Synthesis of ring- and side-chain-substituted m-iodobenzylguanidine analogues

With the goal of developing MIBG analogues with improved targeting properties especially for oncologic applications, several radioiodinated ring- and side-chain-substituted MIBG analogues were synthesized. Except for 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-nitrobenzylguanidine and N-hydroxy-3-[(131)I]iodobenzylguanidine, the radioiodinated analogues were prepared at no-carrier-added levels from their respective tin precursors. The radiochemical yields generally were in the range of 70-90% except for 3-amino-5-[(131)I]iodobenzylguanidine for which a radiochemical yield of about 40% was obtained. While the silicon precursor N(1),N(2)-bis(tert-butyloxycarbonyl)-N(1)-(4-nitro-3-trimethylsilylbenzyl)guanidine did not yield 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-nitrobenzylguanidine, its deprotected derivative, N(1)-(4-nitro-3-trimethylsilylbenzyl)guanidine was radioiodinated in a modest yield of 20% providing 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-nitrobenzylguanidine. Exchange radioiodination of 3-iodo-4-nitrobenzylguanidine gave 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-nitrobenzylguanidine in 80% radiochemical yield. No-carrier-added [(131)I]NHIBG was prepared from its silicon precursor N(1)-hydroxy-N(3)-(3-trimethylsilylbenzyl)guanidine in 85% radiochemical yield.     

An efficient targeted radiotherapy/gene therapy strategy utilising human telomerase promoters and radioastatine and harnessing radiation-mediated bystander effects

BACKGROUND: Targeted radiotherapy achieves malignant cell-specific concentration of radiation dosage by tumour-affinic molecules conjugated to radioactive atoms. Combining gene therapy with targeted radiotherapy is attractive because the associated cross-fire irradiation of the latter induces biological bystander effects upon neighbouring cells overcoming low gene transfer efficiency. METHODS: We sought to maximise the tumour specificity and efficacy of noradrenaline transporter (NAT) gene transfer combined with treatment using the radiopharmaceutical meta-[(131)I]iodobenzylguanidine ([(131)I]MIBG). Cell-kill was achieved by treatment with the beta-decay particle emitter [(131)I]MIBG or the alpha-particle emitter [(211)At]MABG. We utilised our novel transfected mosaic spheroid model (TMS) to determine whether this treatment strategy could result in sterilisation of spheroids containing only a small proportion of NAT-expressing cells. RESULTS: The concentrations of [(131)I]MIBG and [(211)At]MABG required to reduce to 0.1% the survival of clonogens derived from the TMS composed of 100% of NAT gene-transfected cells were 1.5 and 0.004 MBq/ml (RSV promoter), 8.5 and 0.0075 MBq/ml (hTR promoter), and 9.0 and 0.008 MBq/ml (hTERT promoter), respectively. The concentrations of radiopharmaceutical required to reduce to 0.1% the survival of clonogens derived from 5% RSV/NAT and 5% hTERT/NAT TMS were 14 and 23 MBq/ml, respectively, for treatment with [(131)I]MIBG and 0.018 and 0.028 MBq/ml, respectively, for treatment with [(211)At]MABG. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the telomerase promoters have the capacity to drive the expression of the NAT. The potency of [(211)At]MABG is approximately three orders of magnitude greater than that of [(131)I]MIBG. Spheroids composed of only 5% of cells expressing NAT under the control of the RSV or hTERT promoter were sterilised by radiopharmaceutical treatment. This observation is indicative of bystander cell-kill.     

A kit method for the high level synthesis of [211At]MABG

meta-[(211)At]Astatobenzylguanidine ([(211)At]MABG), an analogue of meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) labeled with the alpha-emitter (211)At, targets the norepinephrine transporter. Because MABG has been shown to have excellent characteristics in preclinical studies, it has been considered to be a promising targeted radiotherapeutic for the treatment of tumors such as micrometastatic neuroblastoma that overexpress the norepinephrine transporter. To facilitate clinical evaluation of this agent, a convenient method for the high level synthesis of [(211)At]MABG that is adaptable for kit formulation has been developed. A tin precursor anchored to a solid-support was treated with a methanolic solution of (211)At in the presence of a mixture of H(2)O(2)/HOAc as the oxidant; [(211)At]MABG was isolated by simple solid-phase extraction. By using C-18 solid-phase extraction, the radiochemical yield from 25 batches was 63+/-13%; however, loss of radioactivity during evaporation of the methanolic solution was a problem. This difficulty was avoided by use of a cation exchange resin cartridge for isolation of [(211)At]MABG, which resulted in radiochemical yields of 63+/-9% in a shorter duration of synthesis. The radiochemical purity was more than 90% and no chemical impurity has been detected. The final doses were sterile and apyrogenic. These results demonstrate that [(211)At]MABG can be prepared via a kit method at radioactivity levels anticipated for initiation of clinical studies.     

Meta-iodobenzylguanidine derivatives containing a second guanidine moiety

Radioiodinated meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is used in the diagnosis and therapy of various neuroendocrine tumors. To investigate whether an additional guanidine function in the structure of MIBG will yield analogues that may potentially enhance tumor-to-target ratios, two derivatives-one with a guanidine moiety and another with a guanidinomethyl group at the 4-position of MIBG-were prepared. In the absence of any uptake-1 inhibiting conditions, the uptake of 4-guanidinomethyl-3-[(131)I]iodobenzylguanidine ([(131)I]GMIBG) by SK-N-SH cells in vitro was 1.7+/-0.1% of input counts, compared to a value of 40.3+/-1.4% for [(125)I[MIBG suggesting that guanidinomethyl group at the 4-position negated the biological properties of MIBG. On the other hand, 4-guanidino-3-[(131)I]iodobenzylguanidine ([(131)I]GIBG) had an uptake (5.6+/-0.3%) that was 12-13% that of [(125)I]MIBG (46.1+/-2.7%), and the ratio of uptake by control over DMI-treated (nonspecific) cultures was higher for [(131)I]GIBG (20.9+/-0.3) than [(125)I]MIBG itself (15.0+/-2.7). The exocytosis of [(131)I]GIBG and [(125)I]MIBG from SK-N-SH cells was similar. The uptake of [(131)I]GIBG in the mouse target tissues, heart and adrenals, as well as in a number of other tissues was about half that of [(125)I]MIBG. These results suggest that substitution of guanidine functions, especially a guanidinomethyl group, in MIBG structure may not be advantageous.     

Radioiodine and 211At-labeled guanidinomethyl halobenzoyl octreotate conjugates: potential peptide radiotherapeutics for somatostatin receptor-positive cancers

Derivatives of the somatostatin analogues octreotide and octreotate labeled with radioiosotopes are used in the diagnosis and therapy of somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-positive tumors. A method has been devised to synthesize {N-(4-guanidinomethyl-3-iodobenzoyl)-Phe1-octreotate (GMIBO). Receptor binding assay and scatchard analysis yielded a Kd of 4.83 +/- 0.19 nM for this peptide. Derivatives of this peptide labeled with radioiodine ([*I]GMIBO) and the alpha-particle-emitting radiohalogen 211At N-(3-[211At]astato-4-guanidinomethylbenzoyl)-Phe1-octreotate; [211At]AGMBO} were prepared in a single step from a tin precursor in radiochemical yields of 30-35% and 15-20%, respectively. Paired-label internalization assays performed with the SSTR-positive D341 Med human medulloblastoma cell line demonstrated that [125I]GMIBO and [211At]AGMBO were specifically internalized 20-40% more than Nalpha-(1-deoxy-D-fructosyl)-[131I]I-Tyr3-octreotate ([131I]I-Glu-TOCA), the radioiodinated octreotide derivative previously shown to exhibit maximum internalization in this cell line. Uptake of [131I]GMIBO in D341 Med subcutaneous xenografts in a murine model (8.34 +/- 1.82 versus 8.10 +/- 2.23% ID/g at 1h) and SSTR-expressing normal tissues was comparable to that of [125I]I-Glu-TOCA and was shown to be specific. However, the uptake of [131I]GMIBO also was substantially higher in liver (16.9 +/- 3.15 versus 1.39 +/- 0.45% ID/g at 1 h) and in kidneys (44.33 +/- 6.47 versus 3.44 +/- 0.68% ID/g at 1h) compared to that of [125I]I-Glu-TOCA. These data suggest that these novel peptide conjugates retain their specificity for SSTR both in vitro and in vivo; however, because of their higher accumulation in normal tissues they would be best applied in settings amenable to loco-regional administration such as medulloblastoma neoplastic meningitis.     

A radioiodinated MIBG-octreotate conjugate exhibiting enhanced uptake and retention in SSTR2-expressing tumor cells

Several neuroendocrine tumors are known to express both the somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2) and the norepinephrine transporter (NET), and radiopharmaceuticals directed toward both these targets such as MIBG and octreotide derivatives are routinely used in the clinic. To investigate the possibility of targeting both NET and SSTR2 conjointly, a conjugate of radioiodinated MIBG and octreotate was synthesized. Attempts to synthesize the radioiodinated target compound (MIBG-octreotate; [ (131)I] 12a) from a tin precursor were futile; however, it could be accomplished from a bromo precursor by exchange radioiodination in 3-36% ( n = 10) radiochemical yields. The total uptake of [ (131)I] 12a in SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells transfected to express SSTR2 (SK-N-SHsst2) was similar to that for [ (125)I]MIBG at all time points (34.9 +/- 2.4% vs 43.8 +/- 1.2% at 4 h; p < 0.05), while it was substantially lower (5.4 +/- 0.3% vs 35.9 +/- 1.2%) in the SH-SY5Y cell line, a subclone of SK-N-SH line that is known to express SSTR2. The NET blocker desipramine reduced the uptake of [ (131)I] 12a only to a small extent, further suggesting a limited role of NET in its binding and accumulation. Uptake of [ (131)I] 12a in SK-N-SHsst2 cells was 8-10-fold higher ( p < 0.05) than that of [ (125)I]I-Gluc-TOCA, an octreotide analogue, at all time points over a 4 h period and was reduced to about 20% by 10 muM octreotide demonstrating that the uptake of [ (131)I] 12a in this cell line is predominantly mediated by SSTR2. The intracellularly trapped radioactivity in SK-N-SHsst2 cells was substantially higher for [ (131)I] 12a compared to that for [ (125)I]OIBG-octreotate, an isomeric congener of 12a. Because MIBG has more specific NET-mediated uptake than OIBG, this suggests at least a partial role for NET-mediated uptake of [ (131)I] 12a in this cell line. While further refinement in the structure of the conjugate-probably interposition of a flexible and/or cleavable linker between the MIBG and octreotate moieties-may be necessary to make it a substrate/ligand for both NET and SSTR2, this conjugate is demonstrated to be much superior than I-Gluc-TOCA with respect to the uptake in SSTR2-expressing cells.     

Updating the procedure for metaiodobenzylguanidine labelling with iodine radioisotopes employed in industrial production.

The classical procedure used for the preparation of [125I]- and [131I]metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is the solid-phase isotopic exchange between MIBG and radioiodide. This reaction requires 1.5 hours at 160 degrees C to obtain maximum total labelling yields of 75-80%. Recently, the importance of rapid procedures for the preparation of 123I-MIBG has been highlighted. A highly efficient procedure for the industrial production of 123I-MIBG using ascorbic acid, tin sulfate and copper sulfate pentahydrate in 0.01 M sulfuric acid is reported. Sequential radio-TLC analysis of the labelling mixture shows that the labelling yield reaches 98% within 45 min at 100 degrees C. The specific activity of the 123I-MIBG produced in this manner is on the order of 100 Ci/mmol.     

A polar substituent-containing acylation agent for the radioiodination of internalizing monoclonal antibodies: N-succinimidyl 4-guanidinomethyl-3-[131I]iodobenzoate ([131I]SGMIB)

The objective of this study was to develop an acylation agent for the radioiodination of monoclonal antibodies that would maximize retention of the label in tumor cells following receptor- or antigen-mediated internalization. The strategy taken was to add a polar substituent to the labeled aromatic ring to impede transport of labeled catabolites across lysosomal and cell membranes after antibody degradation. Preparation of unlabeled N-succinimidyl 4-guanidinomethyl-3-iodobenzoate (SGMIB) was achieved in six steps from 3-iodo-4-methylbenzoic acid. Preparation of 4-guanidinomethyl-3-[131I]iodobenzoic acid from the silicon precursor, 4-(N1,N2-bis-tert-butyloxycarbonyl)guanidinomethyl-3-trimethylsilylbenzoic acid proceeded in less than 5% radiochemical yield. A more successful approach was to prepare [131I]SGMIB directly from the tin precursor, N-succinimidyl 4-(N1,N2-bis-tert-butyloxycarbonyl)guanidinomethyl-3-trimethylstannylbenzoate, which was achieved in 60-65% radiochemical yield. A rapidly internalizing anti-epidermal growth factor receptor variant III antibody L8A4 was labeled using [131I]SGMIB in 65% conjugation efficiency and with preservation of immunoreactivity. Paired-label in vitro internalization assays demonstrated that the amount of radioactivity retained in cells after internalization for L8A4 labeled with [131I]SGMIB was 3-4-fold higher than that for L8A4 labeled with 125I using either Iodogen or [125I]SIPC. Catabolite assays documented that the increased retention of radioiodine in tumor cells for antibody labeled using [131I]SGMIB was due to positively charged, low molecular weight species. These results suggest that [131I]SGMIB warrants further evaluation as a reagent for labeling internalizing antibodies.     

Synthesis and evaluation of glycosylated octreotate analogues labeled with radioiodine and 211At via a tin precursor

Carbohydration of N-terminus and substitution of a threonine for the threoninol residue at the C-terminus of Tyr3-octreotide (TOC) has resulted in improved pharmacokinetics and tumor targeting of its radioiodinated derivatives. Yet, these peptides are very susceptible to in vivo deiodination due to the similarity of monoiodotyrosine (MIT) to thyroid hormone. The goal of this work was to develop octreotate analogues containing both a sugar moiety and a nontyrosine prosthetic group on which a radioiodine or 211At can be introduced. Solid-phase synthesis and subsequent modifications delivered an iodo standard of the target peptide N(alpha)-(1-deoxy-D-fructosyl)-N(epsilon)-(3-iodobenzoyl)-Lys0-octreotate (GIBLO) and the corresponding tin precursor N(alpha)-(1-deoxy-D-fructosyl)-N(epsilon)-[(3-tri-n-butylstannyl)benzoyl]-Lys0-octreotate (GTBLO). GIBLO displaced [125I]TOC from somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2)-positive AR42J rat pancreatic tumor cell membranes with an IC50 of 0.46 +/- 0.05 nM suggesting that GIBLO retained affinity to SSTR2. GTBLO was radiohalogenated to [131I]GIBLO and N(alpha)-(1-deoxy-D-fructosyl)-N(epsilon)-(3-[211At]astatobenzoyl)-Lys0-octreotate ([211At]GABLO) in 21.2 +/- 4.9% and 46.8 +/- 9.5% radiochemical yields, respectively. From a paired-label internalization assay using D341 Med medulloblastoma cells, the maximum specific internalized radioactivity from [131I]GIBLO was 1.78 +/- 0.8% of input dose compared to 9.67 +/- 0.43% for N(alpha)-(1-deoxy-D-fructosyl)-[125I]iodo-Tyr3-octreotate ([125I]I-Gluc-TOCA). Over a 4 h period, the extent of internalization of [131I]GIBLO and [211At]GABLO was similar in this cell line. In D341 Med murine subcutaneous xenografts, the uptake of [125I]I-Gluc-TOCA at 0.5, 1 and 4 h was 21.5 +/- 4.0% ID/g, 18.8 +/- 7.7% ID/g, and 0.9 +/- 0.4% ID/g, respectively. In comparison, these values for [131I]GIBLO were 6.9 +/- 1.2% ID/g, 4.7 +/- 1.4% ID/g, and 0.8 +/- 0.5% ID/g. Both in vitro and in vivo catabolism studies did not suggest the severance of the lys0 along with its appendages from the peptide. Taken together, although GIBLO maintained affinity to SSTR2, its tumor uptake both in vitro and in vivo was substantially lower than that of I-Gluc-TOCA suggesting other factors such as net charge and overall geometry of the peptide may be important.     

N-succinimidyl 5-(trialkylstannyl)-3-pyridinecarboxylates: a new class of reagents for protein radioiodination

N-Succinimidyl 5-(trialkylstannyl)-3-pyridinecarboxylates (alkyl = Me, Bu) have been prepared and used as a precursor to label N-succinimidyl 5-[131I]iodo-3-pyridinecarboxylate (SIPC). SIPC was obtained in greater than 80% yield from either the methyl or butyl precursor with N-chlorosuccinimide and heating at 60-65 degrees C. Significantly lower yields were observed with tert-butyl hydroperoxide. After a 30-min incubation with [131I]SIPC at pH 8.5, goat IgG, an intact monoclonal antibody (MAb), and a MAb F(ab')2 fragment were labeled in 60-65% yield. Specific binding of the MAb and MAb fragment after SIPC labeling was identical with that observed with N-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate and higher than that reported previously for these MAbs after labeling by using the Iodogen method. When 5-[131I]iodonicotinic acid was injected into normal mice, thyroid uptake was less than 0.2% of the injected dose, reflecting the inertness of this compound to deiodination. Paired-label biodistribution studies indicate that for both the MAb and the F(ab')2 labeled by using SIPC, accumulation of activity in the thyroid and other tissues is comparable to that observed when these proteins were labeled by using N-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoate. The results of this study suggest that SIPC may be a reagent for labeling MAbs with halogen nuclides.     

Reagents for astatination of biomolecules. 2. Conjugation of anionic boron cage pendant groups to a protein provides a method for direct labeling that is stable to in vivo deastatination

Cancer-targeting biomolecules labeled with 211At must be stable to in vivo deastatination, as control of the 211At distribution is critical due to the highly toxic nature of alpha-particle emission. Unfortunately, no astatinated aryl conjugates have shown in vivo stability toward deastatination when (relatively) rapidly metabolized proteins, such as monoclonal antibody Fab' fragments, are labeled. As a means of increasing the in vivo stability of 211At-labeled proteins, we have been investigating antibody conjugates of boron cage moieties. In this investigation, protein-reactive derivatives containing a nido-carborane (2), a bis-nido-carborane derivative (Venus Flytrap Complex, 3), and four 2-nonahydro-closo-decaborate(2-) derivatives (4-7) were prepared and conjugated with an antibody Fab' fragment such that subsequent astatination and in vivo tissue distributions could be obtained. To aid in determination of stability toward in vivo deastatination, the Fab'-borane conjugates were also labeled with 125I, and that material was coinjected with the 211At-labeled Fab'. For comparison, direct labeling of the Fab' with 125I and 211At was conducted. Direct labeling with Na[125I]I and Chloramine-T gave an 89% radiochemical yield. However, direct labeling of the Fab' with Na[211At]At and Chloramine-T resulted in a yield of <1% after quenching with NaS2O5. As another comparison, the same Fab' was conjugated with p-[211At]astatobenzoate NHS ester, [211At]1c-Fab', and (separately) with p-[125I]iodobenzoate NHS ester, [125I]1b-Fab'. An evaluation in athymic mice demonstrated that [211At]1c-Fab' underwent deastatination. In contrast, the high in vivo stability of [125I]1b-Fab' allowed it to be used as a tracer control for the natural distribution of Fab'. Although found to be much more stable in vivo than [211At]1c-Fab', the biodistributions of nido-carborane conjugated Fab' ([125I]2-Fab'/ [211At]2-Fab') and the bis-nido-carborane (VFC) ([125I]3-Fab'/[211At]3-Fab') had very different in vivo distributions than the control [125I]1b-Fab'. Biodistributions of closo-decaborate(2-) conjugates ([125I]4-Fab'/[211At]4-Fab', [125I]6-Fab'/[211At]6-Fab', and [125I]7-Fab'/[211At]7-Fab') demonstrated that they were stable to in vivo deastatination and had distributions similar to that of the control [125I]1b-Fab'. In contrast, a benzyl-modified closo-decaborate(2-) derivative evaluated in vivo ([125I]5-Fab'/[211At]5-Fab') had a very different tissue distribution from the control. This study has shown that astatinated protein conjugates of closo-decaborate(2-) are quite stable to in vivo deastatination and that some derivatives have little effect on the distribution of Fab'. Additionally, direct 211At labeling of Fab' conjugated with closo-decaborate(2-) derivatives provide very high (e.g., 58-75%) radiochemical yields. However, in vivo data also indicate that the closo-decaborate(2-) may cause some retention of radioactivity in the liver. Studies to optimize the closo-decaborate(2-) conjugates for protein labeling are underway.     

Preparation of Rh[16aneS4-diol](211)At and Ir[16aneS4-diol](211)At complexes as potential precursors for astatine radiopharmaceuticals. Part I: Synthesis

The goal of this study was to evaluate a new approach that can be applied for labeling biomolecules with (211)At. Many astatine compounds that have been synthesized are unstable in vivo, providing motivation for seeking different (211)At labeling strategies. The approach evaluated in this study was to attach astatide anions to soft metal cations, which are also complexed by a bifunctional ligand. Ultimately, this complex could in principle be subsequently conjugated to a biomolecule with the proper selection of ligand functionality. We report here the attachment of (211)At(-) and *I(-) (*I = (131)I or (125)I) anions to the soft metal cations Rh(III) and Ir(III), which are complexed by the 1,5,9,13-tetrathiacyclohexadecane-3,11-diol (16aneS4-diol) ligand. Radioactive *I(-) anions were used for preliminary studies directed at the optimization of reaction conditions and to provide a baseline for comparison of results with (211)At. Four complexes Rh[16aneS4-diol]*I/(211)At and Ir[16aneS4-diol]*I/(211)At were synthesized in high yield in a one-step procedure, and the products were characterized mainly by paper electrophoresis and reversed-phase HPLC. The influences of time and temperature of heating and concentrations of metal cations and sulfur ligand 16aneS4-diol, as well as pH on the reaction yields were determined. Yields of about 80% were obtained when the quantities of Rh(III) or Ir(III) cations and 16aneS4-diol ligand in the solutions were 62.5 nmol and 250 nmol, respectively, and the pH ranged 3.0-4.0. Syntheses required heating for 1-1.5 h at 75-80 degrees C. The influence of microwave heating on the time and completeness of the complexation reaction was evaluated and compared with the conventional method of heating in an oil bath. Microwave synthesis accelerates reactions significantly. With microwave heating, yields of about 75% for Rh[16aneS4-diol](131)I and Ir[16aneS4-diol](131)I complexes were obtained after only 20 min exposure of the reaction mixtures to microwave radiation. In conclusion, this study has shown that it is possible to attach an astatide anion to soft metal cations in a simple and fast one-step procedure, with high yields. These complexes will be evaluated as reagents for labeling biomolecules.     

N-succinimidyl 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-phosphonomethylbenzoate ([(131)I]SIPMB), a negatively charged substituent-bearing acylation agent for the radioiodination of peptides and mAbs

An important criterion in design of acylation agents for the radioiodination of internalizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is to maximize the retention of radioiodine in the tumor following mAb intracellular processing. We have previously shown that labeling methods that generate positively charged catabolites have enhanced tumor retention. Herein we have extended this strategy to investigate the potential utility of labeling internalizing mAbs with an acylation agent that yielded labeled catabolites that would be negatively charged at lysosomal pH. The negatively charged acylation agent, N-succinimidyl 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-phosphonomethylbenzoate ([(131)I]SIPMB), was prepared from its tin precursor, N-succinimidyl 4-di-tert-butylphosphonomethyl-3-trimethylstannylbenzoate (tBu-SPMTB), in 40% radiochemical yield. The free acid, 3-[(131)I]iodo-4-phosphonomethylbenzoic acid ([(131)I]IPMBA), was also prepared from the corresponding precursor, 4-di-tert-butylphosphonomethyl-3-trimethylstannylbenzoic acid (tBu-PMTBA), in 80% radiochemical yield. The rapidly internalizing mAb L8A4 was conjugated to [(131)I]SIPMB in 25-40% yield with preservation of its immunoreactivity. Internalization and processing in the U87DeltaEGFR glioma cell line was studied in a paired label format with L8A4 labeled with (125)I using the Iodogen method. Retention of initially bound radioactivity in these cells at 24 h from [(131)I]SIPMB-labeled mAb was approximately 6-fold higher than that for directly labeled mAb. Catabolite analysis demonstrated that this difference reflected an order of magnitude higher retention of low molecular weight species in these cells. The [(131)I]SIPMB-L8A4 conjugate was intact over the first 2 h; thereafter, lysine-[(131)I]SIPMB was the predominant catabolite. In contrast, L8A4 labeled using Iodogen rapidly gave rise to mono-[(125)I]iodotyrosine within 2 h, which then cleared rapidly from the cells. These results suggest that SIPMB could be a potent candidate for labeling internalizing mAbs and warrant further study.     

Potential and practical adrenomedullary PET radiopharmaceuticals as an alternative to m-iodobenzylguanidine: m-(omega-[18F]fluoroalkyl)benzylguanidines

To investigate adrenomedullary radiopharmaceuticals for positron emission tomography (PET), we have developed no-carrier-added m-(omega-[18F]fluoroalkyl)benzylguanidines. m-(omega-[18F]Fluoroalkyl)benzylguanidines were prepared in two steps starting from N,N'-bis(tert-butyloxycarbonyl)-N' '-(omega-methanesulfonyloxyalkyl)benzylguanidines in 20-30% radiochemical yields (decay corrected for 100 min) and with high radiochemical purity (>97%) and shown to be stable (>90%) in an in vitro metabolic stability assay. The binding of m-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)benzylguanidine ((18F]3) to SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells was temperature dependent, and binding levels at 4 degrees C were reduced to half of that at 37 degrees C, which was similar to the reduction rate observed for [123I]MIBG. Tissue distribution studies in mice showed the highest uptake in the adrenals (%ID/g = 27.2 +/- 5.0%) with relatively high uptake in the myocardium (%ID/g = 9.3 +/- 0.5%). The results suggest that this radiotracer holds promise as a useful adrenomedullary radiopharmaceutical for PET imaging.     

Biotin reagents in antibody pretargeting. 6. Synthesis and in vivo evaluation of astatinated and radioiodinated aryl- and nido-carboranyl-biotin derivatives

An investigation has been conducted to prepare and evaluate several radiohalogenated biotin derivatives as part of our studies to develop reagents for carrying (211)At in cancer pretargeting protocols. The primary goal of the investigation was to determine the in vivo stability and distribution properties of astatinated biotin derivatives. In addition to astatination, the biotin derivatives were radioiodinated for in vitro and in vivo comparison. Biodistributions were conducted in athymic mice, with sacrifice times of 1, 4, and 24 h to correspond to 9%, 32%, and 90% of (211)At decay (t(1/2) = 7.21 h). In the investigation, two biotin derivatives, 1a and 2a, were synthesized which had structures that contain a biotin moiety, a biotinidase-blocking moiety, an ether linker moiety, and an aryl stannane moiety for radiohalogenation. Biotin derivatives 1a and 2a were radiolabeled with (125/131)I to give [(125)/(131)I]1b or [(125)I]2b and with (211)At to give [(211)At]1c or [(211)At]2c. In vivo studies demonstrated that co-injected [(125)I]2b and [(131)I]1b had very similar tissue distributions in athymic mice. Co-injection of [(211)At]2c and [(125)I]2b provided data that indicated that rapid deastatination occurred in vivo. A second set of biotin derivatives, 3a, 4a, and 5a, were synthesized which had structures that contain a biotin moiety, a biotinidase-blocking moiety, and an anionic nido-carborane moiety for radiohalogenation. The biotin derivatives 4a and 5a contained an aryl moiety not present in 3a, and 5a had a trialkylamine functionality not present in 3a or 4a. Biotin derivative 3a was radioiodinated, but was not further investigated. Biotin derivatives 4a and 5a were radiolabeled with (211)At and (125)I to produce [(125)I]4b/[(211)At]4c and [(125)I]5b/[(211)At]5c. Comparison of [(125)I]4b and (separately) [(125)I]5b with [(131)I]1b showed that the nido-carborane containing biotin derivatives were retained in blood and tissue more than the aryl iodide derivative. In vivo evaluations of [(211)At]4c/[(125)I]4b and (separately) [(211)At]5c/[(125)I]5b indicated that some deastatination occurred in these compounds, but it was much less than observed for the aryl derivative [(211)At]2c. While the nido-carborane containing biotin derivatives provide a significant improvement in astatine stability over biotin derivatives previously studied, additional derivatives need to be prepared and studied to further improve the in vivo stability and blood/tissue clearance of these compounds.     

Radioiodination of proteins using prosthetic group: a convenient way to produce labelled proteins with in vivo stability.

Radiolabelled peptides can provide new approaches for radiopharmaceutical development. Several prosthetic groups have been developed for radioiodination of proteins in order to minimize in vivo dehalogenation. In this work, the prosthetic group N-succinimidyl 4-[131I]iodobenzoate ([131I]SIB) was obtained by an alternative procedure that employs Cu(I) assisted radioiododebromination to produce p-[131I]iodobenzoic acid with a radiochemical yield of 92.73 +/- 1.51% (N = 6), followed by the reaction with TSTU (O-(N-succinimidyl)-N,N,N'N'-tetramethyluronium) in alkaline medium. The HPLC profile of the final product, revealed that [131I]SIB was obtained with a radiochemical purity of 98.19 +/- 1.14% (N = 6 Swiss mices (normal group) and animals with inflammation focus developed on the right thigh by tupertine injection) were injected with human immunoglobulin (IgG) radioiodinated with [131I]SIB and by direct method (Iodogen). The comparison of results showed a fast blood clearance, better target organ/background relation and low uptake in thyroid and stomach (p < 0.01) for the protein labelled with [131I]SIB, what suggests a greater in vivo stability.     

Transfectant mosaic spheroids: a new model for evaluation of tumour cell killing in targeted radiotherapy and experimental gene therapy

Background

We describe an in vitro tumour model for targeted radiotherapy and gene therapy that incorporates cell population heterogeneity.

Materials and methods

Transfectant mosaic spheroids (TMS) and transfected mosaic monolayers (TMM) are composed of two cell populations derived from a single cell line. The cells of one population were transfected with the noradrenaline transporter gene (NAT), allowing active uptake of a radiolabelled targeting agent meta‐[¹³¹I]iodobenzylguanidine ([¹³¹I]MIBG); the other population of cells was derived from the same parent line and transfected with a marker gene – green fluorescent protein (GFP). After treatment with [¹³¹I]MIBG, cell kill was determined in TMM by clonogenic assay and in TMS by clonogenic assay and spheroid growth delay.

Results

We have used the TMS model to assess the ‘radiological bystander effect’ (radiation cross‐fire) conferred by the β‐emitting radiopharmaceutical [¹³¹I] MIBG whose cellular uptake is facilitated by the transfected gene encoding NAT. We show that cell killing by [¹³¹I]MIBG in both TMS and TMM cultures increased in direct proportion to the fraction of NAT‐transfected cells and that the degree of cell killing against fraction transfected was greater in TMS, suggestive of a greater bystander effect in the three‐dimensional culture system.

Conclusions

TMS provide a useful model for assessment of the effectiveness of targeted radiotherapy in combination with gene therapy when less than 100% of the target cell population is expressing the NAT transgene. Further, this novel model offers the unique opportunity to investigate radiation‐induced bystander effects and their contribution to cell cytotoxicity in radiotherapy and other gene therapy applications. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Streptavidin in antibody pretargeting. 5. chemical modification of recombinant streptavidin for labeling with the alpha-particle-emitting radionuclides 213Bi and 211At

We are investigating the use of recombinant streptavidin (rSAv) as a carrier molecule for the short-lived alpha-particle-emitting radionuclides 213Bi ( t 1/2 = 45.6 min) and 211At ( t 1/2 = 7.21 h) in cancer therapy. To utilize rSAv as a carrier, it must be modified in a manner that permits rapid chelation or bonding with these short-lived radionuclides and also modified in a manner that diminishes its natural propensity for localization in the kidney. Modification for labeling with (213)Bi was accomplished by conjugation of rSAv with the DTPA derivative p-isothiocyanato-benzyl-CHX-A' (CHX-A'), 3a. Modification for direct labeling with 211At was accomplished by conjugation of rSAv with an isothiocyanatophenyl derivative of a nido-carborane (nCB), 3b, or an isothiocyanatophenyl-dPEG/decaborate(2-) derivative, 3c. After conjugation of the chelating or bonding moiety, rSAv was further modified by reaction with an excess (50-100 equivalents) of succinic anhydride. Succinylation of the lysine amines has previously been shown to greatly diminish kidney localization. rSAv modified by conjugation with 3a and succinylated rapidly radiolabeled with 213Bi (<5 min), providing a 72% isolated yield. 211At labeling of modified rSAv was accomplished in aqueous solution using chloramine-T as the oxidant. Astatination of rSAv conjugated with 3b and succinylated occurred very rapidly (<1 min), providing a 50% isolated radiochemical yield. Astatination of rSAv conjugated with 3c and succinylated was also very rapid (<1 min) providing 66-71% isolated radiochemical yields. Astatination of succinylated rSAv, 2a, which did not have conjugated borane cage moieties, resulted in a much lower radiolabeling yield (18%). The 213Bi or 211At-labeled modified rSAv preparations were mixed with the corresponding 125 I-labeled rSAv, and dual-label in vivo distributions were obtained in athymic mice. The in vivo data show that 213Bi-labeled succinylated rSAv [ 213Bi] 6a has tissue concentrations similar to those of 125 I-labeled modified rSAv [ 125 I] 6b, suggesting that (213)Bi is quite stable toward release from the chelate in vivo. In vivo data also indicate that the (211)At-labeled rSAv conjugated with 3b or 3c and succinylated are stable to in vivo deastatination, whereas succinylated rSAv lacking a boron cage moiety is subject to some deastatination. The modified rSAv conjugated with nido-carborane derivative 3b has a higher retention in many tissues than rSAv without the carborane conjugated. Interestingly, the rSAv conjugated with 3c, which also contains an m-dPEG 12 moiety, has significantly decreased concentrations in blood and other tissues when compared with those of direct-labeled rSAv, suggesting that it may be a good candidate for further study. In conclusion, rSAv that has been modified with CHX-A' and succinylated (i.e., 5a) may be useful as a carrier of 213Bi. The encouraging results obtained with the PEGylated decaborate(2-) derivative 3c and succinylated (i.e., 5c) suggests that its further study as a carrier of 211At in pretargeting protocols is warranted.     

Labeling proteins with fluorine-18 using N-succinimidyl 4-[18F]fluorobenzoate

Two methods were investigated for the no-carrier-added synthesis of N-succinimidyl 4-[¹⁸F]fluorobenzoate (S[¹⁸F]FB). The first, an attempted nucleophilic aromatic substitution by [¹⁸F]fluoride on N-succinimidyl 4-nitrobenzoate was unsuccessful. The second method involved three steps; [¹⁸F]fluoride for trimethylammonium substitution on 4-formyl-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium triflate, oxidation to 4-[¹⁸F]fluorobenzoic acid, followed by reaction with N-hydroxysuccinimide and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide to form S[¹⁸F]FB. Total synthesis and purification time was 100 min and the overall radiochemical yield was 25% (decay corrected). A monoclonal antibody F(ab′)₂ fragment could be labeled in 40–60% yield by reaction with S[¹⁸F]FB for 15–20 min. The tissue distribution in normal mice and in vitro tumor binding of the antibody F(ab′)₂ labeled by reaction with S[¹⁸F]FB were comparable to those observed for the fragment after radioiodination using N-succinimidyl 4-[¹²⁵I]iodobenzoate.