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Yamaguchi H, Okada M, Otani T, On J, Shibuma S, Takino T, Watanabe J, Tsukamoto Y, Ogura R, Oishi M, Suzuki T, Ishikawa A, Sakata H, Natsumeda M. Near-Infrared Photoimmunotherapy in Brain Tumors-An Unexplored Frontier. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2025; 18:751. [PMID: 40430568 PMCID: PMC12115099 DOI: 10.3390/ph18050751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2025] [Revised: 04/16/2025] [Accepted: 05/13/2025] [Indexed: 05/29/2025] Open
Abstract
Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a promising cancer treatment that uses near-infrared light to activate a conjugate of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) and a photoactivatable silica phthalocyanine dye (IRDye700DX: IR700). Unlike conventional photodynamic therapy (PDT), NIR-PIT selectively destroys targeted tumor cells while preserving the surrounding normal tissue and providing superior tissue penetration. Recently, NIR-PIT has been approved for the treatment of unresectable recurrent head and neck cancers in Japan. It induces highly selective cancer cell death; therefore, it is expected to be a new curative treatment option for various cancers, including brain tumors. In this review, we compare the principles of NIR-PIT and PDT and discuss the potential applications of NIR-PIT for brain tumors. We selected targetable proteins across various types of brain tumors and devised a strategy to effectively pass the mAb-IR700 conjugate through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is a significant challenge for NIR-PIT in treating brain tumors. Innovative approaches for delivering the mAb-IR700 conjugate across the BBB include exosomes, nanoparticle-based systems, and cell-penetrating peptides. Small-molecule compounds, such as affibodies, are anticipated to rapidly accumulate in tumors within intracranial models, and our preliminary experiments demonstrated rapid uptake. NIR-PIT also induces immunogenic cell death and activates the anti-tumor immune response. Overall, NIR-PIT is a promising approach for treating brain tumors. It has the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional therapies and offers new hope to patients with brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruka Yamaguchi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Dentistry at Niigata, The Nippon Dental University, Niigata 951-8580, Japan;
| | - Masayasu Okada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
- Department of Brain Tumor Biology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Takuya Otani
- Near InfraRed Photo-ImmunoTherapy Research Institute, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010, Japan;
| | - Jotaro On
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
| | - Satoshi Shibuma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
| | - Toru Takino
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
| | - Jun Watanabe
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
| | - Yoshihiro Tsukamoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
| | - Ryosuke Ogura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
| | - Makoto Oishi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
| | - Takamasa Suzuki
- Faculty of Engineering, Niigata University, Niigata 950-2181, Japan;
| | - Akihiro Ishikawa
- Startup Incubation Center, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto 604-8511, Japan; (A.I.); (H.S.)
| | - Hideyuki Sakata
- Startup Incubation Center, Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto 604-8511, Japan; (A.I.); (H.S.)
| | - Manabu Natsumeda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan; (M.O.); (J.O.); (S.S.); (T.T.); (J.W.); (Y.T.); (R.O.); (M.O.)
- Advanced Treatment of Neurological Diseases Branch, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
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Magagoum SH, Biteghe FAN, Siwe GT, Lang D, Lekena N, Barth S. SNAP-Tag-Based Recombinant Photoimmunotherapeutic Agents for the Selective Detection and Killing of Light-Accessible Melanotransferrin-Expressing Melanoma and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Med 2025; 14:e70912. [PMID: 40326388 PMCID: PMC12053452 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.70912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2025] [Accepted: 04/15/2025] [Indexed: 05/07/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Melanoma and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) represent the most aggressive skin and breast cancer subtypes and are associated with poor diagnostic and limited therapeutic options leading to poor prognosis. Melanotransferrin/p97 (MTf), initially identified as a tumor-associated antigen (TAA) in melanoma, is overexpressed in various solid tumors, including TNBC. Beyond its high differential expression and dreadful tumorigenic impact, MTf is also associated with chemoresistance development, and its inhibition significantly hampers tumor progression, making MTf a promising target for effective targeted therapies. Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is an approach that combines the precision of antibodies directed against specific TAA with the phototoxic effects of a light-sensitive photosensitizer (IR700), activated by near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. This study aimed to generate a novel photoimmunoconjugate to specifically destroy MTf-positive melanoma and TNBC cells in vitro following NIR light irradiation. METHODS A single-chain variable fragment (scFv) assembled from anti-MTf antibody L49 was recombinantly fused with the SNAP-tag protein (L49(scFv)-SNAP), capable of irreversible and autocatalytic conjugation to any O(6)-benzylguanine (BG) substrate in a 1:1 stoichiometry. Purified full-length SNAP-tag-based fusion protein (L49(scFv)-SNAP-tag) was either conjugated to a BG-modified fluorescent imaging agent (Alexa 488) to specifically assess its selective binding to MTf-expressing cell lines via confocal imaging and flow cytometry or to a BG-modified light-sensitive photosensitizer (IR700) to evaluate its phototoxic properties using an XTT cell viability assay. RESULTS The selective binding and internalization of L49(scFv)-SNAP-Alexa 488 towards MTf-positive melanoma and TNBC cell lines were successfully demonstrated with MTF expression percentages ranging from 52.8 to 83.1. Once confirmed, dose-dependent phototoxicity of L49(scFv)-SNAP-IR700 was achieved on illuminated MTf-positive cell lines showing IC50 values in the nanomolar range (2.20-5.24 nM). CONCLUSION This study highlights the therapeutic potential of MTf as a promising target for the diagnosis as well as selective and efficient elimination of NIR-light-accessible melanoma and TNBC by NIR-PIT. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03769506.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Hippolite Magagoum
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM)University of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | | | - Gael Tchokomeni Siwe
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM)University of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Dirk Lang
- Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Nkhasi Lekena
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM)University of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Stefan Barth
- Medical Biotechnology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM)University of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, South African Research Chair in Cancer BiotechnologyUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
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