Bombesin Antagonist–Based Radioligands for Translational Nuclear Imaging of Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor–Positive Tumors

• DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.111.094375
• Publication Date: 2011-11-12T08:05:25Z
• Authors: Keelara Abiraj; Rosalba Mansi; Maria-Luisa Tamma; Melpomeni Fani; Flavio Forrer; Guillaume Nicolas; Renzo Cescato; Jean Claude Reubi; Helmut R. Maecke
• Keywords: Diagnostic Imaging; Male; Radiochemistry; Prostatic Neoplasms; Acetates; Ligands; Multimodal Imaging; Polyethylene Glycols; 3. Good health; Receptors, Bombesin; Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; HEK293 Cells; 0302 clinical medicine; Cell Line, Tumor; Positron-Emission Tomography; Animals; Humans; Bombesin; Calcium; Amino Acid Sequence; Oligopeptides

Bombesin receptors are overexpressed on a variety of human tumors. In particular, the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPr) has been identified on prostate and breast cancers and on gastrointestinal stromal tumors. The current study aims at developing clinically translatable bombesin antagonist-based radioligands for SPECT and PET of GRPr-positive tumors.A potent bombesin antagonist (PEG(4)-D-Phe-Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Sta-Leu-NH(2) [AR]) was synthesized; conjugated to the chelators DOTA, 6-carboxy-1,4,7,11-tetraazaundecane (N4), 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 1-glutaric acid-4,7 acetic acid (NODAGA), and 4,11-bis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane (CB-TE2A); and radiolabeled with (111)In, (99m)Tc, (68)Ga, and (64)Cu, respectively. The radioconjugates were evaluated in vitro and in vivo in PC-3 tumor-bearing nude mice. Antagonist potency was determined by Ca(2+)-flux measurements and immunofluorescence.All the conjugates showed high binding affinity to GRPr (inhibitory concentration of 50% [IC(50)], 2.5-25 nmol/L). The immunofluorescence and Ca(2+)-flux assays confirmed the antagonist properties of the conjugates. Biodistribution revealed high and specific uptake in PC-3 tumor and in GRPr-positive tissues. Tumor uptake of (64)Cu-CB-TE2A-AR (31.02 ± 3.35 percentage injected activity per gram [%IA/g]) was higher than (99m)Tc-N4-AR (24.98 ± 5.22 %IA/g), (111)In-DOTA-AR (10.56 ± 0.70 %IA/g), and (68)Ga-NODAGA-AR (7.11 ± 3.26 %IA/g) at 1 h after injection. Biodistribution at later time points showed high tumor-to-background ratios because of the fast washout of the radioligand from normal organs, compared with tumor. High tumor-to-background ratios were further illustrated by PET and SPECT images of PC-3 tumor-bearing nude mice acquired at 12 h after injection showing high tumor uptake, clear background, and negligible or no radioactivity in the abdomen.The chelators do influence the affinity, antagonistic potency, and pharmacokinetics of the conjugates. The promising preclinical results warrant clinical translation of these probes for SPECT and PET.