Preliminary observations of malignant melanoma therapy using radiolabeled alpha-methyltyrosine

α-Emitting cancer therapy using 211 At-AAMT targeting LAT1

α-Methyl-l-tyrosine (AMT) has a high affinity for the cancer-specific l-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1). Therefore, we established an anti-cancer therapy, with ²¹¹ At-labeled α-methyl-l-tyrosine (²¹¹ At-AAMT) as a carrier of ²¹¹ At into tumors. ²¹¹ At-AAMT had high affinity for LAT1, inhibited tumor cell growth, and induced DNA double-stranded breaks in vitro. We evaluated the accumulation of ²¹¹ At-AAMT in vivo and the role of LAT1. Treatment with 0.4 MBq/mouse ²¹¹ At-AAMT inhibited tumor growth in the PANC-1 tumor model and 1 MBq/mouse ²¹¹ At-AAMT inhibited metastasis in the lung of the B16F10 metastasis model. Our results suggested that ²¹¹ At would be useful for anti-cancer therapy and that LAT1 is suitable as a target for radionuclide therapy.

3-[(123)I]Iodo-alpha-methyl-L-tyrosine: uptake mechanisms and clinical applications

3-[(123)I]Iodo-alpha-methyl-L-tyrosine (IMT) is an artificial amino acid which has gained considerable interest in Nuclear Medicine in the last two decades. Although the tracer is not incorporated into proteins it exhibits high uptake in brain tumors and appears to be a valuable tool especially for the diagnostic evaluation and therapy planning of patients with cerebral gliomas. In this paper the present knowledge of the uptake mechanisms and the clinical applications of IMT are reviewed and the clinical perspectives discussed.

Modification of the structure of a metallopeptide: synthesis and biological evaluation of (111)In-labeled DOTA-conjugated rhenium-cyclized alpha-MSH analogues

Rhenium-cyclized CCMSH analogues are novel melanoma-targeting metallopeptides with high tumor uptake, long tumor retention, and low background in normal tissues, which make these metallopeptides an ideal structural motif for designing novel melanoma-targeting agents. ReCCMSH has been derivatized with a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) chelate so that it can be labeled with a wide variety of radionuclides for imaging and therapeutic applications. This study involved optimization of the in vivo biological properties of DOTA-ReCCMSH (S), through modification of the structure of the metallopeptide. Several DOTA-ReCCMSH analogues, Ac-Lys(DOTA)-ReCCMSH (4) DOTA-ReCCMSH(Arg(11)) (6), DOTA-ReCCMSH-OH (8), and DOTA-ReCCMSH-Asp-OH (10), were synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis followed by rhenium cyclization. The IC(50) values of the metallopeptides were determined through competitive binding assays against (125)I-(Tyr(2))-NDP. Radiolabeling of the DOTA-rhenium-cyclized peptides with (111)In was carried out in NH(4)OAc (0.1 M; pH 5.5)-buffered solution for 30 min at 70 degrees C. The stability of the radiolabeled complexes was evaluated in 0.01 M, pH 7.4, phosphate-buffered saline/0.1% bovine serum albumin solution. After separation of the radiolabeled peptide from the unlabeled peptide by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography, the biodistribution of the radiolabeled complex was performed in C57 mice bearing B16/F1 murine melanoma tumors. All radiolabeled complexes showed fast blood clearance (2 h postinjection (pi): (111)In-S, 0.07 +/- 0.03% ID/g; (111)In-4, 0.09 +/- 0.06% ID/g; (111)In-6, 0.21 +/- 0.08% ID/g; (111)In-8, 0.11 +/- 0.10% ID/g; and (111)In-10, 0.05 +/- 0.03% ID/g), and their clearance was predominantly through the urine (4 h pi: 93.5 +/- 1.7, 87.8 +/- 6.5, 89.8 +/- 4.2, 93.3 +/- 1.1, and 93.8 +/- 1.8 (% ID) for (111)In-labeled S, 4, 6, 8, and 10, respectively). Tumor uptake values of 9.45 +/- 0.90, 6.01 +/- 2.36, 17.41 +/- 5.61, 9.27 +/- 0.68, and 7.32 +/- 2.09 (% ID/g) for (111)In-labeled S, 4, 6, 8, and 10, respectively, were observed at 4 h pi. The kidney uptake was 9.27 +/- 2.65% ID/g for (111)In-S, 19.02 +/- 2.63% ID/g for (111)In-4, 7.37 +/- 1.13% ID/g for (111)In-6, 8.70 +/- 0.88% ID/g for (111)In-8, and 8.13 +/- 1.47% ID/g for (111)In-10 at 4 h pi. Complex 6 showed high melanoma uptake and lower kidney uptake than the corresponding Lys(11) analogues, supporting 6 for further investigations as a potential therapeutic radiopharmaceutical.

Targeted therapy using alpha emitters

Radionuclides such as 211At and 212Bi which decay by the emission of alpha-particles are attractive for certain applications of targeted radiotherapy. The tissue penetration of 212Bi and 211At alpha-particles is equivalent to only a few cell diameters, offering the possibility of combining cell-specific targeting with radiation of similar range. Unlike the beta-particles emitted by radionuclides such as 131I and 90Y, alpha-particles are radiation of high linear energy transfer and thus greater biological effectiveness. Several approaches have been explored for targeted radiotherapy with 212Bi- and 211At-labelled substances including colloids, monoclonal antibodies, metabolic precursors, receptor-avid ligands and other lower molecular weight molecules. An additional agent which exemplifies the promise of alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals is meta-[211At]astatobenzylguanidine. The toxicity of this compound under single-cell conditions, determined both by [3H]thymidine incorporation and by limiting dilution clonogenic assays, for human neuroblastoma cells is of the order of 1000 times higher than that of meta-[131I] iodobenzylguanidine. For meta-[211At] astatobenzylguanidine, the Do value was equivalent to only 6-7 211At atoms bound per cell. These results suggest that meta-[211At] astatobenzylguanidine might be valuable for the targeted radiotherapy of micrometastatic neuroblastomas.

Auger-electron spectra of radionuclides for therapy and diagnostics

The present paper documents the calculation of radiation spectra and of radial dose distribution around a point source for 24 selected radionuclides. The radionuclides were ordered into three groups: Nuclides potentially useful for therapy by emission of Auger electrons: 51Cr, 64Cu, 67Ga, 73Se, 75Se, 77Br, 80mBr, 94Tc, 99mTc, 114mIn, 115mIn, 123I, 124I, 125I, 167Tm, 193mPt, and 195mPt, nuclides potentially useful for therapy by alpha-particles with additional emission of Auger electrons: 212Bi, 211At and 255Fm, and nuclides potentially useful for electron Auger-therapy with simultaneous PET diagnosis: 73Se, 94Tc and 124I. The calculations imply strongly the development of labelled DNA-seeking compounds useful as carrier for the Auger- and Coster-Kronig electron-emitting radionuclides.

Mechanism(s) regulating inhibition of thymidylate synthase and growth by gamma-L-glutaminyl-4-hydroxy-3-iodobenzene, a novel melanin precursor, in melanogenic melanoma cells

A proposed mechanism for the melanoma specific activity of phenolic amines is based upon the ability of the enzyme tyrosinase to oxidize these prodrugs to toxic intermediates. In this study, we synthesized an iodinated analog of gamma-L-glutaminyl-4-hydroxybenzene (GHB) with increased antimelanoma activity in both human and murine melanoma cell lines. GHB and gamma-L-glutaminyl-4-hydroxy-3-iodobenzene (I-GHB) were shown to be substrates for both mammalian and mushroom tyrosinase. Glutathione, a cellular antioxidant, inhibited tyrosinase mediated formation of gamma-L-glutaminyl-3,4-benzoquinone (GBQ) from GHB, inhibited melanin production, and blocked the inhibition of the enzyme thymidylate synthase by oxidized GHB. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) depletion of cellular glutathione enhanced the growth inhibitory activity and the inhibition of in situ thymidylate synthase by phenolic amines in melanoma cells. GHB and I-GHB were shown to be approximately 5- and 10-fold more cytotoxic, respectively, in highly metastatic B16-BL6 cells than in weakly metastatic B16-F1 cells with approximately equal tyrosinase activity. B16-BL6 cells had approximately 20-fold higher gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GTPase) activity than B16-F1 cells which suggested the possible involvement of this enzyme in the activation of the cytotoxicity of the phenolic amines. 4-Aminophenol, a product of gamma-GTPase reaction with GHB, was a substrate for tyrosinase and a potent inhibitor of in situ thymidylate synthase activity in melanogenic cells. In pigmented melanoma cells containing the enzyme tyrosinase, the quinone mediated mechanism of phenolic amine cytotoxicity may be uniquely important and the cellular antioxidant glutathione essential in the detoxification of these quinone-generated intermediates.

Effects of 131I-EGF on cultured human glioma cells

Malignant glioma cells often have more epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors than normal cells and targeting of toxic substances to the receptor might therefore be an attractive therapeutical approach. Radiation effects were analysed on human glioma cells growing as monolayers after exposure to 131I-EGF. Unspecific effects were analysed with 131I-BSA or after presaturation with nonradioactive EGF. The radiation effects were compared to the effects obtained by external 60Co gamma irradiation. Administration of the highest radioactive concentrations, 0.2-0.5 MBq/ml in the culture medium, corresponded, after 20 min incubation, to a binding of about 1.0-2.5 dpm/cell. Such an exposure to 131I decays gave effects on cell survival corresponding to about 2.5 Gy of external gamma irradiation. Somewhat less than half of this effect came from the specific bound radioactivity and the rest from nonbound radioactivity. When administrating lower concentrations of radioactivity both the binding and the radiation effects were smaller. The observations showed that it is possible to inactivate cell-proliferation of glioma cells with specific bound 131I-EGF. The possibilities to fractionate the treatments and of binding also other toxic agents than 131I to the EGF receptor are discussed.