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Xu D, Lu X, Yang F, Jiang Z, Yang S, Bi L, Liu J, Shan H, Li D. STING-targeted PET tracer for early assessment of tumor immunogenicity in colorectal cancer after chemotherapy. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024; 51:641-655. [PMID: 37924341 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06485-w] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To optimize chemotherapy regimens and improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, a PET tracer specifically targeting the stimulator of interferon genes (STING), denoted as [18F]FBTA was used to monitor the early changes in tumor immunogenicity after chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) mice. METHODS The toluene sulfonate precursor was labeled with 18F to produce the STING targeted probe-[18F]FBTA. [18F]FBTA-PET imaging and biodistribution were performed using CRC mice treated with oxaliplatin (OXA) or cisplatin (CDDP). CRC mice were also treated with low (CDDP-LD: 1 mg/kg) or medium (CDDP-MD: 2.5 mg/kg) doses of CDDP, and subjected to PET imaging and biodistribution. The effects of different chemotherapeutic agents and different doses of CDDP on tumor innate immunity were verified by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS PET imaging of CRC mice exhibited notably enhanced tumor uptake in the early phase of chemotherapy with treatment with OXA (3.09 ± 0.25%ID/g) and CDDP (4.01 ± 0.18%ID/g), especially in the CDDP group. The PET-derived tumor uptake values have strong correlations with STING immunohistochemical score. Flow cytometry showed both agents led to DCs and macrophages infiltration in tumors. Compared with OXA, CDDP treatment recruits more DCs and macrophages in CRC tumors. Both CDDP-LD and CDDP-MD treatment elevated uptake in CRC tumors, especially in CDDP-MD group. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry confirmed CDDP-MD treatment recruits more DCs and macrophages than CDDP-LD treatment. CONCLUSION Overall, the STING-targeted tracer-[18F]FBTA was demonstrated to monitor early changes in tumor immunogenicity in CRC mice after chemotherapy. Besides, the STING-targeted strategy may help to select the appropriate chemotherapy regimen, including chemotherapeutic agents and doses, which further improve clinical decision making for combination immunotherapy after chemotherapy for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Xu
- Department of Interventional Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Joint Laboratory of Interventional Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Interventional Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Department of Pediatrics, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Zebo Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Shirui Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Lei Bi
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China
| | - Jiani Liu
- Cancer Center, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Hong Shan
- Department of Interventional Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Joint Laboratory of Interventional Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Joint Laboratory of Interventional Medicine, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
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Li H, Lin WP, Zhang ZN, Sun ZJ. Tailoring biomaterials for monitoring and evoking tertiary lymphoid structures. Acta Biomater 2023; 172:1-15. [PMID: 37739247 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.09.028] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite the remarkable clinical success of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in the treatment of cancer, the response rate to ICB therapy remains suboptimal. Recent studies have strongly demonstrated that intratumoral tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are associated with a good prognosis and a successful clinical response to immunotherapy. However, there is still a shortage of efficient and wieldy approaches to image and induce intratumoral TLSs in vivo. Biomaterials have made great strides in overcoming the deficiencies of conventional diagnosis and therapies for cancer, and antitumor therapy has also benefited from biomaterial-based drug delivery models. In this review, we summarize the reported methods for TLS imaging and induction based on biomaterials and provide potential strategies that can further enhance the effectiveness of imaging and stimulating intratumoral TLSs to predict and promote the response rates of ICB therapies for patients. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In this review, we focused on the promising of biomaterials for imaging and induction of TLSs. We reviewed the applications of biomaterials in molecular imaging and immunotherapy, identified the biomaterials that may be suitable for TLS imaging and induction, and provided outlooks for further research. Accurate imaging and effective induction of TLSs are of great significance for understanding the mechanism and clinical application. We highlighted the need for multidisciplinary coordination and cooperation in this field, and proposed the possible future direction of noninvasive imaging and artificial induction of TLSs based on biomaterials. We believe that it can facilitate collaboration and galvanize a broader effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Wen-Ping Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Zhong-Ni Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Zhi-Jun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, PR China.
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Kheyrolahzadeh K, Tohidkia MR, Tarighatnia A, Shahabi P, Nader ND, Aghanejad A. Theranostic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells: Insight into recent trends and challenges in solid tumors. Life Sci 2023; 328:121917. [PMID: 37422069 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Cell therapy has reached significant milestones in various life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Cell therapy using fluorescent and radiolabeled chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell is a successful strategy for diagnosing or treating malignancies. Since cell therapy approaches have different results in cancers, the success of hematological cancers has yet to transfer to solid tumor therapy, leading to more casualties. Therefore, there are many areas for improvement in the cell therapy platform. Understanding the therapeutic barriers associated with solid cancers through cell tracking and molecular imaging may provide a platform for effectively delivering CAR-T cells into solid tumors. This review describes CAR-T cells' role in treating solid and non-solid tumors and recent advances. Furthermore, we discuss the main obstacles, mechanism of action, novel strategies and solutions to overcome the challenges from molecular imaging and cell tracking perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyvan Kheyrolahzadeh
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imam Reza General Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Tohidkia
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Tarighatnia
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Parviz Shahabi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Nader D Nader
- Department of Anesthesiology, University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, United States of America
| | - Ayuob Aghanejad
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imam Reza General Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Schwenck J, Sonanini D, Cotton JM, Rammensee HG, la Fougère C, Zender L, Pichler BJ. Advances in PET imaging of cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 2023:10.1038/s41568-023-00576-4. [PMID: 37258875 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00576-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular imaging has experienced enormous advancements in the areas of imaging technology, imaging probe and contrast development, and data quality, as well as machine learning-based data analysis. Positron emission tomography (PET) and its combination with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a multimodality PET-CT or PET-MRI system offer a wealth of molecular, functional and morphological data with a single patient scan. Despite the recent technical advances and the availability of dozens of disease-specific contrast and imaging probes, only a few parameters, such as tumour size or the mean tracer uptake, are used for the evaluation of images in clinical practice. Multiparametric in vivo imaging data not only are highly quantitative but also can provide invaluable information about pathophysiology, receptor expression, metabolism, or morphological and functional features of tumours, such as pH, oxygenation or tissue density, as well as pharmacodynamic properties of drugs, to measure drug response with a contrast agent. It can further quantitatively map and spatially resolve the intertumoural and intratumoural heterogeneity, providing insights into tumour vulnerabilities for target-specific therapeutic interventions. Failure to exploit and integrate the full potential of such powerful imaging data may lead to a lost opportunity in which patients do not receive the best possible care. With the desire to implement personalized medicine in the cancer clinic, the full comprehensive diagnostic power of multiplexed imaging should be utilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Schwenck
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumour Therapies', Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Sonanini
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Medical Oncology and Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Cotton
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumour Therapies', Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Rammensee
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumour Therapies', Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Immunology, IFIZ Institute for Cell Biology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center, German Cancer Consortium DKTK, Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian la Fougère
- Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumour Therapies', Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center, German Cancer Consortium DKTK, Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lars Zender
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumour Therapies', Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- Medical Oncology and Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center, German Cancer Consortium DKTK, Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernd J Pichler
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) 'Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumour Therapies', Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany.
- German Cancer Research Center, German Cancer Consortium DKTK, Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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Xie L, Meng Z. Immunomodulatory effect of locoregional therapy in the tumor microenvironment. Mol Ther 2023; 31:951-969. [PMID: 36694462 PMCID: PMC10124087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy appears to be a promising treatment option; however, only a subset of patients with cancer responds favorably to treatment. Locoregional therapy initiates a local antitumor immune response by disrupting immunosuppressive components, releasing immunostimulatory damage-associated molecular patterns, recruiting immune effectors, and remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Many studies have shown that locoregional therapy can produce specific antitumor immunity alone; nevertheless, the effect is relatively weak and transient. Furthermore, increasing research efforts have explored the potential synergy between locoregional therapy and immunotherapy to enhance the long-term systemic antitumor immune effect and improve survival. Therefore, further research is needed into the immunomodulatory effects of locoregional therapy and immunotherapy to augment antitumor effects. This review article summarizes the key components of the tumor microenvironment, discusses the immunomodulatory role of locoregional therapy in the tumor microenvironment, and emphasizes the therapeutic potential of locoregional therapy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xie
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China
| | - Zhiqiang Meng
- Department of Minimally Invasive Therapy Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
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Noriega-Álvarez E, Martín-Comín J. Molecular Imaging in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Semin Nucl Med 2023; 53:273-286. [PMID: 36702729 DOI: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Classically, two subtypes of IBD are recognized: Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. There is not a single and reliable test for IBD diagnosis but the nuclear medicine techniques like 99mTc-HMPAO autologous labelled leukocytes scintigraphy (WBCS) and PET/CT plays a role in the management of IBD. Leukocytes can be labelled "in vitro" (using 99mTc-HMPAO in Europe or 111In-oxine in America) or "in vivo" using antigranulocyte monoclonal antibodies. Nuclear medicine techniques are not the first choice to investigate IBD. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance (radiation free) are probably the first option, and the diagnosis is commonly established by endoscopic biopsies. Nevertheless, WBCS is highly sensitive and accurate and represent a real option when other methods cannot used for whatever reason. In fact, a normal scan discards the presence of active IBD. The test is also useful to measure the extension and severity of the diseases and to evaluate the response to treatment. PET/CT imaging using 18F-FDG has recently been introduced and studied in both children and adults showing an excellent sensitivity for detecting active intestinal inflammation, but poor specificity in some studies. PET alone appears to be sufficient for the evaluation of ulcerative colitis, but PET/CT provides considerably more information than PET alone in the evaluation of Crohn's disease. Current clinical applications of PET in IBD include its use in the early evaluation of IBD, especially in children who may not tolerate an invasive test such as colonoscopy. Many questions remain to be answered, but PET appears to be a promising tool in the non-invasive evaluation of IBD. On the other hand, PET/MR could become in the near future a powerful tool in the evaluation of IBD patients. In addition, immuno-PET with antibodies targeting innate immune markers is also being investigated to detect colonic inflammation. The development of these technologies in humans could offer a less invasive method than endoscopy for the diagnosis and monitoring of IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edel Noriega-Álvarez
- Nuclear Medicine Department, University General Hospital of Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Development and Evaluation of a Novel Radiotracer 125I-rIL-27 to Monitor Allotransplant Rejection by Specifically Targeting IL-27Rα. Mol Imaging 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/4200142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Noninvasive monitoring of allograft rejection is beneficial for the prognosis of patients with organ transplantation. Recently, IL-27/IL-27Rα was proved in close relation with inflammatory diseases, and 125I-anti-IL-27Rα mAb our group developed demonstrated high accumulation in the rejection of the allograft. However, antibody imaging has limitations in the imaging background due to its large molecular weight. Therefore, we developed a novel radiotracer (iodine-125-labeled recombinant IL-27) to evaluate the advantage in the targeting and imaging of allograft rejection. In vitro specific binding of 125I-rIL-27 was determined by saturation and competitive assay. Blood clearance, biodistribution, phosphor autoradioimaging, and IL-27Rα expression were studied on day 10 after transplantation (top period of allorejection). Our results indicated that 125I-rIL-27 could bind with IL-27Rα specifically and selectively in vitro. The blood clearance assay demonstrated fast blood clearance with 13.20 μl/h of 125I-rIL-27 staying in the blood after 24 h. The whole-body phosphor autoradiography and biodistribution assay indicated a higher specific uptake of 125I-rIL-27 and a clear radioimage in allograft than in syngraft at 24 h, while a similar result was obtained at 48 h in the group of 125I-anti-IL-27Rα mAb injection. Meanwhile, a higher expression of IL-27Rα was found in the allograft by Western blot. The accumulation of radioactivity of 125I-rIL-27 was highly correlated with the expression of IL-27Rα in the allograft. In conclusion, 125I-rIL-27 could be a promising probe for acutely monitoring allograft rejection with high specific binding towards IL-27Rα on allograft and low imaging background.
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Positron Emission Tomography Probes for Imaging Cytotoxic Immune Cells. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14102040. [PMID: 36297474 PMCID: PMC9610635 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102040] [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: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of immune cells is a powerful approach for monitoring the dynamics of immune cells in response to immunotherapy. Despite the clinical success of many immunotherapeutic agents, their clinical efficacy is limited to a subgroup of patients. Conventional imaging, as well as analysis of tissue biopsies and blood samples do not reflect the complex interaction between tumour and immune cells. Consequently, PET probes are being developed to capture the dynamics of such interactions, which may improve patient stratification and treatment evaluation. The clinical efficacy of cancer immunotherapy relies on both the infiltration and function of cytotoxic immune cells at the tumour site. Thus, various immune biomarkers have been investigated as potential targets for PET imaging of immune response. Herein, we provide an overview of the most recent developments in PET imaging of immune response, including the radiosynthesis approaches employed in their development.
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Volpe A, Adusumilli PS, Schöder H, Ponomarev V. Imaging cellular immunotherapies and immune cell biomarkers: from preclinical studies to patients. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004902. [PMID: 36137649 PMCID: PMC9511655 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular immunotherapies have emerged as a successful therapeutic approach to fight a wide range of human diseases, including cancer. However, responses are limited to few patients and tumor types. An in-depth understanding of the complexity and dynamics of cellular immunotherapeutics, including what is behind their success and failure in a patient, the role of other immune cell types and molecular biomarkers in determining a response, is now paramount. As the cellular immunotherapy arsenal expands, whole-body non-invasive molecular imaging can shed a light on their in vivo fate and contribute to the reliable assessment of treatment outcome and prediction of therapeutic response. In this review, we outline the non-invasive strategies that can be tailored toward the molecular imaging of cellular immunotherapies and immune-related components, with a focus on those that have been extensively tested preclinically and are currently under clinical development or have already entered the clinical trial phase. We also provide a critical appraisal on the current role and consolidation of molecular imaging into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Volpe
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Prasad S Adusumilli
- Thoracic Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Cellular Therapeutics Center, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Heiko Schöder
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vladimir Ponomarev
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA,Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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Clausen AS, Christensen C, Christensen E, Cold S, Kristensen LK, Hansen AE, Kjaer A. Development of a 64Cu-labeled CD4+ T cell targeting PET tracer: evaluation of CD4 specificity and its potential use in collagen-induced arthritis. EJNMMI Res 2022; 12:62. [PMID: 36114433 PMCID: PMC9481863 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-022-00934-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background CD4+ T cells are central inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as they are one of the dominating cell types in synovial inflammation. Molecular imaging of CD4+ T cells has potential role for early detection and monitoring of RA. Here, we developed a new radiotracer for in vivo immunoPET imaging of murine CD4+ T cells and tested it in the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model of human RA. Results The tracer, [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-CD4-F(ab)’2 ([64Cu]Cu-NOTA-CD4), was generated from F(ab)’2 fragments of R-anti-mouse CD4 antibodies conjugated to the 2-S-(isothiocyanatbenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (p-SCN-Bn-NOTA) chelator and radiolabeled with copper-64. Accumulation of the tracer and isotype control was evaluated in the CIA model and mice receiving whole-body irradiation (WBI) (5 Gy). The potential of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-CD4 for response assessment was evaluated in CIA induced mice treated with dexamethasone (DXM). Imaging data were compared with flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of inflammatory cells including CD4+ T cells. [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-CD4 showed increased accumulation in T cell-rich tissues compared with isotype control (p < 0.0001). In addition, reduced accumulation of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-CD4 was observed in T cell-depleted tissue (p < 0.0001). Flow cytometry and IHC confirmed the increased infiltration of CD4+ T cells in CIA mice. Conclusions We developed and evaluated a new radiotracer, [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-CD4, for immunoPET imaging of murine CD4+ T cells. [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-CD4 was successfully synthesized by F(ab)’2 fragments of R-anti-mouse CD4 antibodies conjugated to a chelator and radiolabeled with copper-64. We found that our novel CD4 PET tracer can be used for noninvasive visualization of murine CD4+ T cells. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13550-022-00934-7.
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van de Donk PP, Oosting SF, Knapen DG, van der Wekken AJ, Brouwers AH, Lub-de Hooge MN, de Groot DJA, de Vries EG. Molecular imaging to support cancer immunotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-004949. [PMID: 35922089 PMCID: PMC9352987 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-004949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has reinvigorated the field of immuno-oncology. These monoclonal antibody-based therapies allow the immune system to recognize and eliminate malignant cells. This has resulted in improved survival of patients across several tumor types. However, not all patients respond to immunotherapy therefore predictive biomarkers are important. There are only a few Food and Drug Administration-approved biomarkers to select patients for immunotherapy. These biomarkers do not consider the heterogeneity of tumor characteristics across lesions within a patient. New molecular imaging tracers allow for whole-body visualization with positron emission tomography (PET) of tumor and immune cell characteristics, and drug distribution, which might guide treatment decision making. Here, we summarize recent developments in molecular imaging of immune checkpoint molecules, such as PD-L1, PD-1, CTLA-4, and LAG-3. We discuss several molecular imaging approaches of immune cell subsets and briefly summarize the role of FDG-PET for evaluating cancer immunotherapy. The main focus is on developments in clinical molecular imaging studies, next to preclinical studies of interest given their potential translation to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pim P van de Donk
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoukje F Oosting
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Daan G Knapen
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anthonie J van der Wekken
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Adrienne H Brouwers
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolijn N Lub-de Hooge
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Derk-Jan A de Groot
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth Ge de Vries
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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12
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Arnouk S, De Groof TW, Van Ginderachter JA. Imaging and therapeutic targeting of the tumor immune microenvironment with biologics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 184:114239. [PMID: 35351469 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The important role of tumor microenvironmental elements in determining tumor progression and metastasis has been firmly established. In particular, the presence and activity profile of tumor-infiltrating immune cells may be associated with the outcome of the disease and may predict responsiveness to (immuno)therapy. Indeed, while some immune cell types, such as macrophages, support cancer cell outgrowth and mediate therapy resistance, the presence of activated CD8+ T cells is usually indicative of a better prognosis. It is therefore of the utmost interest to obtain a full picture of the immune infiltrate in tumors, either as a prognostic test, as a way to stratify patients to maximize therapeutic success, or as therapy follow-up. Hence, the non-invasive imaging of these cells is highly warranted, with biologics being prime candidates to achieve this goal.
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13
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Nagle VL, Hertz CAJ, Henry KE, Graham MS, Campos C, Pillarsetty N, Schietinger A, Mellinghoff IK, Lewis JS. Noninvasive Imaging of CD4+ T Cells in Humanized Mice. Mol Cancer Ther 2022; 21:658-666. [PMID: 35131877 PMCID: PMC8983497 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antibody-based PET (immunoPET) with radiotracers that recognize specific cells of the immune system provides an opportunity to monitor immune cell trafficking at the organismal scale. We previously reported the visualization of human CD8+ T cells, including CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), in mice using a humanized CD8-targeted minibody. Given the important role of CD4+ T cells in adaptive immune responses of health and disease including infections, tumors, and autoimmunity, we explored immunoPET using an anti-human-CD4 minibody. We assessed the ability of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-IAB41 to bind to various CD4+ T-cell subsets in vitro. We also determined the effect of the CD4-targeted minibody on CD4+ T-cell abundance, proliferation, and activation state in vitro. We subsequently evaluated the ability of the radiotracer to visualize CD4+ T cells in T-cell rich organs and orthotopic brain tumors in vivo. For the latter, we injected the [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-IAB41 radiotracer into humanized mice that harbored intracranial patient-derived glioblastoma (GBM) xenografts and performed in vivo PET, ex vivo autoradiography, and anti-CD4 IHC on serial brain sections. [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-IAB41 specifically detects human CD4+ T cells without impacting their abundance, proliferation, and activation. In humanized mice, [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-IAB41 can visualize various peripheral tissues in addition to orthotopically implanted GBM tumors. [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-IAB41 is able to visualize human CD4+ T cells in humanized mice and can provide noninvasive quantification of CD4+ T-cell distribution on the organismal scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica L. Nagle
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Charli Ann J. Hertz
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Kelly E. Henry
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Maya S. Graham
- Brain Tumor Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Carl Campos
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Nagavarakishore Pillarsetty
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
- Radiochemistry and Molecular Imaging Probes Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Andrea Schietinger
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Ingo K. Mellinghoff
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Brain Tumor Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Jason S. Lewis
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
- Radiochemistry and Molecular Imaging Probes Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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14
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Gosmann D, Russelli L, Weber WA, Schwaiger M, Krackhardt AM, D'Alessandria C. Promise and challenges of clinical non-invasive T-cell tracking in the era of cancer immunotherapy. EJNMMI Res 2022; 12:5. [PMID: 35099641 PMCID: PMC8804060 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-022-00877-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, our understanding of the role of the immune system in cancer has significantly improved and led to the discovery of new immunotherapeutic targets and tools, which boosted the advances in cancer immunotherapy to fight a growing number of malignancies. Approved immunotherapeutic approaches are currently mainly based on immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-derived targeted therapies, or cell-based immunotherapies. In essence, these therapies induce or enhance the infiltration and function of tumor-reactive T cells within the tumors, ideally resulting in complete tumor eradication. While the clinical application of immunotherapies has shown great promise, these therapies are often accompanied either by a variety of side effects as well as partial or complete unresponsiveness of a number of patients. Since different stages of disease progression elicit different local and systemic immune responses, the ability to longitudinally interrogate the migration and expansion of immune cells, especially T cells, throughout the whole body might greatly facilitate disease characterization and understanding. Furthermore, it can serve as a tool to guide development as well as selection of appropriate treatment regiments. This review provides an overview about a variety of immune-imaging tools available to characterize and study T-cell responses induced by anti-cancer immunotherapy. Moreover, challenges are discussed that must be taken into account and overcome to use immune-imaging tools as predictive and surrogate markers to enhance assessment and successful application of immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Gosmann
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Lisa Russelli
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang A Weber
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Schwaiger
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Angela M Krackhardt
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin III, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. .,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner-Site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Calogero D'Alessandria
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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15
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Kim I, Srinivasula S, DeGrange P, Long B, Jang H, Carrasquillo JA, Lane HC, Di Mascio M. Quantitative PET imaging of the CD4 pool in nonhuman primates. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022; 50:14-26. [PMID: 36028577 PMCID: PMC9668939 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-022-05940-4] [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: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Previous SPECT and PET semi-quantitative in vivo imaging studies in monkeys have demonstrated specific uptake of radiolabeled rhesus recombinant anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody fragment CD4R1-F(ab΄)2 in the spleen and clusters of lymph nodes (LNs) but yielded conflicting results of imaging the gut CD4 + T-cell pool. Here, using PET dynamic imaging with kinetic analysis, we performed a fully quantitative CD4 imaging in rhesus macaques. METHODS The biodistributions of [89Zr]Zr-CD4R1-F(ab΄)2 and/or of [89Zr]Zr-ibalizumab were performed with static PET scans up to 144 h (6 days) post-injection in 18 rhesus macaques with peripheral blood CD4 + T cells/μl ranging from ~ 20 to 2400. Fully quantitative analysis with a 4-h dynamic scan, arterial sampling, metabolite evaluation, and model fitting was performed in three immunocompetent monkeys to estimate the binding potential of CD4 receptors in the LNs, spleen, and gut. RESULTS The biodistributions of [89Zr]Zr-CD4R1-F(ab΄)2 and [89Zr]Zr-ibalizumab were similar in lymphoid tissues with a clear delineation of the CD4 pool in the LNs and spleen and a significant difference in lymphoid tissue uptake between immunocompetent and immunocompromised macaques. Consistent with our previous SPECT imaging of [99mTc]Tc-CD4R1-F(ab΄)2, the [89Zr]Zr-CD4R1-F(ab΄)2 and [89Zr]Zr-Ibalizumab uptakes in the gut were low and not different between uninfected and SIV-infected CD4-depleted monkeys. Ex vivo studies of large and small intestines confirmed the in vivo images. CONCLUSION The majority of specific binding to CD4 + tissue was localized to LNs and spleen with minimal uptake in the gut. Binding potential derived from fully quantitative studies revealed that the contribution of the gut is lower than the spleen's contribution to the total body CD4 pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Insook Kim
- grid.418021.e0000 0004 0535 8394AIDS Imaging Research Section, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Sharat Srinivasula
- grid.418021.e0000 0004 0535 8394AIDS Imaging Research Section, Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Paula DeGrange
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667AIDS Imaging Research Section, Integrated Research Facility, NIAID, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Brad Long
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667AIDS Imaging Research Section, Integrated Research Facility, NIAID, NIH, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Hyukjin Jang
- grid.418021.e0000 0004 0535 8394AIDS Imaging Research Section, Clinical Monitoring Research Program Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Jorge A. Carrasquillo
- grid.51462.340000 0001 2171 9952Molecular Imaging and Therapy Service, Radiology Department, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA ,grid.48336.3a0000 0004 1936 8075Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - H. Clifford Lane
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Division of Intramural Research, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Michele Di Mascio
- grid.419681.30000 0001 2164 9667AIDS Imaging Research Section, Division of Clinical Research, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
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16
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Traenkle B, Kaiser PD, Pezzana S, Richardson J, Gramlich M, Wagner TR, Seyfried D, Weldle M, Holz S, Parfyonova Y, Nueske S, Scholz AM, Zeck A, Jakobi M, Schneiderhan-Marra N, Schaller M, Maurer A, Gouttefangeas C, Kneilling M, Pichler BJ, Sonanini D, Rothbauer U. Single-Domain Antibodies for Targeting, Detection, and In Vivo Imaging of Human CD4 + Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:799910. [PMID: 34956237 PMCID: PMC8696186 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.799910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The advancement of new immunotherapies necessitates appropriate probes to monitor the presence and distribution of distinct immune cell populations. Considering the key role of CD4+ cells in regulating immunological processes, we generated novel single-domain antibodies [nanobodies (Nbs)] that specifically recognize human CD4. After in-depth analysis of their binding properties, recognized epitopes, and effects on T-cell proliferation, activation, and cytokine release, we selected CD4-specific Nbs that did not interfere with crucial T-cell processes in vitro and converted them into immune tracers for noninvasive molecular imaging. By optical imaging, we demonstrated the ability of a high-affinity CD4-Nb to specifically visualize CD4+ cells in vivo using a xenograft model. Furthermore, quantitative high-resolution immune positron emission tomography (immunoPET)/MR of a human CD4 knock-in mouse model showed rapid accumulation of 64Cu-radiolabeled CD4-Nb1 in CD4+ T cell-rich tissues. We propose that the CD4-Nbs presented here could serve as versatile probes for stratifying patients and monitoring individual immune responses during personalized immunotherapy in both cancer and inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjoern Traenkle
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Philipp D Kaiser
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Stefania Pezzana
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Richardson
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marius Gramlich
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Teresa R Wagner
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany.,Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Seyfried
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Melissa Weldle
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Holz
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yana Parfyonova
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Nueske
- Livestock Center of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Armin M Scholz
- Livestock Center of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Anne Zeck
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Meike Jakobi
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | | | - Martin Schaller
- Department of Dermatology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Maurer
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies," University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cécile Gouttefangeas
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies," University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Manfred Kneilling
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies," University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernd J Pichler
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies," University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dominik Sonanini
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Rothbauer
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, Reutlingen, Germany.,Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies," University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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17
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Zhao N, Bardine C, Lourenço AL, Wang YH, Huang Y, Cleary SJ, Wilson DM, Oh DY, Fong L, Looney MR, Evans MJ, Craik CS. In Vivo Measurement of Granzyme Proteolysis from Activated Immune Cells with PET. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:1638-1649. [PMID: 34729407 PMCID: PMC8554823 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The biology of human granzymes remains enigmatic in part due to our inability to probe their functions outside of in vitro assays or animal models with divergent granzyme species. We hypothesize that the biology of human granzymes could be better elaborated with a translational imaging technology to reveal the contexts in which granzymes are secreted and biochemically active in vivo. Here, we advance toward this goal by engineering a Granzyme targeting Restricted Interaction Peptide specific to family member B (GRIP B) to measure secreted granzyme B (GZMB) biochemistry with positron emission tomography. A proteolytic cleavage of 64Cu-labeled GRIP B liberates a radiolabeled form of Temporin L, which sequesters the radioisotope by binding to adjacent phospholipid bilayers. Thus, at extended time points postinjection (i.e., hours, not seconds), tissue biodistribution of the radioisotope in vivo reflects relative units of the GZMB activity. As a proof of concept, we show in three syngeneic mouse cancer models that 64Cu-GRIP B detects GZMB from T cells activated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI). Remarkably, the radiotracer detects the proteolysis within tumors but also in lymphoid tissue, where immune cells are activated by a systemic CPI. Control experiments with an uncleavable analogue of 64Cu-GRIP B and tumor imaging studies in germline GZMB knockout mice were applied to show that 64Cu-GRIP B is specific for GZMB proteolysis. Furthermore, we explored a potential noncytotoxic function for GZMB by applying 64Cu-GRIP B to a model of pulmonary inflammation. In summary, we demonstrate that granzyme biochemistry can be assessed in vivo using an imaging modality that can be scaled vertically into human subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Zhao
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Conner Bardine
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - André Luiz Lourenço
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Yung-hua Wang
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Yangjie Huang
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Simon J. Cleary
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - David M. Wilson
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - David Y. Oh
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Lawrence Fong
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Mark R. Looney
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Michael J. Evans
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Charles S. Craik
- Department
of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
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18
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Ellingson BM, Wen PY, Cloughesy TF. Therapeutic Response Assessment of High-Grade Gliomas During Early-Phase Drug Development in the Era of Molecular and Immunotherapies. Cancer J 2021; 27:395-403. [PMID: 34570454 PMCID: PMC8480435 DOI: 10.1097/ppo.0000000000000543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Several new therapeutic strategies have emerged over the past decades to address unmet clinical needs in high-grade gliomas, including targeted molecular agents and various forms of immunotherapy. Each of these strategies requires addressing fundamental questions, depending on the stage of drug development, including ensuring drug penetration into the brain, engagement of the drug with the desired target, biologic effects downstream from the target including metabolic and/or physiologic changes, and identifying evidence of clinical activity that could be expanded upon to increase the likelihood of a meaningful survival benefit. The current review article highlights these strategies and outlines how imaging technology can be used for therapeutic response evaluation in both targeted and immunotherapies in early phases of drug development in high-grade gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Ellingson
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Patrick Y. Wen
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Timothy F. Cloughesy
- UCLA Neuro Oncology Program, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
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19
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Xie L, Hu K, Duo Y, Shimokawa T, Kumata K, Zhang Y, Jiang C, Zhang L, Nengaki N, Wakizaka H, Cao Y, Zhang MR. Off-tumor IDO1 target engagements determine the cancer-immune set point and predict the immunotherapeutic efficacy. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-002616. [PMID: 34148865 PMCID: PMC8237741 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) has been intensively pursued as a therapeutic target to reverse the immunosuppressive cancer-immune milieu and promote tumor elimination. However, recent failures of phase III clinical trials with IDO1 inhibitors involved in cancer immunotherapies highlight the urgent need to develop appropriate methods for tracking IDO1 when the cancer-immune milieu is therapeutically modified. Methods We utilized a small-molecule radiotracer, 11C-l-1MTrp, to quantitatively and longitudinally visualize whole-body IDO1 dynamics. Specifically, we first assessed 11C-l-1MTrp in mice-bearing contralateral human tumors with distinct IDO1 expression patterns. Then, we applied 11C-l-1MTrp to longitudinally monitor whole-body IDO1 variations in immunocompetent melanoma-bearing mice treated with 1-methyl-l-tryptophan plus either chemotherapeutic drugs or antibodies targeting programmedcell death 1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4. Results 11C-l-1MTrp positron emission tomography (PET) imaging accurately delineated IDO1 expression in xenograft mouse models. Moreover, we were able to visualize dynamic IDO1 regulation in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), an off-tumor IDO1 target, where the percentage uptake of 11C-l-1MTrp accurately annotated the therapeutic efficacy of multiple combination immunotherapies in preclinical models. Remarkably, 11C-l-1MTrp signal intensity in the MLNs was inversely related to the specific growth rates of treated tumors, suggesting that IDO1 expression in the MLNs can serve as a new biomarker of the cancer-immune set point. Conclusions PET imaging of IDO1 with 11C-l-1MTrp is a robust method to assess the therapeutic efficacy of multiple combinatorial immunotherapies, improving our understanding of the merit and challenges of IDO1 regimens. Further validation of this animal data in humans is ongoing. We envision that our results will provide a potential precision medicine paradigm for noninvasive visualizing each patient’s individual response in combinatorial cancer immunotherapy, and tailoring optimal personalized combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xie
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kuan Hu
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yanhong Duo
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Takashi Shimokawa
- Department of Accelerator and Medical Physics, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Katsushi Kumata
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yiding Zhang
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Cuiping Jiang
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Lulu Zhang
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Nobuki Nengaki
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hidekatsu Wakizaka
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ming-Rong Zhang
- Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
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20
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Shao F, Long Y, Ji H, Jiang D, Lei P, Lan X. Radionuclide-based molecular imaging allows CAR-T cellular visualization and therapeutic monitoring. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:6800-6817. [PMID: 34093854 PMCID: PMC8171102 DOI: 10.7150/thno.56989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy is a new and effective form of adoptive cell therapy that is rapidly entering the mainstream for the treatment of CD19-positive hematological cancers because of its impressive effect and durable responses. Huge challenges remain in achieving similar success in patients with solid tumors. The current methods of monitoring CAR-T, including morphological imaging (CT and MRI), blood tests, and biopsy, have limitations to assess whether CAR-T cells are homing to tumor sites and infiltrating into tumor bed, or to assess the survival, proliferation, and persistence of CAR-T cells in solid tumors associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Radionuclide-based molecular imaging affords improved CAR-T cellular visualization and therapeutic monitoring through either a direct cellular radiolabeling approach or a reporter gene imaging strategy, and endogenous cell imaging is beneficial to reflect functional information and immune status of T cells. Focusing on the dynamic monitoring and precise assessment of CAR-T therapy, this review summarizes the current applications of radionuclide-based noninvasive imaging in CAR-T cells visualization and monitoring and presents current challenges and strategic choices.
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21
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Xiao Z, Puré E. Imaging of T-cell Responses in the Context of Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Res 2021; 9:490-502. [PMID: 33941536 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-20-0678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy, which promotes the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and enhances their infiltration into and function within tumors, is a rapidly expanding and evolving approach to treating cancer. However, many of the critical denominators for inducing effective anticancer immune responses remain unknown. Efforts are underway to develop comprehensive ex vivo assessments of the immune landscape of patients prior to and during response to immunotherapy. An important complementary approach to these efforts involves the development of noninvasive imaging approaches to detect immune targets, assess delivery of immune-based therapeutics, and evaluate responses to immunotherapy. Herein, we review the merits and limitations of various noninvasive imaging modalities (MRI, PET, and single-photon emission tomography) and discuss candidate targets for cellular and molecular imaging for visualization of T-cell responses at various stages along the cancer-immunity cycle in the context of immunotherapy. We also discuss the potential use of these imaging strategies in monitoring treatment responses and predicting prognosis for patients treated with immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebin Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ellen Puré
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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22
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Preclinical models and technologies to advance nanovaccine development. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 172:148-182. [PMID: 33711401 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable success of targeted immunotherapies is revolutionizing cancer treatment. However, tumor heterogeneity and low immunogenicity, in addition to several tumor-associated immunosuppression mechanisms are among the major factors that have precluded the success of cancer vaccines as targeted cancer immunotherapies. The exciting outcomes obtained in patients upon the injection of tumor-specific antigens and adjuvants intratumorally, reinvigorated interest in the use of nanotechnology to foster the delivery of vaccines to address cancer unmet needs. Thus, bridging nano-based vaccine platform development and predicted clinical outcomes the selection of the proper preclinical model will be fundamental. Preclinical models have revealed promising outcomes for cancer vaccines. However, only few cases were associated with clinical responses. This review addresses the major challenges related to the translation of cancer nano-based vaccines to the clinic, discussing the requirements for ex vivo and in vivo models of cancer to ensure the translation of preclinical success to patients.
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23
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Liberini V, Laudicella R, Capozza M, Huellner MW, Burger IA, Baldari S, Terreno E, Deandreis D. The Future of Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Surveillance: A Systemic Review on Immunotherapy and Immuno-PET Radiotracers. Molecules 2021; 26:2201. [PMID: 33920423 PMCID: PMC8069316 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26082201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is an effective therapeutic option for several cancers. In the last years, the introduction of checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has shifted the therapeutic landscape in oncology and improved patient prognosis in a variety of neoplastic diseases. However, to date, the selection of the best patients eligible for these therapies, as well as the response assessment is still challenging. Patients are mainly stratified using an immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of antigens on biopsy specimens, such as PD-L1 and PD-1, on tumor cells, on peritumoral immune cells and/or in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, the use and development of imaging biomarkers able to assess in-vivo cancer-related processes are becoming more important. Today, positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) is used routinely to evaluate tumor metabolism, and also to predict and monitor response to immunotherapy. Although highly sensitive, FDG-PET in general is rather unspecific. Novel radiopharmaceuticals (immuno-PET radiotracers), able to identify specific immune system targets, are under investigation in pre-clinical and clinical settings to better highlight all the mechanisms involved in immunotherapy. In this review, we will provide an overview of the main new immuno-PET radiotracers in development. We will also review the main players (immune cells, tumor cells and molecular targets) involved in immunotherapy. Furthermore, we report current applications and the evidence of using [18F]FDG PET in immunotherapy, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
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MESH Headings
- Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use
- Artificial Intelligence
- B7-H1 Antigen/genetics
- B7-H1 Antigen/immunology
- Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/administration & dosage
- Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/chemistry
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
- Humans
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/chemistry
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/metabolism
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Killer Cells, Natural/drug effects
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/pathology
- Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/immunology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Positron-Emission Tomography/methods
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/genetics
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/immunology
- Radiopharmaceuticals/administration & dosage
- Radiopharmaceuticals/chemical synthesis
- Signal Transduction
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/drug effects
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/pathology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/drug effects
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/pathology
- Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects
- Tumor Microenvironment/genetics
- Tumor Microenvironment/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Liberini
- Department of Medical Science, Division of Nuclear Medicine, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Laudicella
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and of Morpho-Functional Imaging, Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (R.L.); (S.B.)
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.W.H.); (I.A.B.)
| | - Martina Capozza
- Molecular & Preclinical Imaging Centers, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (M.C.); (E.T.)
| | - Martin W. Huellner
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.W.H.); (I.A.B.)
| | - Irene A. Burger
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.W.H.); (I.A.B.)
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kantonsspital Baden, 5004 Baden, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Baldari
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and of Morpho-Functional Imaging, Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (R.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Enzo Terreno
- Molecular & Preclinical Imaging Centers, Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (M.C.); (E.T.)
| | - Désirée Deandreis
- Department of Medical Science, Division of Nuclear Medicine, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy;
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24
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Simonetta F, Alam IS, Lohmeyer JK, Sahaf B, Good Z, Chen W, Xiao Z, Hirai T, Scheller L, Engels P, Vermesh O, Robinson E, Haywood T, Sathirachinda A, Baker J, Malipatlolla MB, Schultz LM, Spiegel JY, Lee JT, Miklos DB, Mackall CL, Gambhir SS, Negrin RS. Molecular Imaging of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells by ICOS-ImmunoPET. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:1058-1068. [PMID: 33087332 PMCID: PMC7887027 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-2770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Immunomonitoring of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells relies primarily on their quantification in the peripheral blood, which inadequately quantifies their biodistribution and activation status in the tissues. Noninvasive molecular imaging of CAR T cells by PET is a promising approach with the ability to provide spatial, temporal, and functional information. Reported strategies rely on the incorporation of reporter transgenes or ex vivo biolabeling, significantly limiting the application of CAR T-cell molecular imaging. In this study, we assessed the ability of antibody-based PET (immunoPET) to noninvasively visualize CAR T cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN After analyzing human CAR T cells in vitro and ex vivo from patient samples to identify candidate targets for immunoPET, we employed a syngeneic, orthotopic murine tumor model of lymphoma to assess the feasibility of in vivo tracking of CAR T cells by immunoPET using the 89Zr-DFO-anti-ICOS tracer, which we have previously reported. RESULTS Analysis of human CD19-CAR T cells during activation identified the Inducible T-cell COStimulator (ICOS) as a potential target for immunoPET. In a preclinical tumor model, 89Zr-DFO-ICOS mAb PET-CT imaging detected significantly higher signal in specific bone marrow-containing skeletal sites of CAR T-cell-treated mice compared with controls. Importantly, administration of ICOS-targeting antibodies at tracer doses did not interfere with CAR T-cell persistence and function. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the potential of ICOS-immunoPET imaging for monitoring of CAR T-cell therapy, a strategy readily applicable to both commercially available and investigational CAR T cells.See related commentary by Volpe et al., p. 911.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Simonetta
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Division of Hematology, Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Translational Research Center for Oncohematology, Department of Internal Medicine Specialties, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Israt S Alam
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Juliane K Lohmeyer
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Bita Sahaf
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Zinaida Good
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California
| | - Weiyu Chen
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Zunyu Xiao
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Toshihito Hirai
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Lukas Scheller
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Pujan Engels
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Ophir Vermesh
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Elise Robinson
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Tom Haywood
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Ataya Sathirachinda
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Jeanette Baker
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | | | - Liora M Schultz
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Jay Y Spiegel
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Jason T Lee
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Stanford Center for Innovation in In Vivo Imaging (SCi), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - David B Miklos
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Crystal L Mackall
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Sanjiv S Gambhir
- Bio-X Program and Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Departments of Bioengineering and Materials Science & Engineering, Bio-X, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Robert S Negrin
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
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25
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Pietrobon V, Cesano A, Marincola F, Kather JN. Next Generation Imaging Techniques to Define Immune Topographies in Solid Tumors. Front Immunol 2021; 11:604967. [PMID: 33584676 PMCID: PMC7873485 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.604967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, cancer immunotherapy experienced remarkable developments and it is nowadays considered a promising therapeutic frontier against many types of cancer, especially hematological malignancies. However, in most types of solid tumors, immunotherapy efficacy is modest, partly because of the limited accessibility of lymphocytes to the tumor core. This immune exclusion is mediated by a variety of physical, functional and dynamic barriers, which play a role in shaping the immune infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment. At present there is no unified and integrated understanding about the role played by different postulated models of immune exclusion in human solid tumors. Systematically mapping immune landscapes or "topographies" in cancers of different histology is of pivotal importance to characterize spatial and temporal distribution of lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment, providing insights into mechanisms of immune exclusion. Spatially mapping immune cells also provides quantitative information, which could be informative in clinical settings, for example for the discovery of new biomarkers that could guide the design of patient-specific immunotherapies. In this review, we aim to summarize current standard and next generation approaches to define Cancer Immune Topographies based on published studies and propose future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jakob Nikolas Kather
- Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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26
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van der Krogt JMA, van Binsbergen WH, van der Laken CJ, Tas SW. Novel positron emission tomography tracers for imaging of rheumatoid arthritis. Autoimmun Rev 2021; 20:102764. [PMID: 33476822 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2021.102764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear imaging modality that relies on visualization of molecular targets in tissues, which is nowadays combined with a structural imaging modality such as computed tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and referred to as hybrid PET imaging. This technique allows to image specific immunological targets in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Moreover, quantification of the PET signal enables highly sensitive monitoring of therapeutic effects on the molecular target. PET may also aid in stratification of the immuno-phenotype at baseline in order to develop personalized therapy. In this systematic review we will provide an overview of novel PET tracers, investigated in the context of RA, either pre-clinically, or clinically, that specifically visualize immune cells or stromal cells, as well as other factors and processes that contribute to pathology. The potential of these tracers in RA diagnosis, disease monitoring, and prediction of treatment outcome will be discussed. In addition, novel PET tracers established within the field of oncology that may be of use in RA will also be reviewed in order to expand the future opportunities of PET imaging in RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M A van der Krogt
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam Rheumatology & Immunology Center (ARC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam UMC/University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter H van Binsbergen
- Amsterdam UMC, Location VUmc, Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center (ARC), VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Conny J van der Laken
- Amsterdam UMC, Location VUmc, Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center (ARC), VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sander W Tas
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam Rheumatology & Immunology Center (ARC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Experimental Immunology, Amsterdam UMC/University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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27
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Abousaway O, Rakhshandehroo T, Van den Abbeele AD, Kircher MF, Rashidian M. Noninvasive Imaging of Cancer Immunotherapy. Nanotheranostics 2021; 5:90-112. [PMID: 33391977 PMCID: PMC7738948 DOI: 10.7150/ntno.50860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of several malignancies. Notwithstanding the encouraging results, many patients do not respond to treatments. Evaluation of the efficacy of treatments is challenging and robust methods to predict the response to treatment are not yet available. The outcome of immunotherapy results from changes that treatment evokes in the tumor immune landscape. Therefore, a better understanding of the dynamics of immune cells that infiltrate into the tumor microenvironment may fundamentally help in addressing this challenge and provide tools to assess or even predict the response. Noninvasive imaging approaches, such as PET and SPECT that provide whole-body images are currently seen as the most promising tools that can shed light on the events happening in tumors in response to treatment. Such tools can provide critical information that can be used to make informed clinical decisions. Here, we review recent developments in the field of noninvasive cancer imaging with a focus on immunotherapeutics and nuclear imaging technologies and will discuss how the field can move forward to address the challenges that remain unresolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Abousaway
- Department of Imaging, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Taha Rakhshandehroo
- Department of Imaging, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Annick D. Van den Abbeele
- Department of Imaging, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Moritz F. Kircher
- Department of Imaging, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Mohammad Rashidian
- Department of Imaging, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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28
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Song PN, Mansur A, Dugger KJ, Davis TR, Howard G, Yankeelov TE, Sorace AG. CD4 T-cell immune stimulation of HER2 + breast cancer cells alters response to trastuzumab in vitro. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:544. [PMID: 33292267 PMCID: PMC7654187 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-01625-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The HER2 + tumor immune microenvironment is composed of macrophages, natural killer cells, and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, which produce pro-inflammatory cytokines. Determining the effect of T-cells on HER2 + cancer cells during therapy could guide immunogenic therapies that trigger antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. This study utilized longitudinal in vitro time-resolved microscopy to measure T-cell influence on trastuzumab in HER2 + breast cancer. Methods Fluorescently-labeled breast cancer cells (BT474, SKBR3, MDA-MB-453, and MDA-MB-231) were co-cultured with CD4 + T-cells (Jurkat cell line) and longitudinally imaged to quantify cancer cell viability when treated with or without trastuzumab (10, 25, 50 and 100 μg/mL). The presence and timing of T-cell co-culturing was manipulated to determine immune stimulation of trastuzumab-treated HER2 + breast cancer. HER2 and TNF-α expression were evaluated with western blot and ELISA, respectively. Significance was calculated using a two-tailed parametric t-test. Results The viability of HER2 + cancer cells significantly decreased when exposed to 25 μg/mL trastuzumab and T-cells, compared to cancer cells exposed to trastuzumab without T-cells (p = 0.01). The presence of T-cells significantly increased TNF-α expression in trastuzumab-treated cancer cells (p = 0.02). Conversely, cancer cells treated with TNF-α and trastuzumab had a similar decrease in viability as trastuzumab-treated cancer cells co-cultured with T-cells (p = 0.32). Conclusions The presence of T-cells significantly increases the efficacy of targeted therapies and suggests trastuzumab may trigger immune mediated cytotoxicity. Increased TNF-α receptor expression suggest cytokines may interact with trastuzumab to create a state of enhanced response to therapy in HER2 + breast cancer, which has potential to reducing tumor burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick N Song
- Department of Radiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Ameer Mansur
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Kari J Dugger
- Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Tessa R Davis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Grant Howard
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Thomas E Yankeelov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.,Department of Diagnostic Medicine, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.,Department of Oncology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.,Livestrong Cancer Institutes, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.,Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Anna G Sorace
- Department of Radiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA. .,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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29
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Bu L, Sun Y, Han G, Tu N, Xiao J, Wang Q. Outcome Prediction and Evaluation by Imaging the Key Elements of Therapeutic Responses to Cancer Immunotherapies Using PET. Curr Pharm Des 2020; 26:675-687. [PMID: 31465273 DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190829150302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy (also known as immuno-oncology), a promising anti-cancer strategy by harnessing the body's own immune system against cancer, has emerged as the "fifth therapeutic pilla" in the field of cancer treatment since surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and targeted therapy. Clinical efficacy of several immunotherapies has been demonstrated in clinical settings, however, only a small subset of patients exhibit dramatic or durable responses, with the highest reported frequency about 10-40% from single-agent PD-L1/PD-1 inhibitors, suggesting the urgent need of consistent objective response biomarkers for monitoring therapeutic response accurately, predicting therapeutic efficacy and selecting responders. Key elements of therapeutic responses to cancer immunotherapies contain the cancer cell response and the alternation of inherent immunological characteristics. Here, we document the literature regarding imaging the key elements of therapeutic responses to cancer immunotherapies using PET. We discussed PET imaging approaches according to different response mechanisms underlying diverse immune-therapeutic categories, and also highlight the ongoing efforts to identify novel immunotherapeutic PET imaging biomarkers. In this article, we show that PET imaging of the key elements of therapeutic responses to cancer immunotherapies using PET can allow for more precise prediction, earlier therapy response monitoring, and improved management. However, all of these strategies need more preclinical study and clinical validation before further development as imaging indicators of the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihong Bu
- PET-CT/MRI Center, Faculty of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Wuhan University Renmin Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yanqiu Sun
- Department of Radiology, Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Guang Han
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ning Tu
- PET-CT/MRI Center, Faculty of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Wuhan University Renmin Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jiachao Xiao
- PET-CT/MRI Center, Faculty of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Wuhan University Renmin Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qi Wang
- The 1st Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Wuhan University Renmin Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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30
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Abstract
Imaging has played a critical role in the management of patients with cancer. Novel therapies are emerging rapidly; however, they are effective only in some patients. With the advent of new targeted therapeutics and immunotherapy, the limitations of conventional imaging methods are becoming more evident. FDG-PET imaging is restricted to the optimal assessment of immune therapies. There is a critical unmet need for pharmacodynamic and prognostic imaging biomarkers. Radiolabeled antibodies or small molecules can allow for specific assessment of targets in expression and concentration. Several such imaging agents have been under preclinical development. Early human studies with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies or small molecules targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway have shown potential; targeted imaging of CA19.9 and CA-IX and are being further explored. Immune-directed imaging agents are highly desirable as biomarkers and preliminary studies with radiolabeled antibodies targeting immune mechanisms appear promising. While novel agents are being developed, larger well-designed studies are needed to validate the role of these agents as biomarkers in the clinical management of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeta Pandit-Taskar
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
| | - Michael A Postow
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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31
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Alam IS, Simonetta F, Scheller L, Mayer AT, Murty S, Vermesh O, Nobashi TW, Lohmeyer JK, Hirai T, Baker J, Lau KH, Negrin R, Gambhir SS. Visualization of Activated T Cells by OX40-ImmunoPET as a Strategy for Diagnosis of Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease. Cancer Res 2020; 80:4780-4790. [PMID: 32900772 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), mediated primarily by donor T cells that become activated and attack host tissues. Noninvasive strategies detecting T-cell activation would allow for early diagnosis and possibly more effective management of HCT recipients. PET imaging is a sensitive and clinically relevant modality ideal for GvHD diagnosis, and there is a strong rationale for the use of PET tracers that can monitor T-cell activation and expansion with high specificity. The TNF receptor superfamily member OX40 (CD134) is a cell surface marker that is highly specific for activated T cells, is upregulated during GvHD, and mediates disease pathogenesis. We recently reported the development of an antibody-based activated T-cell imaging agent targeting OX40. In the present study, we visualize the dynamics of OX40 expression in an MHC-mismatch mouse model of acute GvHD using OX40-immunoPET. This approach enabled visualization of T-cell activation at early stages of disease, prior to overt clinical symptoms with high sensitivity and specificity. This study highlights the potential utility of the OX40 PET imaging as a new strategy for GvHD diagnosis and therapy monitoring. SIGNIFICANCE: OX40-immunoPET imaging is a promising noninvasive strategy for early detection of GvHD, capable of detecting signs of GvHD pathology even prior to the development of overt clinical symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israt S Alam
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
| | - Federico Simonetta
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Lukas Scheller
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Aaron T Mayer
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Departments of Bioengineering and Materials Science and Engineering, Bio-X, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Surya Murty
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Departments of Bioengineering and Materials Science and Engineering, Bio-X, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Ophir Vermesh
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Tomomi W Nobashi
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Juliane K Lohmeyer
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Toshihito Hirai
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Jeanette Baker
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Kenneth H Lau
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Robert Negrin
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
| | - Sanjiv S Gambhir
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Departments of Bioengineering and Materials Science and Engineering, Bio-X, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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32
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Flavell RR, Evans MJ, Villanueva-Meyer JE, Yom SS. Understanding Response to Immunotherapy Using Standard of Care and Experimental Imaging Approaches. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2020; 108:242-257. [PMID: 32585333 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as a standard of care in the treatment of a wide variety of malignancies, and it may be used in combination with other treatments including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, a patient's imaging response to immunotherapy can be confounded by a variety of factors, including the appearance of pseudoprogression or the development of immune-related adverse events. In these situations, the immune response itself can mimic disease progression, potentially causing confusion in assessment and determination of further treatment. To address these challenges, a variety of approaches have been proposed to improve response assessment. First, revised definitions of response criteria, accounting for the appearance of pseudoprogression, can improve specificity of assessment. Second, advanced image processing including radiomics and machine learning analysis can be used to further analyze standard of care imaging data. In addition, new molecular imaging techniques can be used to directly interrogate immune cell activity or study aspects of the tumor microenvironment. These approaches have promise for improving the understanding of the response to immunotherapy and improving patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert R Flavell
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
| | - Michael J Evans
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Javier E Villanueva-Meyer
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Sue S Yom
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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33
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Ashmore-Harris C, Iafrate M, Saleem A, Fruhwirth GO. Non-invasive Reporter Gene Imaging of Cell Therapies, including T Cells and Stem Cells. Mol Ther 2020; 28:1392-1416. [PMID: 32243834 PMCID: PMC7264441 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapies represent a rapidly emerging class of new therapeutics. They are intended and developed for the treatment of some of the most prevalent human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and for regenerative medicine. Currently, they are largely developed without precise assessment of their in vivo distribution, efficacy, or survival either clinically or preclinically. However, it would be highly beneficial for both preclinical cell therapy development and subsequent clinical use to assess these parameters in situ to enable enhancements in efficacy, applicability, and safety. Molecular imaging can be exploited to track cells non-invasively on the whole-body level and can enable monitoring for prolonged periods in a manner compatible with rapidly expanding cell types. In this review, we explain how in vivo imaging can aid the development and clinical translation of cell-based therapeutics. We describe the underlying principles governing non-invasive in vivo long-term cell tracking in the preclinical and clinical settings, including available imaging technologies, reporter genes, and imaging agents as well as pitfalls related to experimental design. Our emphasis is on adoptively transferred T cell and stem cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Ashmore-Harris
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Madeleine Iafrate
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Adeel Saleem
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK; Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK; Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK.
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34
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McCarthy CE, White JM, Viola NT, Gibson HM. In vivo Imaging Technologies to Monitor the Immune System. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1067. [PMID: 32582173 PMCID: PMC7280489 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The past two decades have brought impressive advancements in immune modulation, particularly with the advent of both cancer immunotherapy and biologic therapeutics for inflammatory conditions. However, the dynamic nature of the immune response often complicates the assessment of therapeutic outcomes. Innovative imaging technologies are designed to bridge this gap and allow non-invasive visualization of immune cell presence and/or function in real time. A variety of anatomical and molecular imaging modalities have been applied for this purpose, with each option providing specific advantages and drawbacks. Anatomical methods including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound provide sharp tissue resolution, which can be further enhanced with contrast agents, including super paramagnetic ions (for MRI) or nanobubbles (for ultrasound). Conjugation of the contrast material to an antibody allows for specific targeting of a cell population or protein of interest. Protein platforms including antibodies, cytokines, and receptor ligands are also popular choices as molecular imaging agents for positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), scintigraphy, and optical imaging. These tracers are tagged with either a radioisotope or fluorescent molecule for detection of the target. During the design process for immune-monitoring imaging tracers, it is important to consider any potential downstream physiologic impact. Antibodies may deplete the target cell population, trigger or inhibit receptor signaling, or neutralize the normal function(s) of soluble proteins. Alternatively, the use of cytokines or other ligands as tracers may stimulate their respective signaling pathways, even in low concentrations. As in vivo immune imaging is still in its infancy, this review aims to describe the modalities and immunologic targets that have thus far been explored, with the goal of promoting and guiding the future development and application of novel imaging technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E McCarthy
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Jordan M White
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Nerissa T Viola
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Heather M Gibson
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
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35
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White JM, Keinänen OM, Cook BE, Zeglis BM, Gibson HM, Viola NT. Removal of Fc Glycans from [ 89Zr]Zr-DFO-Anti-CD8 Prevents Peripheral Depletion of CD8 + T Cells. Mol Pharm 2020; 17:2099-2108. [PMID: 32330387 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The N-linked biantennary glycans on the heavy chain of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies (mAbs) are instrumental in the recognition of the Fc region by Fc-gamma receptors (FcγR). In the case of full-length mAb-based imaging tracers targeting immune cell populations, these Fc:FcγR interactions can potentially deplete effector cells responsible for tumor clearance. To bypass this problem, we hypothesize that the enzymatic removal of the Fc glycans will disrupt Fc:FcγR interactions and spare tracer-targeted immune cells from depletion during immunopositron emission tomography (immunoPET) imaging. Herein, we compared the in vitro and in vivo properties of 89Zr-radiolabeled CD8-specific murine mAb (anti-CD8wt, clone 2.43), a well-known depleting mAb, and its deglycosylated counterpart (anti-CD8degly). Deglycosylation was achieved via enzymatic treatment with the peptide: N-glycosidase F (PNGaseF). Both anti-CD8wt and anti-CD8degly mAbs were conjugated to p-SCN-Bn-desferrioxamine (DFO) and labeled with 89Zr. Bindings of both DFO-conjugated mAbs to FcγR and CD8+ splenocytes were compared. In vivo imaging and distribution studies were conducted to examine the specificity and pharmacokinetics of the radioimmunoconjugates in tumor-naive and CT26 colorectal tumor-bearing mice. Ex vivo analysis of CD8+ T cell population in spleens and tumors obtained postimaging were measured via flow cytometry and qRT-PCR. The removal of the Fc glycans from anti-CD8wt was confirmed via SDS-PAGE. A reduction in FcγR interaction was exhibited by DFO-anti-CD8degly, while its binding to CD8 remained unchanged. Tissue distribution showed similar pharmacokinetics of [89Zr]Zr-DFO-anti-CD8degly and the wt radioimmunoconjugate. In vivo blocking studies further demonstrated retained specificity of the deglycosylated radiotracer for CD8. From the imaging studies, no difference in accumulation in both spleens and tumors was observed between both radiotracers. Results from the flow cytometry analysis confirmed depletion of CD8+ T cells in spleens of mice administered with DFO-anti-CD8wt, whereas an increase in CD8+ T cells was shown with DFO-anti-CD8degly. No statistically significant difference in tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells was observed in cohorts administered with the probes when compared to control unmodulated mice. CD8 mRNA levels from excised tumors showed increased transcripts of the antigen in mice administered with [89Zr]Zr-DFO-anti-CD8degly compared to mice imaged with [89Zr]Zr-DFO-anti-CD8wt. In conclusion, the removal of Fc glycans offers a straightforward approach to develop full length antibody-based imaging probes specifically for detecting CD8+ immune molecules with no consequential depletion of their target cell population in peripheral tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M White
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan 48201, United States
| | - Outi M Keinänen
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York 10021, United States.,Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Brendon E Cook
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York 10021, United States.,Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, United States
| | - Brian M Zeglis
- Department of Chemistry, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York 10021, United States.,Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10016, United States.,Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Heather M Gibson
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan 48201, United States
| | - Nerissa T Viola
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan 48201, United States
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36
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Iafrate M, Fruhwirth GO. How Non-invasive in vivo Cell Tracking Supports the Development and Translation of Cancer Immunotherapies. Front Physiol 2020; 11:154. [PMID: 32327996 PMCID: PMC7152671 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a relatively new treatment regimen for cancer, and it is based on the modulation of the immune system to battle cancer. Immunotherapies can be classified as either molecular or cell-based immunotherapies, and both types have demonstrated promising results in a growing number of cancers. Indeed, several immunotherapies representing both classes are already approved for clinical use in oncology. While spectacular treatment successes have been reported, particularly for so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors and certain cell-based immunotherapies, they have also been accompanied by a variety of severe, sometimes life-threatening side effects. Furthermore, not all patients respond to immunotherapy. Hence, there is the need for more research to render these promising therapeutics more efficacious, more widely applicable, and safer to use. Whole-body in vivo imaging technologies that can interrogate cancers and/or immunotherapies are highly beneficial tools for immunotherapy development and translation to the clinic. In this review, we explain how in vivo imaging can aid the development of molecular and cell-based anti-cancer immunotherapies. We describe the principles of imaging host T-cells and adoptively transferred therapeutic T-cells as well as the value of traceable cancer cell models in immunotherapy development. Our emphasis is on in vivo cell tracking methodology, including important aspects and caveats specific to immunotherapies. We discuss a variety of associated experimental design aspects including parameters such as cell type, observation times/intervals, and detection sensitivity. The focus is on non-invasive 3D cell tracking on the whole-body level including aspects relevant for both preclinical experimentation and clinical translatability of the underlying methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapy and Cancer Group, Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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37
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Xiao Z, Mayer AT, Nobashi TW, Gambhir SS. ICOS Is an Indicator of T-cell-Mediated Response to Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancer Res 2020; 80:3023-3032. [PMID: 32156777 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-3265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is innovating clinical cancer management. Nevertheless, only a small fraction of patient's benefit from current immunotherapies. To improve clinical management of cancer immunotherapy, it is critical to develop strategies for response monitoring and prediction. In this study, we describe inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS) as a conserved mediator of immune response across multiple therapy strategies. ICOS expression was evaluated by flow cytometry, 89Zr-DFO-ICOS mAb PET/CT imaging was performed on Lewis lung cancer models treated with different immunotherapy strategies, and the change in tumor volume was used as a read-out for therapeutic response. ImmunoPET imaging of ICOS enabled sensitive and specific detection of activated T cells and early benchmarking of immune response. A STING (stimulator of interferon genes) agonist was identified as a promising therapeutic approach in this manner. The STING agonist generated significantly stronger immune responses as measured by ICOS ImmunoPET and delayed tumor growth compared with programmed death-1 checkpoint blockade. More importantly, ICOS ImmunoPET enabled early and robust prediction of therapeutic response across multiple treatment regimens. These data show that ICOS is an indicator of T-cell-mediated immune response and suggests ICOS ImmunoPET as a promising strategy for monitoring, comparing, and predicting immunotherapy success in cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: ICOS ImmunoPET is a promising strategy to noninvasively predict and monitor immunotherapy response.See related commentary by Choyke, p. 2975.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zunyu Xiao
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Molecular Imaging Research Center of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Aaron T Mayer
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Tomomi W Nobashi
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Sanjiv S Gambhir
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California. .,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California.,Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California.,Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Bio-X Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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38
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van de Donk PP, Kist de Ruijter L, Lub-de Hooge MN, Brouwers AH, van der Wekken AJ, Oosting SF, Fehrmann RSN, de Groot DJA, de Vries EGE. Molecular imaging biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Theranostics 2020; 10:1708-1718. [PMID: 32042331 PMCID: PMC6993216 DOI: 10.7150/thno.38339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have substantially changed the field of oncology over the past few years. ICIs offer an alternative treatment strategy by exploiting the patients' immune system, resulting in a T cell mediated anti-tumor response. These therapies are effective in multiple different tumor types. Unfortunately, a substantial group of patients do not respond to ICIs. Molecular imaging, using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET), can provide non-invasive whole-body visualization of tumor and immune cell characteristics and might support patient selection or response evaluations for ICI therapies. In this review, recent studies with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET imaging, imaging of immune checkpoints and imaging of immune cells will be discussed. These studies are until now mainly exploratory, but the first results suggest that molecular imaging biomarkers could have a role in the evaluation of ICI therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pim P van de Donk
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Laura Kist de Ruijter
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Marjolijn N Lub-de Hooge
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Adrienne H Brouwers
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Anthonie J van der Wekken
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sjoukje F Oosting
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Rudolf SN Fehrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Derk Jan A de Groot
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth GE de Vries
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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39
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Frickenstein AN, Jones MA, Behkam B, McNally LR. Imaging Inflammation and Infection in the Gastrointestinal Tract. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010243. [PMID: 31905812 PMCID: PMC6981656 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A variety of seemingly non-specific symptoms manifest within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, particularly in the colon, in response to inflammation, infection, or a combination thereof. Differentiation between symptom sources can often be achieved using various radiologic studies. Although it is not possible to provide a comprehensive survey of imaging gastrointestinal GI tract infections in a single article, the purpose of this review is to survey several topics on imaging of GI tract inflammation and infections. The review discusses such modalities as computed tomography, positron emission tomography, ultrasound, endoscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging while looking at up-an-coming technologies that could improve diagnoses and patient comfort. The discussion is accomplished through examining a combination of organ-based and organism-based approaches, with accompanying selected case examples. Specific focus is placed on the bacterial infections caused by Shigella spp., Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, Salmonella, and inflammatory conditions of diverticulitis and irritable bowel disease. These infectious and inflammatory diseases and their detection via molecular imaging will be compared including the appropriate differential diagnostic considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex N. Frickenstein
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (A.N.F.); (M.A.J.)
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Meredith A. Jones
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (A.N.F.); (M.A.J.)
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Bahareh Behkam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;
| | - Lacey R. McNally
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; (A.N.F.); (M.A.J.)
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Correspondence:
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40
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Du Y, Qi Y, Jin Z, Tian J. Noninvasive imaging in cancer immunotherapy: The way to precision medicine. Cancer Lett 2019; 466:13-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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41
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Northrup JD, Mach RH, Sellmyer MA. Radiochemical Approaches to Imaging Bacterial Infections: Intracellular versus Extracellular Targets. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E5808. [PMID: 31752318 PMCID: PMC6888724 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of penicillin began the age of antibiotics, which was a turning point in human healthcare. However, to this day, microbial infections are still a concern throughout the world, and the rise of multidrug-resistant organisms is an increasing challenge. To combat this threat, diagnostic imaging tools could be used to verify the causative organism and curb inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs. Nuclear imaging offers the sensitivity needed to detect small numbers of bacteria in situ. Among nuclear imaging tools, radiolabeled antibiotics traditionally have lacked the sensitivity or specificity necessary to diagnose bacterial infections accurately. One reason for the lack of success is that the antibiotics were often chelated to a radiometal. This was done without addressing the ramifications of how the radiolabeling would impact probe entry to the bacterial cell, or the mechanism of binding to an intracellular target. In this review, we approach bacterial infection imaging through the lens of bacterial specific molecular targets, their intracellular or extracellular location, and discuss radiochemistry strategies to guide future probe development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin D. Northrup
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (J.D.N.); (R.H.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert H. Mach
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (J.D.N.); (R.H.M.)
| | - Mark A. Sellmyer
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (J.D.N.); (R.H.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Kristensen LK, Fröhlich C, Christensen C, Melander MC, Poulsen TT, Galler GR, Lantto J, Horak ID, Kragh M, Nielsen CH, Kjaer A. CD4 + and CD8a + PET imaging predicts response to novel PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor: studies of Sym021 in syngeneic mouse cancer models. Theranostics 2019; 9:8221-8238. [PMID: 31754392 PMCID: PMC6857046 DOI: 10.7150/thno.37513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting the outcome of immunotherapy is essential for efficient treatment. The recent clinical success of immunotherapy is increasingly changing the paradigm of cancer treatment. Accordingly, the development of immune-based agents is accelerating and the number of agents in the global immuno-oncology pipeline has grown 60-70% over the past year. However, despite remarkable clinical efficacy in some patients, only few achieve a lasting clinical response. Treatment failure can be attributed to poorly immunogenic tumors that do not attract tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Therefore, we developed positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers for non-invasive detection of CD4+ and CD8a+ TILs in syngeneic mouse tumor models for preclinical studies. Methods: Seven syngeneic mouse tumor models (B16F10, P815, CT26, MC38, Renca, 4T1, Sa1N) were quantified for CD4+ and CD8a+ TILs using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC), as well as for tumor growth response to Sym021, a humanized PD-1 antibody cross-reactive with mouse PD-1. Radiotracers were generated from F(ab)'2 fragments of rat-anti-mouse CD4 and CD8a antibodies conjugated to the p-SCN-Bn-Desferrioxamine (SCN-Bn-DFO) chelator and radiolabeled with Zirconium-89 (89Zr-DFO-CD4/89Zr-DFO-CD8a). Tracers were optimized for in vivo PET/CT imaging in CT26 tumor-bearing mice and specificity was evaluated by depletion studies and isotype control imaging. 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a PET/CT imaging was conducted in the panel of syngeneic mouse models prior to immunotherapy with Sym021. Results: Syngeneic tumor models were characterized as "hot" or "cold" according to number of TILs determined by flow cytometry and IHC. 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a were successfully generated with a radiochemical purity >99% and immunoreactivity >85%. The optimal imaging time-point was 24 hours post-injection of ~1 MBq tracer with 30 µg non-labeled co-dose. Reduced tumor and spleen uptake of 89Zr-DFO-CD8a was observed in CD8a+ depleted mice and the uptake was comparable with that of isotype control (89Zr-DFO-IgG2b) confirming specificity. PET imaging in syngeneic tumor models revealed a varying maximum tumor-to-heart ratio of 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a across tumor types and in-between subjects that correlated with individual response to Sym021 at day 10 relative to start of therapy (p=0.0002 and p=0.0354, respectively). The maximum 89Zr-DFO-CD4 tumor-to-heart ratio could be used to stratify mice according to Sym021 therapy response and overall survival was improved in mice with a 89Zr-DFO-CD4 ratio >9 (p=0.0018). Conclusion: We developed 89Zr-DFO-CD4 and 89Zr-DFO-CD8a PET radiotracers for specific detection and whole-body assessment of CD4+ and CD8a+ status. These radiotracers can be used to phenotype preclinical syngeneic mouse tumor models and to predict response to an immune checkpoint inhibitor. We foresee development of such non-invasive in vivo biomarkers for prediction and evaluation of clinical efficacy of immunotherapeutic agents, such as Sym021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte K. Kristensen
- Minerva Imaging, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Camilla Christensen
- Minerva Imaging, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carsten H. Nielsen
- Minerva Imaging, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Kjaer
- Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Krekorian M, Fruhwirth GO, Srinivas M, Figdor CG, Heskamp S, Witney TH, Aarntzen EH. Imaging of T-cells and their responses during anti-cancer immunotherapy. Theranostics 2019; 9:7924-7947. [PMID: 31656546 PMCID: PMC6814447 DOI: 10.7150/thno.37924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has proven to be an effective approach in a growing number of cancers. Despite durable clinical responses achieved with antibodies targeting immune checkpoint molecules, many patients do not respond. The common denominator for immunotherapies that have successfully been introduced in the clinic is their potential to induce or enhance infiltration of cytotoxic T-cells into the tumour. However, in clinical research the molecules, cells and processes involved in effective responses during immunotherapy remain largely obscure. Therefore, in vivo imaging technologies that interrogate T-cell responses in patients represent a powerful tool to boost further development of immunotherapy. This review comprises a comprehensive analysis of the in vivo imaging technologies that allow the characterisation of T-cell responses induced by anti-cancer immunotherapy, with emphasis on technologies that are clinically available or have high translational potential. Throughout we discuss their respective strengths and weaknesses, providing arguments for selecting the optimal imaging options for future research and patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massis Krekorian
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, Kings' College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mangala Srinivas
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carl G. Figdor
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra Heskamp
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Timothy H. Witney
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, Kings' College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erik H.J.G. Aarntzen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Peltek OO, Muslimov AR, Zyuzin MV, Timin AS. Current outlook on radionuclide delivery systems: from design consideration to translation into clinics. J Nanobiotechnology 2019; 17:90. [PMID: 31434562 PMCID: PMC6704557 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-019-0524-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiopharmaceuticals have proven to be effective agents, since they can be successfully applied for both diagnostics and therapy. Effective application of relevant radionuclides in pre-clinical and clinical studies depends on the choice of a sufficient delivery platform. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review on the most relevant aspects in radionuclide delivery using the most employed carrier systems, including, (i) monoclonal antibodies and their fragments, (ii) organic and (iii) inorganic nanoparticles, and (iv) microspheres. This review offers an extensive analysis of radionuclide delivery systems, the approaches of their modification and radiolabeling strategies with the further prospects of their implementation in multimodal imaging and disease curing. Finally, the comparative outlook on the carriers and radionuclide choice, as well as on the targeting efficiency of the developed systems is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksii O Peltek
- Russian Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies (RRCRST) of Ministry of Public Health, Leningradskaya Street 70 Pesochny, Saint-Petersburg, 197758, Russian Federation
| | - Albert R Muslimov
- Russian Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies (RRCRST) of Ministry of Public Health, Leningradskaya Street 70 Pesochny, Saint-Petersburg, 197758, Russian Federation
| | - Mikhail V Zyuzin
- Faculty of Physics and Engineering, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, 197101, Russia
| | - Alexander S Timin
- Russian Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies (RRCRST) of Ministry of Public Health, Leningradskaya Street 70 Pesochny, Saint-Petersburg, 197758, Russian Federation.
- Research School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin Avenue 30, Tomsk, 634050, Russia.
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45
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Lee HJ, Ehlerding EB, Cai W. Antibody-Based Tracers for PET/SPECT Imaging of Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. Chembiochem 2019; 20:422-436. [PMID: 30240550 PMCID: PMC6377337 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Chronic inflammatory diseases are often progressive, resulting not only in physical damage to patients but also social and economic burdens, making early diagnosis of them critical. Nuclear medicine techniques can enhance the detection of inflammation by providing functional as well as anatomical information when combined with other modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography or ultrasonography. Although small molecules and peptides were mainly used for the treatment and imaging of chronic inflammatory diseases in the past, antibodies and their fragments have also been emerging for chronic inflammatory diseases as they show high specificity to their targets and can have various biological half-lives depending on how they are engineered. In addition, imaging with antibodies or their fragments can visualize the in vivo biodistribution of the probes or help monitor therapeutic responses, thereby providing physicians with a greater understanding of drug behavior in vivo and another means of monitoring their patients. In this review, we introduce various targets and radiolabeled antibody-based probes for the molecular imaging of chronic inflammatory diseases in preclinical and clinical studies. Targets can be classified into three different categories: 1) cell-adhesion molecules, 2) surface markers on immune cells, and 3) cytokines or enzymes. The limitations and future directions of using radiolabeled antibodies for imaging inflammatory diseases are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Jin Lee
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison WI 53705, USA
| | - Emily B. Ehlerding
- Medical Physics Department, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison WI 53705, USA
| | - Weibo Cai
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison WI 53705, USA
- Medical Physics Department, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison WI 53705, USA
- Department of Radiology and Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison WI 53705, USA
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Fu R, Carroll L, Yahioglu G, Aboagye EO, Miller PW. Antibody Fragment and Affibody ImmunoPET Imaging Agents: Radiolabelling Strategies and Applications. ChemMedChem 2018; 13:2466-2478. [PMID: 30246488 PMCID: PMC6587488 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies have long been recognised as potent vectors for carrying diagnostic medical radionuclides, contrast agents and optical probes to diseased tissue for imaging. The area of ImmunoPET combines the use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with antibodies to improve the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of diseases. Recent developments in antibody engineering and PET radiochemistry have led to a new wave of experimental ImmunoPET imaging agents that are based on a range of antibody fragments and affibodies. In contrast to full antibodies, engineered affibody proteins and antibody fragments such as minibodies, diabodies, single-chain variable region fragments (scFvs), and nanobodies are much smaller but retain the essential specificities and affinities of full antibodies in addition to more desirable pharmacokinetics for imaging. Herein, recent key developments in the PET radiolabelling strategies of antibody fragments and related affibody molecules are highlighted, along with the main PET imaging applications of overexpressed antigen-associated tumours and immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruisi Fu
- Department of ChemistryImperial College LondonExhibition RoadSouth Kensington, LondonSW7 2AZUK
- Comprehensive Cancer Imaging Centre, Department of Surgery and CancerImperial College London, Hammersmith CampusDu Cane RoadLondonW12 0NNUK
| | - Laurence Carroll
- Comprehensive Cancer Imaging Centre, Department of Surgery and CancerImperial College London, Hammersmith CampusDu Cane RoadLondonW12 0NNUK
| | - Gokhan Yahioglu
- Department of ChemistryImperial College LondonExhibition RoadSouth Kensington, LondonSW7 2AZUK
- Antikor Biopharma Ltd.StevenageSG1 2FXUK
| | - Eric O. Aboagye
- Comprehensive Cancer Imaging Centre, Department of Surgery and CancerImperial College London, Hammersmith CampusDu Cane RoadLondonW12 0NNUK
| | - Philip W. Miller
- Department of ChemistryImperial College LondonExhibition RoadSouth Kensington, LondonSW7 2AZUK
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Mayer KE, Mall S, Yusufi N, Gosmann D, Steiger K, Russelli L, Bianchi HDO, Audehm S, Wagner R, Bräunlein E, Stelzl A, Bassermann F, Weichert W, Weber W, Schwaiger M, D'Alessandria C, Krackhardt AM. T-cell functionality testing is highly relevant to developing novel immuno-tracers monitoring T cells in the context of immunotherapies and revealed CD7 as an attractive target. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:6070-6087. [PMID: 30613283 PMCID: PMC6299443 DOI: 10.7150/thno.27275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has proven high efficacy in treating diverse cancer entities by immune checkpoint modulation and adoptive T-cell transfer. However, patterns of treatment response differ substantially from conventional therapies, and reliable surrogate markers are missing for early detection of responders versus non-responders. Current imaging techniques using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron-emmission-tomograpy (18F-FDG-PET) cannot discriminate, at early treatment times, between tumor progression and inflammation. Therefore, direct imaging of T cells at the tumor site represents a highly attractive tool to evaluate effective tumor rejection or evasion. Moreover, such markers may be suitable for theranostic imaging. Methods: We mainly investigated the potential of two novel pan T-cell markers, CD2 and CD7, for T-cell tracking by immuno-PET imaging. Respective antibody- and F(ab´)2 fragment-based tracers were produced and characterized, focusing on functional in vitro and in vivo T-cell analyses to exclude any impact of T-cell targeting on cell survival and antitumor efficacy. Results: T cells incubated with anti-CD2 and anti-CD7 F(ab´)2 showed no major modulation of functionality in vitro, and PET imaging provided a distinct and strong signal at the tumor site using the respective zirconium-89-labeled radiotracers. However, while T-cell tracking by anti-CD7 F(ab´)2 had no long-term impact on T-cell functionality in vivo, anti-CD2 F(ab´)2 caused severe T-cell depletion and failure of tumor rejection. Conclusion: This study stresses the importance of extended functional T-cell assays for T-cell tracer development in cancer immunotherapy imaging and proposes CD7 as a highly suitable target for T-cell immuno-PET imaging.
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Abstract
Nuclear medicine is composed of two complementary areas, imaging and therapy. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon imaging, including single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), comprise the imaging component of nuclear medicine. These areas are distinct in that they exploit different nuclear decay processes and also different imaging technologies. In PET, images are created from the 511 keV photons produced when the positron emitted by a radionuclide encounters an electron and is annihilated. In contrast, in single-photon imaging, images are created from the γ rays (and occasionally X-rays) directly emitted by the nucleus. Therapeutic nuclear medicine uses particulate radiation such as Auger or conversion electrons or β- or α particles. All three of these technologies are linked by the requirement that the radionuclide must be attached to a suitable vector that can deliver it to its target. It is imperative that the radionuclide remain attached to the vector before it is delivered to its target as well as after it reaches its target or else the resulting image (or therapeutic outcome) will not reflect the biological process of interest. Radiochemistry is at the core of this process, and radiometals offer radiopharmaceutical chemists a tremendous range of options with which to accomplish these goals. They also offer a wide range of options in terms of radionuclide half-lives and emission properties, providing the ability to carefully match the decay properties with the desired outcome. This Review provides an overview of some of the ways this can be accomplished as well as several historical examples of some of the limitations of earlier metalloradiopharmaceuticals and the ways that new technologies, primarily related to radionuclide production, have provided solutions to these problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Boros
- Department of Chemistry , Stony Brook University , Stony Brook , New York 11794 , United States
| | - Alan B Packard
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States.,Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States
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49
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Fruhwirth GO, Kneilling M, de Vries IJM, Weigelin B, Srinivas M, Aarntzen EHJG. The Potential of In Vivo Imaging for Optimization of Molecular and Cellular Anti-cancer Immunotherapies. Mol Imaging Biol 2018; 20:696-704. [PMID: 30030697 PMCID: PMC6153672 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-018-1254-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This review aims to emphasize the potential of in vivo imaging to optimize current and upcoming anti-cancer immunotherapies: spanning from preclinical to clinical applications. Immunotherapies are an emerging class of treatments for a variety of diseases. The agents include molecular and cellular therapeutics, which aim to treat the disease through re-education of the host immune system, often via complex mechanisms of action. In vivo imaging has the potential to contribute in several different ways: (1) as a drug development tool to improve our understanding of their complex mechanisms of action, (2) as a tool to predict efficacy, for example, to stratify patients into probable responders and likely non-responders, and (3) as a non-invasive treatment response biomarker to guide efficient immunotherapy use and to recognize early signs of potential loss of efficacy or resistance in patients. Areas where in vivo imaging is already successfully implemented in onco-immunology research will be discussed and domains where its use offers great potential will be highlighted. The focus of this article is on anti-cancer immunotherapy as it currently is the most advanced immunotherapy area. However, the described concepts can also be paralleled in other immune-mediated disorders and for conditions requiring immunotherapeutic intervention. Importantly, we introduce a new study group within the European Society of Molecular Imaging with the goal to facilitate and enhance immunotherapy development through the use of in vivo imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Department of Imaging Chemistry and Biology, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, Kings' College London, London, UK
| | - Manfred Kneilling
- Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - I Jolanda M de Vries
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bettina Weigelin
- Genitourinary Medical Oncology and Koch Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mangala Srinivas
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Erik H J G Aarntzen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
The recent clinical success of cancer immunotherapy has renewed interest in the development of tools to image the immune system. In general, immunotherapies attempt to enable the body's own immune cells to seek out and destroy malignant disease. Molecular imaging of the cells and molecules that regulate immunity could provide unique insight into the mechanisms of action, and failure, of immunotherapies. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art immunoimaging toolbox with a focus on imaging strategies and their applications toward immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron T Mayer
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California; and
| | - Sanjiv S Gambhir
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California; and
- Department of Radiology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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