1
|
Tosato M, Gandini A, Happel S, Bas M, Donzella A, Zenoni A, Salvini A, Andrighetto A, Di Marco V, Asti M. Chromatographic separation of silver-111 from neutron-irradiated palladium target: toward direct labeling of radiotracers. EJNMMI Radiopharm Chem 2023; 8:43. [PMID: 38123869 PMCID: PMC10733254 DOI: 10.1186/s41181-023-00232-0] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Silver-111 is a promising β--emitting radioisotope with ideal characteristics for targeted radionuclide therapy and associated single photon emission tomography imaging. Its decay properties closely resemble the clinically established lutetium-177, making it an attractive candidate for therapeutic applications. In addition, the clinical value of silver-111 is further enhanced by the existence of the positron-emitting counterpart silver-103, thus imparting a truly theranostic potential to this element. A so-fitting matching pair could potentially overcome the current limitations associated with the forced use of chemically different isotopes as imaging surrogates of lutetium-177, leading to more accurate and efficient diagnosis and treatment. However, the use of silver-111-based radiopharmaceuticals in vivo has faced obstacles due to the challenges related to its production and radiochemical separation from the target material. To address these issues, this study aims to implement a chromatographic separation methodology for the purification of reactor-produced silver-111. The ultimate goal is to achieve a ready-to-use formulation for the direct radiolabeling of tumour-seeking biomolecules. RESULTS A two-step sequence chromatographic process was validated for cold Ag-Pd separation and then translated to the radioactive counterpart. Silver-111 was produced via the 110Pd(n,γ)111Pd nuclear reaction on a natural palladium target and the subsequent β--decay of palladium-111. Silver-111 was chemically separated from the metallic target via the implemented chromatographic process by using commercially available LN and TK200 resins. The effectiveness of the separations was assessed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and γ-spectrometry, respectively, and the Ag+ retrieval was afforded in pure water. Recovery of silver-111 was > 90% with a radionuclidic purity > 99% and a separation factor of around 4.21·10-4. CONCLUSIONS The developed separation method was suitable to obtain silver-111 with high molar activity in a ready-to-use water-based formulation that can be directly employed for the labeling of radiotracers. By successfully establishing a robust and efficient production and purification method for silver-111, this research paves the way for its wider application in targeted radionuclide therapy and precision imaging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Tosato
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section, Nuclear Medicine Unit, AUSL di Reggio Emilia: Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale - IRCCS Tecnologie Avanzate e Modelli Assistenziali in Oncologia di Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, 42122, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Andrea Gandini
- Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Energy, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Marine Bas
- TrisKem International SAS, 35170, Brittany, France
| | - Antonietta Donzella
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123, Brescia, Italy
- Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics, Pavia Section, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Aldo Zenoni
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123, Brescia, Italy
- Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics, Pavia Section, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Salvini
- Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Energy, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Alberto Andrighetto
- Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics, Legnaro National Laboratories, 35020, Legnaro, (Padova), Italy
| | - Valerio Di Marco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Mattia Asti
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section, Nuclear Medicine Unit, AUSL di Reggio Emilia: Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale - IRCCS Tecnologie Avanzate e Modelli Assistenziali in Oncologia di Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, 42122, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tosato M, Franchi S, Dalla Tiezza M, Orian L, Gyr T, Alker A, Zanoni G, Pastore P, Andrighetto A, Köster U, Jensen M, Mäcke H, Asti M, Di Marco V. Tuning the Framework of Thioether-Functionalized Polyazamacrocycles: Searching for a Chelator for Theranostic Silver Radioisotopes. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:20777-20790. [PMID: 37768780 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Silver-111 is an attractive unconventional candidate for targeted cancer therapy as well as for single photon emission computed tomography and can be complemented by silver-103 for positron emission tomography noninvasive diagnostic procedures. However, the shortage of chelating agents capable of forming stable complexes tethered to tumor-seeking vectors has hindered their in vivo application so far. In this study, a comparative investigation of a series of sulfur-containing structural homologues, namely, 1,4,7-tris[2-(methylsulfanyl)ethyl)]-1,4,7-triazacyclononane (NO3S), 1,5,9-tris[2-(methylsulfanyl)ethyl]-1,5,9-triazacyclododecane (TACD3S), 1,4,7,10-tetrakis[2-(methylsulfanyl)ethyl]-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclotridecane (TRI4S), and 1,4,8,11-tetrakis[2-(methylsulfanyl)ethyl]-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (TE4S) was conducted to appraise the influence of different polyazamacrocyclic backbones on Ag+ complexation. The performances of these macrocycles were also compared with those of the previously reported Ag+/[111Ag]Ag+-chelator 1,4,7,10-tetrakis[2-(methylsulfanyl)ethyl]-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (DO4S). Nuclear magnetic resonance data supported by density functional theory calculations and X-ray crystallographic results gave insights into the coordination environment of these complexes, suggesting that all of the donor atoms are generally involved in the metal coordination. However, the modifications of the macrocycle topology alter the dynamic binding of the pendant arms or the conformation of the ring around the metal center. Combined pH/pAg-potentiometric and spectroscopic experiments revealed that the 12-member N4 backbone of DO4S forms the most stable Ag+ complex while both the enlargement and the shrinkage of the macrocyclic frame dwindle the stability of the complexes. Radiolabeling experiments, conducted with reactor-produced [111Ag]Ag+, evidenced that the thermodynamic stability trend is reflected in the ligand's ability to incorporate the radioactive ion at high molar activity, even in the presence of a competing cation (Pd2+), as well as in the integrity of the corresponding complexes in human serum. As a consequence, DO4S proved to be the most favorable candidate for future in vivo applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Tosato
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section, Nuclear Medicine Unit, AUSL-IRCCS Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Sara Franchi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Dalla Tiezza
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Laura Orian
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Thomas Gyr
- Division of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, Clinic of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - André Alker
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel F. Hoffmann-La Roche, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giordano Zanoni
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Paolo Pastore
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Alberto Andrighetto
- Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics, Legnaro National Laboratories, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - Ulli Köster
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Mikael Jensen
- The Hevesy Laboratory, Department Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Helmut Mäcke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mattia Asti
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section, Nuclear Medicine Unit, AUSL-IRCCS Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Valerio Di Marco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tosato M, Asti M. Lights and Shadows on the Sourcing of Silver Radioisotopes for Targeted Imaging and Therapy of Cancer: Production Routes and Separation Methods. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:929. [PMID: 37513841 PMCID: PMC10383325 DOI: 10.3390/ph16070929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The interest in silver radioisotopes of medical appeal (silver-103, silver-104m,g and silver-111) has been recently awakened by the versatile nature of their nuclear decays, which combine emissions potentially suitable for non-invasive imaging with emissions suited for cancer treatment. However, to trigger their in vivo application, the production of silver radioisotopes in adequate amounts, and with high radionuclidic purity and molar activity, is a key prerequisite. This review examines the different production routes of silver-111, silver-103 and silver-104m,g providing a comprehensive critical overview of the separation and purification strategies developed so far. Aspects of quality (radiochemical, chemical and radionuclidic purity) are also emphasized and compared with the aim of pushing towards the future implementation of this theranostic triplet in preclinical and clinical contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Tosato
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section, Nuclear Medicine Unit, AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Mattia Asti
- Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Section, Nuclear Medicine Unit, AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Morselli L, Donzella A, Arzenton A, Asti M, Bortolussi S, Corradetti S, D’Agostino G, Di Luzio M, Ferrari M, Gandini A, Lunardon M, Villa V, Salvini A, Zangrando L, Zenoni A, Andrighetto A. Production and characterization of 111Ag radioisotope for medical use in a TRIGA Mark II nuclear research reactor. Appl Radiat Isot 2023; 197:110798. [PMID: 37028101 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2023.110798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Radio Pharmaceutical Therapy (RPT) comes forth as a promising technique to treat a wide range of tumors while ensuring low collateral damage to nearby healthy tissues. This kind of cancer therapy exploits the radiation following the decay of a specific radionuclide to deliver a lethal dose to tumor tissues. In the framework of the ISOLPHARM project of INFN, 111Ag was recently proposed as a promising core of a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical. In this paper, the production of 111Ag via neutron activation of 110Pd-enriched samples inside a TRIGA Mark II nuclear research reactor is studied. The radioisotope production is modeled using two different Monte Carlo codes (MCNPX and PHITS) and a stand-alone inventory calculation code FISPACT-II, with different cross section data libraries. The whole process is simulated starting from an MCNP6-based reactor model producing the neutron spectrum and flux in the selected irradiation facility. Moreover, a cost-effective, robust and easy-to-use spectroscopic system, based on a Lanthanum Bromo-Chloride (LBC) inorganic scintillator, is designed and characterized, with the aim of using it, in the future, for the quality control of the ISOLPHARM irradiated targets at the SPES facility of the Legnaro National Laboratories of INFN. natPd and 110Pd-enriched samples are irradiated in the reactor main irradiation facility and spectroscopically characterized using the LBC-based setup and a multiple-fit analysis procedure. Experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions of the developed models, showing that inaccuracies in the available cross section libraries prevent an accurate reproduction of the generated radioisotope activities. Nevertheless, models are normalized to our experimental data allowing for a reliable planning of the 111Ag production in a TRIGA Mark II reactor.
Collapse
|
5
|
Auditore L, Pistone D, Amato E, Italiano A. Monte Carlo methods in nuclear medicine. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822960-6.00136-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
|
6
|
Ballan M, Vettorato E, Morselli L, Tosato M, Nardella S, Borgna F, Corradetti S, Monetti A, Lunardon M, Zenoni A, Di Marco V, Realdon N, Andrighetto A. Development of implantation substrates for the collection of radionuclides of medical interest produced via ISOL technique at INFN-LNL. Appl Radiat Isot 2021; 175:109795. [PMID: 34087532 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2021.109795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Accelerator-based techniques with electromagnetic mass separation are considered among the most innovative and promising strategies to produce non-conventional radionuclides for nuclear medicine. Such approach was successfully used at CERN, where the dedicated MEDICIS facility was built, and at TRIUMF, where the ISAC radioactive beam facility was used to produce unconventional α-emitters. In such framework, the Legnaro National Laboratories of the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN-LNL) proposed the ISOLPHARM project (ISOL technique for radioPHARMaceuticals), which will exploit radionuclides producible with the SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) facility to develop novel radiopharmaceuticals. The ISOL technique utilizes the irradiation with a primary beam of particles/nuclei of a production target where radionuclides are produced. A radioactive ion beam is subsequently extracted from the production target unit, and transported up to an analyzing magnet, where non-isobaric contaminants are filtered out. The so-obtained purified radioactive beam is dumped onto an implantation substrate, referred as collection target. Then, the desired nuclides can be chemically harvested from the collected isobars, and the isotopically pure atom collection can be employed to radiolabel high specific activity radiopharmaceuticals. Metallic deposition targets in the form of coated metal foils were mostly used at TRIUMF and CERN. At ISOLPHARM, a different approach is under investigation which foresees the use of soluble cold-pressed collection targets, possibly facilitating the chemical purification process of the collected radionuclides. In this study, the production and characterization of some of the ISOLPHARM collection targets is presented, in particular, soluble salts (NaCl and NaNO3) and organic materials widely used for pharmaceutical tablets production are considered. All such materials proved to be potentially suitable as collection targets, since solid samples were easily produced and resulted compatible with the vacuum conditions required for the ion implantation process. Furthermore, some of the selected substrates were used for proof-of-concept deposition tests with stable silver, to prove their suitability as ISOLPHARM deposition substrates for silver-111, a promising candidate for radiotherapy. Such tests highlighted possible scenarios useful for the development of new alternative materials, as the use of insoluble organic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Ballan
- Legnaro National Laboratories, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, 35020, Legnaro, Italy.
| | - E Vettorato
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - L Morselli
- Legnaro National Laboratories, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, 35020, Legnaro, Italy; Department of Physics and Earth Science, University of Ferrara, 44122, Ferrara, Italy
| | - M Tosato
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - S Nardella
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - F Borgna
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - S Corradetti
- Legnaro National Laboratories, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, 35020, Legnaro, Italy
| | - A Monetti
- Legnaro National Laboratories, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, 35020, Legnaro, Italy
| | - M Lunardon
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy; Padova Division, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - A Zenoni
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - V Di Marco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - N Realdon
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - A Andrighetto
- Legnaro National Laboratories, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, 35020, Legnaro, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Centofante L, Donzella A, Zenoni A, Ferrari M, Ballan M, Corradetti S, D'Agostini F, Lilli G, Manzolaro M, Monetti A, Morselli L, Scarpa D, Andrighetto A. Study of the radioactive contamination of the ion source complex in the Selective Production of Exotic Species (SPES) facility. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2021; 92:053304. [PMID: 34243328 DOI: 10.1063/5.0045063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) technique is today established as one of the primary methods to produce high-intensity and high-quality radioactive beams. This technique produces, for a given amount of the desired isotope, many orders of magnitude of other radioactive species. Due to the activation generated by interactions of the primary beam, intense neutron fields, and deposition of the produced radioactive ions inside beam line elements, an ISOL facility in operation becomes an intense radioactive source. Therefore, the biological hazard imposes severe radiological safety challenges to the design, operation, maintenance, and final decommissioning of such facilities. A challenging component is the ion source complex, where the ion extraction electrode provides the extraction of radioactive ions from the ion source and the first acceleration to the extracted beam. The radioactive contamination of this sub-component is studied, by means of the FLUKA code, in the case of the Selective Production of Exotic Species facility, which is in the advanced construction phase at Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Padua, Italy. The developed model includes isotope production by the interactions of a 40 MeV energy proton beam on a 238UCx target, selection of radioactive isotopes that are able to stick on the electrode tip, time evolution of the deposited isotopes during the operation and cooling periods before maintenance interventions, and evaluation of the ambient dose equivalent rate generated by the contamination of the electrode tip. Based on these results, the possibility of manual interventions for maintenance and emergency vs the use of remote handling systems is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Centofante
- Università degli Studi di Brescia, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - A Donzella
- Università degli Studi di Brescia, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - A Zenoni
- Università degli Studi di Brescia, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - M Ferrari
- CERN, CH 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland
| | - M Ballan
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - S Corradetti
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - F D'Agostini
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - G Lilli
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - M Manzolaro
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - A Monetti
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - L Morselli
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - D Scarpa
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - A Andrighetto
- INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell'Università 2, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
| |
Collapse
|