The effect of drug dose and drug exposure time on the binding, internalization, and cytotoxicity of radiolabeled somatostatin analogs

Investigation of cancer cell lines for peptide receptor-targeted drug development

Many tumors highly express specific populations of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that could be utilized for receptor-targeted therapy. We confirmed significant quantities of mRNAs specific for certain somatostatin (SST), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and bombesin (BN) receptors in various commercially available tumor cell lines. Very few of the tumor cell lines examined displayed the high receptor-binding affinity despite exhibiting the expression of appropriate mRNAs and proteins of the cognate receptors. However, binding assays establish that some tumor cell lines, such as pancreatic cancer CFPAC-1, prostate cancer DU-145, and pancreatic carcinoid BON, demonstrate high BN receptor binding. BON cells also demonstrate high somatostatin receptor (SSTR) affinity binding. We also found that tumor cell lines, such as BON and host cells expressing SST receptor subtypes 1 or 2 (CHO-R1 or CHO-R2), underwent a decrease in cell surface receptor density in multiple passages. BON and CHO-R2 cells also rapidly internalize a significant proportion of cell surface ligand-receptor complexes. The tumor cells CFPAC-1, DU-145, and BON with high receptor binding could be useful for peptide drug studies. BON cells were further applied to test SST/BN analogs and cytotoxic conjugates. Furthermore, the in vivo antitumor assay showed that the cytotoxic conjugate CPT-SST targeting all SSTR subtypes displayed a potent tumor-suppressive ability to BON tumors expressing multiple SSTR subtypes.

Application of human pancreatic carcinoid BON cells for receptor-targeted drug development

In our previous study, we found that several tumor cell lines displayed high receptor-specific binding affinity, one of which, the human pancreatic carcinoid BON cell line, demonstrates high affinity binding of the bombesin (BN) and somatostatin (SST) receptor-specific ligands. In the present study, BON cells, as a representative model, were further applied to evaluate various peptide analogs and cytotoxic receptor-targeted peptide conjugates. We observed quick ligand-receptor internalization in BON cells as well as high binding affinity. Furthermore, BON cells have high expression of multidrug resistance-associated genes (MDR1) and show camptothecin (CPT) resistance. Various receptor-specific cytotoxic conjugates were synthesized and evaluated in the BON cell model via in vitro and in vivo studies. We found that all the tested conjugates displayed potent antitumor ability in xenografts. Especially, the CPT conjugates, CPT-SST, and CPT-BN, are most likely to increase sensitivity to CPT-resistant BON cells. Our findings suggest that appropriately defined tumor cell lines may provide physiologically relevant cell-based evaluations of novel peptide analogs and receptor-targeted chemotherapeutics.

Neuroendocrine tumors: a critical appraisal of management strategies

OBJECTIVES

This supplement represents the proceedings of a panel of investigators whose goal was to assess the quality of evidence pertaining to current therapeutic approaches in the management of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). It will examine the differences in opinions between expert faculty and community physicians.

METHODS

The Neuroendocrine Tumors Summit convened in December 2009 to address 6 statements prepared by panel members that reflect important questions in the management of NETs.

RESULTS

Panel members were polled on their acceptance of each statement, and those results were compared with community-based oncologists, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists.

CONCLUSIONS

More education regarding the treatment of NETs, including pertinent studies, is needed for physicians. Additional multicenter, prospective, placebo-controlled trials are necessary to demonstrate the benefits of somatostatin analogs, including their ability to control symptoms and affect tumor growth, and their synergistic effect with other therapies. New trials should be reported consistently and include time to tumor progression and progression-free survival as primary or secondary end points.

Internalized somatostatin receptor subtype 2 in neuroendocrine tumors of octreotide-treated patients

CONTEXT

Somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst(2)) is widely expressed in neuroendocrine tumors and can be visualized immunohistochemically at the cell membrane for diagnostic purposes. Recently, it has been demonstrated in animal sst(2) tumor models in vivo that somatostatin analog treatment was able to induce a complete internalization of the tumor sst(2).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In the present study, we evaluated whether sst(2) expressed in neuroendocrine tumors of patients treated with octreotide are also internalized. Tumor samples were assessed in patients that were treated with various octreotide modalities before and during surgery and compared with tumor samples from untreated patients. Sst(2) immunohistochemistry was performed in all samples with three different sst(2) antibodies (R2-88, UMB-1, and SS-800). Sst(2) receptor expression was confirmed by immunoblotting and in vitro receptor autoradiography.

RESULTS

Patients receiving a high dose of octreotide showed predominantly internalized sst(2), and patients with a low dose of octreotide had a variable ratio of internalized vs. membranous sst(2), whereas untreated patients had exclusively membranous sst(2). The internalized sst(2) receptor corresponded to a single sst(2) band in immunoblots and to sst(2) receptors in in vitro receptor autoradiography. Although generally found in endosome-like structures, internalized sst(2) receptors were also identified to a small extent in lysosomes, as seen in colocalization experiments.

CONCLUSION

It is the first evidence showing that sst(2) receptors can be internalized in sst(2)-expressing neuroendocrine tumors in patients under octreotide therapy, providing clues about sst(2) receptor biology and trafficking dynamics in patients.

Targeted chemotherapy using a cytotoxic somatostatin conjugate to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in nude mice

The major problems of traditional chemotherapy are non-selectivity and non-specificity, resulting in severe toxic side effects. Peptides are a new-generation of drug-delivery vector to increase efficacy of this therapy and avoid the resulting damage. The cytotoxic somatostatin (SST) conjugate JF-10-81 was developed by coupling camptothecin (CPT) to the N-terminus of a SST analog (JF-07-69) using an activated carbamate linker. This conjugate selectively targets somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2) and also retains high binding affinity and rapid internalization as well as anti-proliferative activity towards various tumor cells. JF-10-81 was tested for its inhibitory activity against the growth of human tumors which included neuroblastoma (IMR32), pancreatic cancer (CFPAC-1), leukemia (MOLT-4), pancreatic carcinoid (BON) and prostate cancer (PC-3). Both SSTR2 mRNAs and proteins were detected in all these tumor cell lines. The conjugate displayed potent in vivo inhibitory activity, although some of the potency measured in in vitro experiments was lost. JF-10-81 was found to significantly inhibit growth of these SSTR-positive tumors, resulting in 87% tumor reduction in neuroblastoma IMR32 and 97% in leukemia MOLT-4 bearing animals, even inducing regression of CFPAC-1 tumors. SSTR-overexpressing BON tumors were unfortunately relatively CPT-insensitive in vitro, however, JF-10-81 again exhibited in vivo potency presumably by specifically increasing CPT concentrations inside the tumor cells so that the inhibition rate for JF-10-81 was 85%. Also, JF-10-81 was used to treat highly invasive PC-3 tumors where s.c. injections inhibited both tumor growth (almost 60% reduction) and tumor metastasis (over 70%). This conjugate demonstrated its broad and excellent anti-tumor activity by targeting SSTR2-specific tumor tissues, supporting that short peptides and their analogs may be applied as ideal drug-delivery carriers to improve the traditional chemotherapy.

Gallic acid is partially responsible for the antiangiogenic activities ofRubus leaf extract

An aqueous extract of leaves from Rubus suavissimus S. Lee (Rosaceae) or sweet leaf tea was tested for antiangiogenic activity in a human tissue-based fibrin-thrombin clot angiogenesis assay. Further fractionation of this crude extract was performed and the antiangiogenic effect of individual fractions was assessed. The extract was also tested for its oral bioavailability by using the serum of normal rats gavaged with the extract in the assay. At a 0.1% w/v concentration, the extract inhibited initiation of the angiogenic response and subsequent neovessel growth from samples that had already initiated an angiogenic response. Two subfractions of the extract showed significant inhibition of angiogenesis at 0.1% w/w. Gallic acid was elucidated as one of the active angiogenesis inhibitors in one fraction. A 1 mm concentration of gallic acid totally inhibited angiogenesis. In the form of leaf extract, a one-tenth concentration produced the same total inhibition as pure gallic acid. The 10-fold difference in potency suggests the presence of other active compounds contributing to the overall antiangiogenic effect of the extract. The oral absorption of this extract was tested by using serum from rats given the extract orally (gavage) in the angiogenesis assay system. The serum of rats orally administered the sweet leaf tea extract at doses of 0.1% w/w and 0.3% w/w did not significantly inhibit angiogenesis. However, the serum of rats injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 0.1% w/w caused a 41% inhibition of angiogenesis compared with saline injected controls. These preliminary results warrant further bioassay directed identification of other responsible compounds.