty Wong
- Deparment of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Nicole Bowles
- Radiopharmacy, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Erasmus Poku
- Radiopharmacy, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
| | - John E Shively
- Deparment of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California, USA
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5
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Kanellopoulos P, Kaloudi A, de Jong M, Krenning EP, Nock BA, Maina T. Key-Protease Inhibition Regimens Promote Tumor Targeting of Neurotensin Radioligands. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12060528. [PMID: 32526874 PMCID: PMC7356968 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12060528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotensin subtype 1 receptors (NTS1R) represent attractive molecular targets for directing radiolabeled neurotensin (NT) analogs to tumor lesions for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This approach has been largely undermined by the rapid in vivo degradation of linear NT-based radioligands. Herein, we aim to increase the tumor targeting of three 99mTc-labeled NT analogs by the in-situ inhibition of two key proteases involved in their catabolism. DT1 ([N4-Gly7]NT(7-13)), DT5 ([N4-βAla7,Dab9]NT(7-13)), and DT6 ([N4-βAla7,Dab9,Tle12]]NT(7-13)) were labeled with 99mTc. Their profiles were investigated in NTS1R-positive colon adenocarcinoma WiDr cells and mice treated or not with the neprilysin (NEP)-inhibitor phosphoramidon (PA) and/or the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitor lisinopril (Lis). Structural modifications led to the partial stabilization of 99mTc-DT6 in peripheral mice blood (55.1 ± 3.9% intact), whereas 99mTc-DT1 and 99mTc-DT5 were totally degraded within 5 min. Coinjection of PA and/or Lis significantly stabilized all three analogs, leading to a remarkable enhancement of tumor uptake for 99mTc-DT1 and 99mTc-DT5, but was less effective in the case of poorly internalizing 99mTc-DT6. In conclusion, NEP and/or ACE inhibition represents a powerful tool to improve tumor targeting and the overall pharmacokinetics of NT-based radioligands, and warrants further validation in the field of NTS1R-targeted tumor imaging and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
- Molecular Radiopharmacy, INRASTES, NCSR “Demokritos”, 15341 Athens, Greece; (P.K.); (A.K.); (B.A.N.)
- Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Kaloudi
- Molecular Radiopharmacy, INRASTES, NCSR “Demokritos”, 15341 Athens, Greece; (P.K.); (A.K.); (B.A.N.)
| | - Marion de Jong
- Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine Erasmus MC, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Eric P. Krenning
- Cyclotron Rotterdam BV, Erasmus MC, 3015 CE Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Berthold A. Nock
- Molecular Radiopharmacy, INRASTES, NCSR “Demokritos”, 15341 Athens, Greece; (P.K.); (A.K.); (B.A.N.)
| | - Theodosia Maina
- Molecular Radiopharmacy, INRASTES, NCSR “Demokritos”, 15341 Athens, Greece; (P.K.); (A.K.); (B.A.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-210-650-3908
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6
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Structural modifications of amino acid sequences of radiolabeled peptides for targeted tumor imaging. Bioorg Chem 2020; 99:103802. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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7
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Leier S, Richter S, Bergmann R, Wuest M, Wuest F. Radiometal-Containing Aryl Diazonium Salts for Chemoselective Bioconjugation of Tyrosine Residues. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:22101-22107. [PMID: 31891090 PMCID: PMC6933782 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b03248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Tyrosine is an attractive target for chemo- and site-selective protein modification. The particular chemical nature of tyrosine residues allows bioconjugation chemistry with reactive aryl diazonium salts via electrophilic aromatic substitution to produce diazo compounds. In this work, we describe the preparation of 64Cu- and 68Ga-labeled 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA)-diazonium salts as building blocks for azo coupling chemistry with tyrosine and tyrosine-containing peptides and proteins under mild conditions. 2-S-(4-aminobenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (p-NH2-Bn-NOTA) was used to form the corresponding 64Cu- and 68Ga-labeled complexes, followed by diazotization with NaNO2 in the presence of HCl. 64Cu- and 68Ga-labeled NOTA complexes were prepared in high radiochemical yields >80% starting from 20 μg of p-NH2-Bn-NOTA. Conversion of p-NH2-Bn-NOTA complexes into diazonium salts followed by azo coupling with l-tyrosine afforded 64Cu- and 68Ga-labeled tyrosine in radiochemical yields of 80 and 56%, respectively. Azo coupling with tyrosine-containing hexapeptide neurotensin NT(8-13) afforded 64Cu- and 68Ga-labeled NT(8-13) in radiochemical yields of 45 and 11%, respectively. Azo coupling of 64Cu-labeled NOTA-diazonium salt with human serum albumin (HSA) gave 64Cu-labeled HSA in radiochemical yields of 20%. The described azo coupling chemistry represents an innovative and versatile bioconjugation strategy for selective targeting of tyrosine residues in peptides and proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Leier
- Department
of Oncology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and Cancer Research
Institute of Northern Alberta, University
of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Susan Richter
- Department
of Oncology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and Cancer Research
Institute of Northern Alberta, University
of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Ralf Bergmann
- Institute
of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden 01328, Germany
| | - Melinda Wuest
- Department
of Oncology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and Cancer Research
Institute of Northern Alberta, University
of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Frank Wuest
- Department
of Oncology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and Cancer Research
Institute of Northern Alberta, University
of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2R3, Canada
- E-mail: . Phone: (780) 989-8150
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8
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Schindler L, Bernhardt G, Keller M. Modifications at Arg and Ile Give Neurotensin(8-13) Derivatives with High Stability and Retained NTS 1 Receptor Affinity. ACS Med Chem Lett 2019; 10:960-965. [PMID: 31223455 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to its expression in various malignant tumors, the neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1R) has been suggested and explored as a target for tumor diagnosis and therapy. Animal model-based investigations of various radiolabeled NTS1R ligands derived from the hexapeptide neurotensin(8-13) (NT(8-13)), e.g. 68Ga- and 18F-labeled compounds for PET diagnostics, give rise to optimize such radiotracers for clinical use. As NT(8-13) is rapidly degraded in vivo; structural modifications are required in terms of increased metabolic stability. In this study, the stabilization of the peptide backbone of NT(8-13) against enzymatic degradation was systematically explored by performing an N-methyl scan, replacing Ile12 by tert-butylglycine12 (Tle12) and N-terminal acylation. N-Methylation of either arginine, Arg8, or Arg9, combined with the Ile12/Tle12 exchange, proved to be most favorable with respect to NTS1R affinity (K i < 2 nM) and stability in human plasma (t 1/2 > 48 h), a valuable result regarding the development of radiopharmaceuticals derived from NT(8-13).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Schindler
- Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Günther Bernhardt
- Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Max Keller
- Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
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9
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Wang M, Zhang H, Wang H, Feng H, Deng H, Wu Z, Lu H, Li Z. Development of [ 18F]AlF-NOTA-NT as PET Agents of Neurotensin Receptor-1 Positive Pancreatic Cancer. Mol Pharm 2018; 15:3093-3100. [PMID: 29889537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have suggested that neurotensin receptors (NTRs) and neurotensin (NT) greatly affect the growth and survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Developing NTR-targeted PET probes could therefore be important for the management of a pancreatic cancer patient by providing key information on the NTR expression profile noninvasively. Despite the initial success on the synthesis of 18F-labeled NT PET probes, the labeling procedure generally requires lengthy steps including azeotropic drying of 18F. Using a straightforward chelation method, here we report the simple preparation of aluminum-18F-NOTA-NT starting from aqueous 18F. The cell binding test demonstrated that [19F]AlF-NOTA-NT maintained high receptor-binding affinity to NTR1. This probe was then further evaluated in NTR1 positive pancreatic tumor models (AsPC-1 and PANC-1). After the administration of [18F]AlF-NOTA-NT, small animal PET studies showed a high contrast between tumor and background in both models at 1 and 4 h time points. A blocking experiment was performed to demonstrate the receptor specificity: the tumor uptake in AsPC1 without and with blocking agent was 1.0 ± 0.2 and 0.1 ± 0.0%ID/g, respectively, at 4 h post injection. In summary, a NTR specific PET agent, [18F]AlF-NOTA-NT, was prepared through the simple chelation method. This NTR-targeted PET probe may not only be used to detect NTR1 positive pancreatic tumors (diagnosis), but also it may be fully integrated to NTR target therapy leading to personalized medicine (theranostic).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengzhe Wang
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center and Department of Radiology , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
| | - He Zhang
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center and Department of Radiology , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States.,Department of Radiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital , Fudan University , No. 419 Fang xie Road , Shanghai 200011 , People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Wang
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center and Department of Radiology , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
| | - Huijuan Feng
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center and Department of Radiology , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States.,ZhuJiang Hospital of Southern Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong 510280 , People's Republic of China
| | - Huaifu Deng
- PET/CT Center , The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , Guangdong 510230 , People's Republic of China
| | - Zhanhong Wu
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center and Department of Radiology , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
| | - Hongjian Lu
- Institute of Chemistry and BioMedical Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093 , China
| | - Zibo Li
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center and Department of Radiology , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
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10
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Maschauer S, Prante O. Radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and endoradiotherapy of neurotensin receptor-positive tumors. J Labelled Comp Radiopharm 2018; 61:309-325. [DOI: 10.1002/jlcr.3581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Maschauer
- Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Department of Nuclear Medicine; Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU); Erlangen Germany
| | - Olaf Prante
- Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Department of Nuclear Medicine; Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU); Erlangen Germany
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11
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New Insights in the Design of Bioactive Peptides and Chelating Agents for Imaging and Therapy in Oncology. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22081282. [PMID: 28767081 PMCID: PMC6152110 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22081282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many synthetic peptides have been developed for diagnosis and therapy of human cancers based on their ability to target specific receptors on cancer cell surface or to penetrate the cell membrane. Chemical modifications of amino acid chains have significantly improved the biological activity, the stability and efficacy of peptide analogues currently employed as anticancer drugs or as molecular imaging tracers. The stability of somatostatin, integrins and bombesin analogues in the human body have been significantly increased by cyclization and/or insertion of non-natural amino acids in the peptide sequences. Moreover, the overall pharmacokinetic properties of such analogues and others (including cholecystokinin, vasoactive intestinal peptide and neurotensin analogues) have been improved by PEGylation and glycosylation. Furthermore, conjugation of those peptide analogues to new linkers and bifunctional chelators (such as AAZTA, TETA, TRAP, NOPO etc.), produced radiolabeled moieties with increased half life and higher binding affinity to the cognate receptors. This review describes the most important and recent chemical modifications introduced in the amino acid sequences as well as linkers and new bifunctional chelators which have significantly improved the specificity and sensitivity of peptides used in oncologic diagnosis and therapy.
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Theranostic Value of Multimers: Lessons Learned from Trimerization of Neurotensin Receptor Ligands and Other Targeting Vectors. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2017; 10:ph10010029. [PMID: 28287433 PMCID: PMC5374433 DOI: 10.3390/ph10010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1) is overexpressed on a variety of cancer entities; for example, prostate cancer, ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and breast cancer. Therefore, it represents an interesting target for the diagnosis of these cancers types by positron emission tomography (PET). The metabolically-stabilized neurotensin (NT) derivative peptide Nlys8-Lys9-Pro10-Tyr11-Tle12-Leu13-OH was elongated at the N-terminus with 6-azido norleucine and coupled with the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-tris[(2-carboxyethyl)methylenephosphinic acid] (TRAP) chelator TRAP(alkyne)3 in order to synthesize a NT trimer with subnanomolar affinity and high stability. The 68Ga-labeled peptide [68Ga]Ga-TRAP(NT4)3 was characterized in vitro using the NTS1-expressing human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line HT29. It displayed fast and high internalization rates of >90%, but also fast efflux rates of 50% over 15 min. In vivo, [68Ga]Ga-TRAP(NT4)3 showed moderate HT29 tumor uptake values of 1.7 %ID/g at 60 min post-injection (p.i.), but also high uptake and retention in the kidneys and liver. A comparison of data for trimer/monomer pairs of NT ligands and other targeting vectors (peptides and peptoids targeting integrins αvβ3, α5β1, and αvβ6, the PSMA-ligand DUPA (2-[3-(1,3-dicarboxypropyl)-ureido]pentanedioic acid), and nitroimidazoles targeting hypoxia) revealed that multimers always exhibit higher target affinities and tumor uptake, but not necessarily improved tumor-to-tissue ratios. Thus, although in vitro data are not suitable for prediction of in vivo performance, multimers are potentially superior to monomers, particularly for applications where high tumor accumulation is crucial.
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Paulmichl A, Summer D, Manzl C, Rangger C, Orlandi F, Niedermoser S, Taguchi T, Wängler B, Decristoforo C. Targeting Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor with 68Ga-Labeled Peptides: An In Vitro Study on Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor-Cell Lines. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2016; 31:302-310. [DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2016.2092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Achim Paulmichl
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dominik Summer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Claudia Manzl
- Department of General Pathology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christine Rangger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Sabrina Niedermoser
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Takahiro Taguchi
- Division of Human Health and Medical Science, Graduate School of Kuroshio Science, Kochi University, Nankoku, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Japan
| | - Björn Wängler
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim of Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Clemens Decristoforo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Maschauer S, Einsiedel J, Hübner H, Gmeiner P, Prante O. 18F- and 68Ga-Labeled Neurotensin Peptides for PET Imaging of Neurotensin Receptor 1. J Med Chem 2016; 59:6480-92. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Maschauer
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Einsiedel
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), Schuhstraße 19, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), Schuhstraße 19, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), Schuhstraße 19, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olaf Prante
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, Molecular Imaging and Radiochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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Mascarin A, Valverde IE, Mindt TL. Radiolabeled analogs of neurotensin (8–13) containing multiple 1,2,3-triazoles as stable amide bond mimics in the backbone. MEDCHEMCOMM 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6md00208k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Substitution of multiple amide bonds by metabolically stable 1,2,3-triazoles yields novel tumour-targeting neurotensin-based peptidomimetics with interesting biological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Mascarin
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry
- University of Basel Hospital
- CH-4031 Basel
- Switzerland
| | - Ibai E. Valverde
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry
- University of Basel Hospital
- CH-4031 Basel
- Switzerland
| | - Thomas L. Mindt
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry
- University of Basel Hospital
- CH-4031 Basel
- Switzerland
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Applied Diagnostics
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