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Chen J, Zhang CH, Tao T, Zhang X, Lin Y, Wang FB, Liu HF, Liu J. A-to-I RNA co-editing predicts clinical outcomes and is associated with immune cells infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma. Commun Biol 2024; 7:838. [PMID: 38982182 PMCID: PMC11233613 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06520-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Aberrant RNA editing has emerged as a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the impact of RNA co-editing within HCC remains underexplored. We used a multi-step algorithm to construct an RNA co-editing network in HCC, and found that HCC-related RNA editings are predominantly centralized within the network. Furthermore, five pairs of risk RNA co-editing events were significantly correlated with the overall survival in HCC. Based on presence of risk RNA co-editings resulted in the categorization of HCC patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Disparities in immune cell infiltrations were observed between the two groups, with the high-risk group exhibiting a greater abundance of exhausted T cells. Additionally, seven genes associated with risk RNA co-editing pairs were identified, whose expression effectively differentiates HCC tumor samples from normal ones. Our research offers an innovative perspective on the etiology and potential therapeutics for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Chen
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Cheng-Hui Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Tao Tao
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Yan Lin
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Fang-Bin Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Hui-Fang Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430014, Hubei, China.
| | - Jian Liu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
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Wu Q, Wu Y, Zhang Y, Guan Y, Huang G, Xie F, Liu J, Zhai W, Wei W. ImmunoPET/CT imaging of clear cell renal cell carcinoma with [ 18F]RCCB6: a first-in-human study. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024; 51:2444-2457. [PMID: 38480552 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06672-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The cluster of differentiation (CD70) is a potential biomarker of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). This study aims to develop CD70-targeted immuno-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (immunoPET/CT) imaging tracers and explore the diagnostic value in preclinical studies and the potential value in detecting metastases in ccRCC patients. METHODS Four novel CD70-specific single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) were produced and labelled with 18F by the aluminium fluoride restrained complexing agent (AlF-RESCA) method to develop radiotracers. The visualisation properties of the tracers were evaluated in a subcutaneous ccRCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model. In a registered prospective clinical trial (NCT06148220), six patients with pathologically confirmed RCC were included and underwent immunoPET/CT examination exploiting one of the developed tracers (i.e., [18F]RCCB6). RESULTS We engineered four sdAbs (His-tagged RCCB3 and RCCB6, His-tag-free RB3 and RB6) specifically targeting recombinant human CD70 without cross-reactivity to murine CD70. ImmunoPET/CT imaging with [18F]RCCB3 and [18F]RCCB6 demonstrated a high tumour-to-background ratio in a subcutaneous ccRCC PDX model, with the latter showing better diagnostic potential supported by higher tumour uptake and lower bone accumulation. In comparison, [18F]RB6, developed by sequence optimisation, has significantly lower kidney accumulation than that of [18F]RCCB6. In a pilot translational study, [18F]RCCB6 immunoPET/CT displayed ccRCC metastases in multiple patients and demonstrated improved imaging contrast and diagnostic value than 18F-FDG PET/CT in a patient with ccRCC. CONCLUSION The work successfully developed a series of CD70-targeted immunoPET/CT imaging tracers. Of them, [18F]RCCB6 clearly and specifically identified inoculated ccRCCs in preclinical studies. Clinical translation of [18F]RCCB6 suggests potential for identifying recurrence and/or metastasis in ccRCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyun Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yanfei Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - You Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Fang Xie
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Wei Zhai
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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Dickerson LK, Lehnert AL, Hamlin DK, Labadie KP, Goodsell KE, Liu Y, Li Y, Wilbur DS, Miyaoka R, Park JO. Pilot study of humanized glypican-3-targeted zirconium-89 immuno-positron emission tomography for hepatocellular carcinoma. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4456645. [PMID: 38978570 PMCID: PMC11230479 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4456645/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Glypican-3 (GPC3)-targeted radioisotope immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) may lead to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), thus facilitating curative treatment, decreasing early recurrence, and enhancing patient survival. We previously demonstrated reliable HCC detection using a zirconium-89-labeled murine anti-GPC3 antibody (89Zr-αGPC3M) for immunoPET. This study evaluated the efficacy of the humanized antibody successor (αGPC3H) to further clinical translation of a GPC3-based theranostic for HCC. Methods In vitro αGPC3 binding to HepG2 cells was assessed by flow cytometry. In vivo 89Zr-αGPC3H and 89Zr-αGPC3M tumor uptake was evaluated by PET/CT and biodistribution studies in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of HCC. Results αGPC3H maintained binding to GPC3 in vitro and 89Zr-αGPC3H immunoPET identified liver tumors in vivo. PET/CT and biodistribution analyses demonstrated high 89Zr-αGPC3H tumor uptake and tumor-to-liver ratios, with no difference between groups. Conclusion Humanized αGPC3 successfully targeted GPC3 in vitro and in vivo. 89Zr-αGPC3H immunoPET had comparable tumor detection to 89Zr-αGPC3M, with highly specific tumor uptake, making it a promising strategy to improve HCC detection.
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Mo C, Sun P, Liang H, Chen Z, Wang M, Fu L, Huang S, Tang G. Synthesis and preclinical evaluation of a novel probe [ 18F]AlF-NOTA-IPB-GPC3P for PET imaging of GPC3 positive tumor. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107352. [PMID: 38640719 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107352] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Glypican-3 (GPC3) is markedly overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and not expressed in normal liver tissues. In this study, a novel peptide PET imaging agent ([18F]AlF-NOTA-IPB-GPC3P) was developed to target GPC3 expressed in tumors. The overall radiochemical yield of [18F]AlF-NOTA-IPB-GPC3P was 10-15 %, and its lipophilicity, expressed as the logD value at a pH of 7.4, was -1.18 ± 0.06 (n = 3). Compared to the previously reported tracer [18F]AlF-GP2633, [18F]AlF-NOTA-IPB-GPC3P exhibited higher cellular uptake (15.13 vs 5.96) and internalized rate (80.63 % vs 35.93 %) in Huh7 cells at 120 min. Micro-PET/CT and biodistribution studies further demonstrated that [18F]AlF-NOTA-IPB-GPC3P exhibited significantly increased tumor uptake and prolonged tumor residence in Huh7 tumors compared to [18F]AlF-GP2633 (4.66 ± 0.22 % ID/g vs 0.72 ± 0.09 % ID/g at 60 min, p < 0.001; 5.05 ± 0.23 % ID/g vs 0.35 ± 0.08 % ID/g at 120 min, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the tumor-to-organ ratios of [18F]AlF-NOTA-IPB-GPC3P surpassed those of [18F]AlF-GP2633. Our results support the utilization of [18F]AlF-NOTA-IPB-GPC3P as a PET imaging agent targeting the GPC3 receptor for tumor detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunwei Mo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GDMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Control and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Penghui Sun
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GDMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Control and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Haoran Liang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GDMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Control and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Zihao Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GDMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Control and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GDMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Control and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Lilan Fu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GDMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Control and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China
| | - Shun Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), Dongguan 523059, China.
| | - Ganghua Tang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, GDMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Control and Evaluation of Radiopharmaceuticals, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510515, China.
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Huang W, Zhang Y, Cao M, Wu Y, Jiao F, Chu Z, Zhou X, Li L, Xu D, Pan X, Guan Y, Huang G, Liu J, Xie F, Wei W. ImmunoPET imaging of Trop2 in patients with solid tumours. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:1143-1161. [PMID: 38565806 PMCID: PMC11099157 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00059-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurately predicting and selecting patients who can benefit from targeted or immunotherapy is crucial for precision therapy. Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) has been extensively investigated as a pan-cancer biomarker expressed in various tumours and plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis through multiple signalling pathways. Our laboratory successfully developed two 68Ga-labelled nanobody tracers that can rapidly and specifically target Trop2. Of the two tracers, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-T4, demonstrated excellent pharmacokinetics in preclinical mouse models and a beagle dog. Moreover, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-T4 immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) allowed noninvasive visualisation of Trop2 heterogeneous and differential expression in preclinical solid tumour models and ten patients with solid tumours. [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-T4 immunoPET could facilitate clinical decision-making through patient stratification and response monitoring during Trop2-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - You Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Min Cao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200217, China
| | - Yanfei Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Feng Jiao
- Department of Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Zhaohui Chu
- Department of Oncology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Xinyuan Zhou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Lianghua Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Dongsheng Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Xinbing Pan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yihui Guan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Fang Xie
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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Zhang Y, Cao M, Wu Y, Malih S, Xu D, Yang E, Younis MH, Lin W, Zhao H, Wang C, Liu Q, Engle JW, Rasaee MJ, Guan Y, Huang G, Liu J, Cai W, Xie F, Wei W. Preclinical development of novel PD-L1 tracers and first-in-human study of [ 68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RW102 in patients with lung cancers. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008794. [PMID: 38580333 PMCID: PMC11002357 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-008794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1)/programmed death receptor ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis critically facilitates cancer cells' immune evasion. Antibody therapeutics targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis have shown remarkable efficacy in various tumors. Immuno-positron emission tomography (ImmunoPET) imaging of PD-L1 expression may help reshape solid tumors' immunotherapy landscape. METHODS By immunizing an alpaca with recombinant human PD-L1, three clones of the variable domain of the heavy chain of heavy-chain only antibody (VHH) were screened, and RW102 with high binding affinity was selected for further studies. ABDRW102, a VHH derivative, was further engineered by fusing RW102 with the albumin binder ABD035. Based on the two targeting vectors, four PD-L1-specific tracers ([68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RW102, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-ABDRW102, [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-ABDRW102, and [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ABDRW102) with different circulation times were developed. The diagnostic efficacies were thoroughly evaluated in preclinical solid tumor models, followed by a first-in-human translational investigation of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RW102 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). RESULTS While RW102 has a high binding affinity to PD-L1 with an excellent KD value of 15.29 pM, ABDRW102 simultaneously binds to human PD-L1 and human serum albumin with an excellent KD value of 3.71 pM and 3.38 pM, respectively. Radiotracers derived from RW102 and ABDRW102 have different in vivo circulation times. In preclinical studies, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RW102 immunoPET imaging allowed same-day annotation of differential PD-L1 expression with specificity, while [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-ABDRW102 and [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ABDRW102 enabled longitudinal visualization of PD-L1. More importantly, a pilot clinical trial shows the safety and diagnostic value of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RW102 immunoPET imaging in patients with NSCLCs and its potential to predict immune-related adverse effects following PD-L1-targeted immunotherapies. CONCLUSIONS We developed and validated a series of PD-L1-targeted tracers. Initial preclinical and clinical evidence indicates that immunoPET imaging with [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RW102 holds promise in visualizing differential PD-L1 expression, selecting patients for PD-L1-targeted immunotherapies, and monitoring immune-related adverse effects in patients receiving PD-L1-targeted treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT06165874.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Cao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery,Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanfei Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sara Malih
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Dong Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Huashan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Erpeng Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Muhsin H Younis
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Wilson Lin
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Haitao Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiufang Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jonathan W Engle
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mohammad J Rasaee
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yihui Guan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weibo Cai
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Fang Xie
- Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Center, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Wan G, Zhang Z, Chen J, Li M, Li J. GenX caused liver injury and potential hepatocellular carcinoma of mice via drinking water even at environmental concentration. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123574. [PMID: 38365076 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX) is an alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), whose environmental concentration is close to its maximum allowable value established by the US Environmental Protection Agency, so its effects on human health are of great concern. The liver is one of the most crucial target organ for GenX, but whether GenX exposure induces liver cancer still unclear. In this research project, male C57 mice were disposed to GenX in drinking water at environmental concentrations (0.1 and 10 μg/L) and higher concentrations (1 and 100 mg/L) for 14 weeks to explore its effects on liver injury and potential carcinogenicity in mice. GenX was found to cause a dose-dependent increase in the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG). As the content of GenX in drinking water increased, so did the concentrations of Glypican-3 (GPC-3) and detachment gamma-carboxyprothrombin (DCP), indicators of early hepatocellular cancer. GenX destroyed the boundaries and arrangements of hepatocytes, in which monocyte infiltration, balloon-like transformation, and obvious lipid vacuoles were observed between cells. Following exposure to GenX, Masson sections revealed a significant quantity of collagen deposition in the liver. Alpha-feto protein (AFP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Ki67, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) gene expression increased in a dose-dependent manner in the treatment group relative to the control group. In general, drinking water GenX exposure induced liver function impairment, elevated blood lipid level, caused liver pathological structure damage and liver fibrosis lesions, changed the liver inflammatory microenvironment, and increased the concentration of liver-related tumor indicator even in the environmental concentration, suggesting GenX is a potential carcinogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojun Wan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Zengli Zhang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Jingsi Chen
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Mei Li
- School of Civil Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, 215011, China
| | - Jiafu Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
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Cai J, Lian C, Lu Z, Shang Q, Wang L, Han Z, Gu Y. FGF19-Based Mini Probe Targeting FGFR4 for Diagnosis and Surgical Navigation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Med Chem 2024; 67:3764-3777. [PMID: 38385325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequent malignancy that has a high death rate and a high rate of recurrence following surgery, owing to insufficient surgical resection. Furthermore, HCC is prone to peritoneal metastasis (HCC-PM), resulting in a significant number of tiny cancer lesions, making surgical removal more challenging. As a potential imaging target, FGFR4 is highly expressed in tumors, especially in HCC, but is less expressed in the normal liver. In this study, we used computational simulation approaches to develop peptide I0 derived from FGF19, a particular ligand of FGFR4, and labeled it with the NIRF dye, MPA, for HCC detection. In surgical navigation, the TBR was 9.31 ± 1.36 and 8.57 ± 1.15 in HepG2 in situ tumor and HCC-PM models, respectively, indicating considerable tumor uptake. As a result, peptide I0 is an excellent clinical diagnostic reagent for HCC, as well as a tool for surgically resecting HCC peritoneal metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxian Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Pharmacy, School of engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Chen Lian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Pharmacy, School of engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, Haining 314400, China
| | - Zeyu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Pharmacy, School of engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Qian Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Pharmacy, School of engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Pharmacy, School of engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Zhihao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Pharmacy, School of engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Yueqing Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Pharmacy, School of engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
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Wang P, Tong K, Li Y, Li X, Zhang Y, Gu J, Lei P, Yan S, Hu P. The role and mechanism of HIF-1α-mediated glypican-3 secretion in hypoxia-induced tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Signal 2024; 114:111007. [PMID: 38081444 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.111007] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the expression and secretion mechanism of glypican-3 (GPC3) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells under hypoxic conditions, and its role in tumor progression. METHODS Huh7 cells with and without the knockdown of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) were cultured under 1% O2 for varying durations to induce hypoxia. The expression levels of GPC3, HSP70, CD63, STX11 and SYT7 in the cytoplasm and exosomes of Huh7 cells were evaluated by western blotting and immunofluorescence. GPC3 protein expression was further measured in cells treated with GW4869 under hypoxic conditions. Huh7 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with the exosomes extracted from the control and GPC3-knockdown cells, the cell proliferation, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and in vitro angiogenesis were analyzed. Tumor xenografts were established to assess the role of GPC3-deficient exosomes in tumor growth. RESULTS Hypoxic culture conditions downregulated GPC3, STX11 and SYT7 protein levels in the Huh7 cells and upregulated GPC3 mRNA, and also increased GPC3 protein expression in the exosomes. HIF-1α knockdown, as well as treatment with GW4869, upregulated GPC3 protein in the Huh7 cells grown under 1% O2, but downregulated exosomal GPC3. Furthermore, exosomes derived from the GPC3-knockdown cells inhibited the proliferation and migration of Huh7 cells, decreased the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, β-catenin, c-Myc and cyclin D1, and increased that of E-cadherin. Likewise, the GPC3-deficient exosomes also suppressed the invasion and tube formation ability of the HUVECs compared to that of control cells. Consistent with the in vitro results, the GPC3-deficient exosomes also repressed tumor growth in vivo. CONCLUSION Hypoxia promoted secretion of exosomal GPC3 through the activation of HIF-1α. GPC3-deficient exosomes inhibited the proliferation, migration and EMT of HCC cells via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and suppressed the angiogenic potential of HUVECs. This provided a novel understanding of the role of exosomal GPC3 in HCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingfeng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China; Biomedical Engineering College, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China
| | - Kun Tong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huanggang Central Hospital, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China
| | - Xuejie Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China; Institute of Biomedical Research, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of HCC, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000.China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Biomedical Engineering College, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China
| | - Jiangxue Gu
- Biomedical Engineering College, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China
| | - Panwei Lei
- Hospital of Stomatology Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430000. China
| | - Shirong Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China.
| | - Pei Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China; Biomedical Engineering College, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000. China.
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10
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Cong Y, Devoogdt N, Lambin P, Dubois LJ, Yaromina A. Promising Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches Based on VHHs for Cancer Management. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:371. [PMID: 38254860 PMCID: PMC10814765 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the distinctive structure of heavy chain-only antibodies in species belonging to the Camelidae family has elicited significant interest in their variable antigen binding domain (VHH) and gained attention for various applications, such as cancer diagnosis and treatment. This article presents an overview of the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of VHHs as compared to conventional antibodies, and their usage in diverse applications. The singular properties of VHHs are explained, and several strategies that can augment their utility are outlined. The preclinical studies illustrating the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of distinct VHHs in diverse formats against solid cancers are summarized, and an overview of the clinical trials assessing VHH-based agents in oncology is provided. These investigations demonstrate the enormous potential of VHHs for medical research and healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Cong
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Philippe Lambin
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ludwig J. Dubois
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
| | - Ala Yaromina
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
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11
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Xiao X, Huang Q, Lin X, Zahid KR, Huang X, Liu T, Zeng T. Current methods for the detection of glypican-3. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2024; 16:152-160. [PMID: 38108085 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01523h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Glypican-3 (GPC3) is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) that binds to the cell membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI), widely expressed in human embryos, and is undetectable in healthy adult liver but overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, accurate and sensitive detection of GPC3 is critical for disease diagnosis. In recent years, a series of methods have been developed for the highly sensitive detection of GPC3, but there is a lack of reviews on recent advances in GPC3-related assays. In this review, we provide the recent advances in GPC3 detection and GPC3 concentration detection, mainly in terms of various optical sensor-based assays and electrochemical assays, and also provide new insights into the challenges and future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyan Xiao
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Antibody Engineering of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
| | - Qiyuan Huang
- Department of Clinical Biobank Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Xiaocong Lin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Kashif Rafiq Zahid
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Xueran Huang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Antibody Engineering of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
| | - Tiancai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Antibody Engineering of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
| | - Tao Zeng
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, P. R. China.
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12
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Huang W, Liang C, Zhang Y, Zhang D, An S, Wu Q, Li J, Zhao H, Wang C, Cui J, Bao Z, Huang G, Wei W, Liu J. ImmunoPET imaging of Trop2 expression in solid tumors with nanobody tracers. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024; 51:380-394. [PMID: 37792026 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06454-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The high expression of the transmembrane glycoprotein trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (Trop2) was strongly associated with the progression of solid tumors, including pancreatic and gastric cancers. Our study aimed to construct Trop2-specific immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) probes and assess the diagnostic abilities in preclinical pancreatic and gastric cancer models. METHODS The expression of Trop2 in pancreatic cancer was determined by single-cell sequencing and immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray (TMA). Flow cytometry was used to screen the expression of Trop2 in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Two nanobodies (i.e., RTD98 and RTD01) targeting Trop2 were developed and labeled with gallium-68 (68Ga, T1/2 = 1.1 h) to construct immunoPET imaging probes. The agents were researched in cell-derived pancreatic and patient-derived gastric cancer models expressing varying Trop2. RESULTS Single-cell sequencing results showed high expression of Trop2 in pancreatic ductal cells as well as acinar cells and immunohistochemical staining of TMA from pancreatic cancers showed significantly higher expression of Trop2 in cancerous than in paracancerous tissues. ImmunoPET utilizing [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RTD98 could clearly delineate subcutaneous tumors, both in cell-derived pancreatic cancer models and patient-derived gastric cancer models, superior to imaging using [18F]-FDG or a non-specific probe [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RTD161. Another probe with improved pharmacokinetics targeting Trop2, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RTD01, was further prepared and showed advantageous diagnostic capabilities in preclinical pancreatic cancer models. CONCLUSION In the work, we reported two nanobody tracers targeting human Trop2 which may facilitate better use of Trop2-targeted therapeutics by noninvasively displaying expression dynamics of the target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Chenyi Liang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - You Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Shuxian An
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Qianyun Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jiajin Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Haitao Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jiujie Cui
- Department of Oncology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Zhouzhou Bao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1630 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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Zhou S, Fang X, Lv J, Yang Y, Zeng Y, Liu Y, Wei W, Huang G, Zhang B, Wu C. Site-Specific Modification of Single Domain Antibodies by Enzyme-Immobilized Magnetic Beads. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:1914-1922. [PMID: 37804224 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Nanobodies as imaging agents and drug conjugates have shown great potential for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. However, site-specific modification of a nanobody with microbial transglutaminase (mTGase) encounters problems in protein separation and purification. Here, we describe a facile yet reliable strategy of immobilizing mTGase onto magnetic beads for site-specific nanobody modification. The mTGase immobilized on magnetic beads (MB-mTGase) exhibits catalytic activity nearly equivalent to that of the free mTGase, with good reusability and universality. Magnetic separation simplifies the protein purification step and reduces the loss of nanobody bioconjugates more effectively than size exclusion chromatography. Using MB-mTGase, we demonstrate site-specific conjugation of nanobodies with fluorescent dyes and polyethylene glycol molecules, enabling targeted immunofluorescence imaging and improved circulation dynamics and tumor accumulation in vivo. The combined advantages of MB-mTGase method, including high conjugation efficiency, quick purification, less protein loss, and recycling use, are promising for site-specific nanobody functionalization and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaofeng Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiahui Lv
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Yicheng Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiqi Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Changfeng Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
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14
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Liang C, Huang W, Zhang Y, Zhang D, An S, Wu Q, Zhao H, Wang C, Huang G, Wei W, Liu J. ImmunoPET Imaging of CD47 with VHH-Derived Tracers in Pancreatic Cancers. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:4184-4195. [PMID: 37403817 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00311] [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] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a malignant tumor with insidious onset, rapid progression, and a very poor prognosis. CD47 is a transmembrane protein associated with the development and poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of novel immunoPET tracers targeting CD47 in preclinical pancreatic cancer models. The association of CD47 expression with pancreatic cancer was analyzed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis platform. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays was performed to detect CD47 expression in PDAC. CD47 expression levels on BxPC-3 and AsPC-1 cell membranes were compared using flow cytometry. A VHH (C2)-targeting human CD47 and its albumin-binding derivative (ABDC2) were labeled with 68Ga or 89Zr, respectively. The developed tracers were evaluated by immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) imaging in tumor-bearing nude and CD47-humanized mice. [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-C2 effectively detected tumor lesions in nude mice models and further showed confirmative imaging capacity in CD47-humanized PDAC models. Compared with [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-C2, [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ABDC2 had a significantly prolonged circulation time, increased tumor uptake, and reduced accumulation in the kidneys. Finally, biodistribution and histological staining confirmed the results of the immunoPET imaging studies. In this study, we validated that two novel VHH-derived molecular imaging tracers for immunoPET imaging ([68Ga]Ga-NOTA-C2 and [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ABDC2) can effectively annotate CD47 expression and diagnose PDAC in a target-specific manner. Clinical application of the imaging strategies may help select patients for CD47-targeted therapies and assess the response thereafter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyi Liang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - You Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Shuxian An
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Qianyun Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Haitao Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
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15
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Fayn S, King AP, Gutsche NT, Duan Z, Buffington J, Olkowski CP, Fu Y, Hong J, Sail D, Baidoo KE, Swenson RE, Cheloha RW, Ho M, Choyke PL, Escorcia FE. Site-Specifically Conjugated Single-Domain Antibody Successfully Identifies Glypican-3-Expressing Liver Cancer by Immuno-PET. J Nucl Med 2023; 64:1017-1023. [PMID: 36997331 PMCID: PMC10315705 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.122.265171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and its incidence and mortality are increasing worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 80% of primary liver cancer cases. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan that histopathologically defines HCC and represents an attractive tumor-selective marker for radiopharmaceutical imaging and therapy for this disease. Single-domain antibodies are a promising scaffold for imaging because of their favorable pharmacokinetic properties, good tumor penetration, and renal clearance. Although conventional lysine-directed bioconjugation can be used to yield conjugates for radiolabeling full-length antibodies, this stochastic approach risks negatively affecting target binding of the smaller single-domain antibodies. To address this challenge, site-specific approaches have been explored. Here, we used conventional and sortase-based site-specific conjugation methods to engineer GPC3-specific human single-domain antibody (HN3) PET probes. Methods: Bifunctional deferoxamine (DFO) isothiocyanate was used to synthesize native HN3 (nHN3)-DFO. Site-specifically modified HN3 (ssHN3)-DFO was engineered using sortase-mediated conjugation of triglycine-DFO chelator and HN3 containing an LPETG C-terminal tag. Both conjugates were radiolabeled with 89Zr, and their binding affinity in vitro and target engagement of GPC3-positive (GPC3+) tumors in vivo were determined. Results: Both 89Zr-ssHN3 and 89Zr-nHN3 displayed nanomolar affinity for GPC3 in vitro. Biodistribution and PET/CT image analysis in mice bearing isogenic A431 and A431-GPC3+ xenografts, as well as in HepG2 liver cancer xenografts, showed that both conjugates specifically identify GPC3+ tumors. 89Zr-ssHN3 exhibited more favorable biodistribution and pharmacokinetic properties, including higher tumor uptake and lower liver accumulation. Comparative PET/CT studies on mice imaged with both 18F-FDG and 89Zr-ssHN3 showed more consistent tumor accumulation for the single-domain antibody conjugate, further establishing its potential for PET imaging. Conclusion: 89Zr-ssHN3 showed clear advantages in tumor uptake and tumor-to-liver signal ratio over the conventionally modified 89Zr-nHN3 in xenograft models. Our results establish the potential of HN3-based single-domain antibody probes for GPC3-directed PET imaging of liver cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanley Fayn
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - A Paden King
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nicholas T Gutsche
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Zhijian Duan
- Antibody Engineering Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jesse Buffington
- Antibody Engineering Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Colleen P Olkowski
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ying Fu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jessica Hong
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Deepak Sail
- Chemistry and Synthesis Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Kwamena E Baidoo
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Rolf E Swenson
- Chemistry and Synthesis Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Ross W Cheloha
- Chemical Biology in Signaling Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; and
| | - Mitchell Ho
- Antibody Engineering Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Peter L Choyke
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Freddy E Escorcia
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland;
- Radiation Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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16
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Mauro M, Ugo P, Walton Z, Ali S, Rastellini C, Cicalese L. Glypican-3 (GPC-3) Structural Analysis and Cargo in Serum Small Extracellular Vesicles of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10922. [PMID: 37446098 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Glypican-3 (GPC-3) is a heparin sulfate proteoglycan located extracellularly and anchored to the cell membrane of transformed hepatocytes. GPC-3 is not expressed in normal or cirrhotic liver tissue but is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Because of this, GPC-3 is one of the most important emerging immunotargets for treatment and as an early detection marker of HCC. To determine if GPC-3 domains associated with serum small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) could be used as an HCC diagnostic marker, we predicted in silico GPC-3 structural properties and tested for the presence of its full-length form and/or cleaved domains in serum sEVs isolated from patients with HCC. Structural analysis revealed that the Furin cleavage site of GPC-3 is exposed and readily accessible, suggesting the facilitation of GPC-3 cleavage events. Upon isolation of sEVs from both hepatocytes, culture media and serum of patients with HCC were studied for GPC-3 content. This data suggests that Furin-dependent GPC-3 cleaved domains could be a powerful tool for detection of initial stages of HCC and serve as a predictor for disease prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montalbano Mauro
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
| | - Perricone Ugo
- Molecular Informatics Group, Fondazione Ri.MED., 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Zachary Walton
- John Sealy School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
| | - Shirafkan Ali
- Rutgers Health, Department of Cardiac Surgery, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Cristiana Rastellini
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
| | - Luca Cicalese
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
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Song Y, Zhang YY, Yu Q, Chen T, Wei CG, Zhang R, Hu W, Qian XJ, Zhu Z, Zhang XW, Shen JK. A nomogram based on LI-RADS features, clinical indicators and quantitative contrast-enhanced MRI parameters for predicting glypican-3 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1123141. [PMID: 36824129 PMCID: PMC9941525 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1123141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Noninvasively assessing the tumor biology and microenvironment before treatment is greatly important, and glypican-3 (GPC-3) is a new-generation immunotherapy target for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study investigated the application value of a nomogram based on LI-RADS features, quantitative contrast-enhanced MRI parameters and clinical indicators in the noninvasive preoperative prediction of GPC-3 expression in HCC. Methods and materials We retrospectively reviewed 127 patients with pathologically confirmed solitary HCC who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI examinations and related laboratory tests. Quantitative contrast-enhanced MRI parameters and clinical indicators were collected by an abdominal radiologist, and LI-RADS features were independently assessed and recorded by three trained intermediate- and senior-level radiologists. The pathological and immunohistochemical results of HCC were determined by two senior pathologists. All patients were divided into a training cohort (88 cases) and validation cohort (39 cases). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify independent predictors of GPC-3 expression in HCC, and a nomogram model was established in the training cohort. The performance of the nomogram was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the calibration curve in the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively. Results Blood products in mass, nodule-in-nodule architecture, mosaic architecture, contrast enhancement ratio (CER), transition phase lesion-liver parenchyma signal ratio (TP-LNR), and serum ferritin (Fer) were independent predictors of GPC-3 expression, with odds ratios (ORs) of 5.437, 10.682, 5.477, 11.788, 0.028, and 1.005, respectively. Nomogram based on LI-RADS features (blood products in mass, nodule-in-nodule architecture and mosaic architecture), quantitative contrast-enhanced MRI parameters (CER and TP-LNR) and clinical indicators (Fer) for predicting GPC-3 expression in HCC was established successfully. The nomogram showed good discrimination (AUC of 0.925 in the training cohort and 0.908 in the validation cohort) and favorable calibration. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 76.9% and 92.3% in the training cohort, 76.8% and 93.8% in the validation cohort respectively. Conclusion The nomogram constructed from LI-RADS features, quantitative contrast-enhanced MRI parameters and clinical indicators has high application value, can accurately predict GPC-3 expression in HCC and may help noninvasively identify potential patients for GPC-3 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Song
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China,Department of Radiology, Jieshou City People’s Hospital, Fuyang, China
| | - Yue-yue Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Qin Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China,Department of Radiology, Dongtai City People’s Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - Tong Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Chao-gang Wei
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xu-jun Qian
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhi Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xue-wu Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Jieshou City People’s Hospital, Fuyang, China
| | - Jun-kang Shen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China,Institute of Imaging Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, China,*Correspondence: Jun-kang Shen,
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Zhang Y, Zhang D, An S, Liu Q, Liang C, Li J, Liu P, Wu C, Huang G, Wei W, Liu J. Development and Characterization of Nanobody-Derived CD47 Theranostic Pairs in Solid Tumors. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0077. [PMID: 36939440 PMCID: PMC10017100 DOI: 10.34133/research.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of CD47 is frequently observed in various types of human malignancies, inhibiting myeloid-mediated elimination of tumor cells and affecting the prognosis of cancer patients. By mapping biomarker expression, immuno-positron emission tomography has been increasingly used for patient screening and response monitoring. By immunization alpacas with recombinant human CD47, we prepared a CD47-targeting nanobody C2 and developed [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-C2, followed by an exploration of the diagnostic value in CD47-expressing tumor models including gastric-cancer patient-derived xenograft models. By fusing C2 to an albumin binding domain (ABD), we synthesized ABDC2, which had increased in vivo half-life and improved targeting properties. We further labeled ABDC2 with 68Ga/89Zr/177Lu to develop radionuclide theranostic pairs and evaluated the pharmacokinetics and theranostic efficacies of the agents in cell- and patient-derived models. Both C2 and ABDC2 specifically reacted with human CD47 with a high K D value of 23.50 and 84.57 pM, respectively. [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-C2 was developed with high radiochemical purity (99 >%, n = 4) and visualized CD47 expression in the tumors. In comparison to the rapid renal clearance and short half-life of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-C2, both [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-ABDC2 and [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ABDC2 showed prolonged circulation and increased tumor uptake, with the highest uptake of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ABDC2 occurring at 72 h post-injection. Moreover, [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-ABDC2 radioimmunotherapy suppressed the tumor growth but was associated with toxicity, warranting further optimization of the treatment schedules. Taken together, we reported a series of nanobody-derived CD47-targeted agents, of which [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-C2 and [89Zr]Zr-DFO-ABDC2 are readily translatable. Optimization and translation of CD47-targeted theranostic pair may provide new prospects for CD47-targeted management of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Shuxian An
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Qiufang Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center,
Fudan University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Chenyi Liang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Juan Li
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ping Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Med-X Research Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Changfeng Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
- Address correspondence to: (W.W.); (G.H.); (J.L.)
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
- Address correspondence to: (W.W.); (G.H.); (J.L.)
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
- Address correspondence to: (W.W.); (G.H.); (J.L.)
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Lu Q, Long Y, Fan K, Shen Z, Gai Y, Liu Q, Jiang D, Cai W, Wan C, Lan X. PET imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting tumor-associated endothelium using [ 68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022; 49:4000-4013. [PMID: 35763056 PMCID: PMC9529836 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05884-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. In many non-prostate solid tumors such as HCC, prostate-specific membrane antigens (PSMA) are overexpressed in tumor-associated endothelial cells. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 PET imaging on HCC with different animal models, including cell line-derived xenografts (CDX) and patient-derived xenografts (PDX), and to explore its mechanisms of function. METHODS [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 was prepared. The expression level of PSMA in two human hepatocellular cancer cells (HepG2 and HuH-7) was evaluated, and the cellular uptakes of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 were assayed. HepG2 and HuH-7 subcutaneous xenograft models, HepG2 orthotopic xenograft models, and four different groups of PDX models were prepared. Preclinical pharmacokinetics and performance of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 were evaluated in different types of HCC xenografts models using small animal PET and biodistribution studies. RESULTS Low PSMA expression level of HepG2 and HuH-7 cells was observed, and the cellular uptake and blocking study confirmed the non-specificity of the PSMA-targeted probe binding to HepG2 and HuH-7 cells. In the subcutaneous xenograft models, the tumor uptakes at 0.5 h were 0.76 ± 0.12%ID/g (HepG2 tumors) and 0.78 ± 0.08%ID/g (HuH-7 tumors), respectively, which were significantly higher than those of the blocking groups (0.23 ± 0.04%ID/g and 0.20 ± 0.04%ID/g, respectively). In the orthotopic xenograft models, PET images clearly displayed the tumor locations based on the preferential accumulation of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 in tumor tissue versus normal liver tissue, suggesting the possibility of using [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 PET imaging to detect primary HCC lesions in deep tissue. In the four different groups of HCC PDX models, PET imaging with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 provided clear tumor uptakes with prominent tumor-to-background contrast, further demonstrating its potential for the clinical imaging of PSMA-positive HCC lesions. The staining of tumor tissue sections with CD31- and PSMA-specific antibodies visualized the tumor-associated blood vessels and PSMA expression on endothelial cells in subcutaneous, orthotopic tissues, and PDX tissues, confirming the imaging with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 might be mediated by targeting tumor associated endothelium. CONCLUSION In this study, in vivo PET on different types of HCC xenograft models illustrated high uptake within tumors, which confirmed that [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 PET may be a promising imaging modality for HCC by targeting tumor associated endothelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaomiao Lu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yu Long
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Kevin Fan
- Department of Radiology and Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Zhiwen Shen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, China
| | - Yongkang Gai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Qingyao Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Dawei Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Weibo Cai
- Department of Radiology and Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Chidan Wan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, China.
| | - Xiaoli Lan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy of the Ministry of Education, Hubei, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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20
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Novel Nanotechnology Approaches to Overcome Drug Resistance in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Glypican 3 as a Useful Target for Innovative Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710038. [PMID: 36077433 PMCID: PMC9456072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most lethal tumor, with a 5-year survival rate of 18%. Early stage HCC is potentially treatable by therapies with curative intent, whereas chemoembolization/radioembolization and systemic therapies are the only therapeutic options for intermediate or advanced HCC. Drug resistance is a critical obstacle in the treatment of HCC that could be overcome by the use of targeted nanoparticle-based therapies directed towards specific tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) to improve drug delivery. Glypican 3 (GPC3) is a member of the glypican family, heparan sulfate proteoglycans bound to the cell surface via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. The high levels of GPC3 detected in HCC and the absence or very low levels in normal and non-malignant liver make GPC3 a promising TAA candidate for targeted nanoparticle-based therapies. The use of nanoparticles conjugated with anti-GPC3 agents may improve drug delivery, leading to a reduction in severe side effects caused by chemotherapy and increased drug release at the tumor site. In this review, we describe the main clinical features of HCC and the common treatment approaches. We propose the proteoglycan GPC3 as a useful TAA for targeted therapies. Finally, we describe nanotechnology approaches for anti-GPC3 drug delivery systems based on NPs for HCC treatment.
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Hu B, Liu T, Li L, Shi L, Yao M, Li C, Ma X, Zhu H, Jia B, Wang F. IgG-Binding Nanobody Capable of Prolonging Nanobody-Based Radiotracer Plasma Half-Life and Enhancing the Efficacy of Tumor-Targeted Radionuclide Therapy. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:1328-1339. [PMID: 35687724 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Nanobodies have been developed rapidly as targeted probes for molecular imaging owing to their high affinity, outstanding tissue penetration, and rapid blood clearance. However, the short retention time at the tumor site limits their application in targeted radionuclide therapy. In this study, we designed a dual-targeting nanobody referred to as MIRC213-709, which can specifically bind to the HER2 receptor in tumor cell lines with high affinity (by nanobody MIRC213) and endogenous IgG in plasma to prolong the half-life by the MIRC213 C-terminal fusion nanobody, MIRC709. The nanobodies were site-specifically radiolabeled with 99mTc and 177Lu, and radiochemical purity was >95% after purification. The long blood circulation time and tumor retention property of 99mTc/177Lu-MIRC213-709 were confirmed by a blood clearance assay, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and a biodistribution study. The blood clearance assay showed that the distribution phase half-life (T1/2α) and elimination phase half-life (T1/2β) of 99mTc-MIRC213-709 were 6.74- and 19.04-fold longer than those of 99mTc-MIRC213, respectively. The SPECT/CT and biodistribution results showed that the highest uptake of 177Lu-MIRC213 in the NCI-N87 model was 5.24 ± 0.95% ID/g at 6 h p.i., while the highest uptake of 177Lu-MIRC213-709 in the NCI-N87 model was 30.82 ± 7.29% ID/g at 48 h p.i. Compared with 177Lu-MIRC213, 177Lu-MIRC213-709 had a 16.9-fold increased tumor cumulative uptake (2606 ± 195.1 vs 153.9 ± 22.37% ID/g·h). The targeted radionuclide therapy assay was performed in the NCI-N87 tumor model, and treatment monitoring ended on day 32. The post-treatment/pretreatment tumor volumes were 12.99 ± 1.66, 3.58 ± 0.96, 1.26 ± 0.17, and 1.54 ± 0.50 in the 0, 9, and 18 MBq single-dose groups and the two 9 MBq divided dose group (14 days apart), respectively. All treatment groups showed significant therapeutic effects (P < 0.0001). Thus, fusion with the IgG-binding nanobody MIRC709 provides MIRC213 derivatives with improved metabolic properties for targeted radionuclide therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Hu
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Tianyu Liu
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Liqiang Li
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Linqing Shi
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Meinan Yao
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Chenzhen Li
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xiaopan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Hua Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Bing Jia
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.,Department of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Medical Isotopes Research Center and Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
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22
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Lan X, Huo L, Li S, Wang J, Cai W. State-of-the-art of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging in China: after the first 66 years (1956-2022). Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022; 49:2455-2461. [PMID: 35665836 PMCID: PMC9167647 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05856-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Lan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Huo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Diagnosis and Therapy in Nuclear Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shuren Li
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Weibo Cai
- Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI, USA.
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