Purification of prostate-specific membrane antigen using conformational epitope-specific antibody-affinity chromatography

Increased α2,3-sialyl N-glycosylated prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in post-DRE urine is associated with high grade group prostate cancer

INTRODUCTION

Aberrant glycosylation of proteins is an important hallmark in multiple cancers. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a highly glycosylated protein with 10 N-linked glycosylation sites, is an Food and Drug Administration approved theranostic for prostate cancer. However, glycosylation changes in PSMA that are associated with prostate cancer disease progression have not been fully characterized.

METHODS

We investigated whether urinary PSMA sialylation correlate with high-grade prostate cancer. Urine samples were collected from men after digital rectal examination (DRE) before prostate biopsy. Lectin-antibody enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to quantify α2,3-sialyl PSMA in post-DRE urine samples from subjects with benign prostate tumors, Grade Group 1 prostate cancer and those with Grade Group ≥2 disease.

RESULTS

There are significant increases in α2,3-sialylated PSMA in patients with Grade Group ≥2 disease compared to benign (p = 0.0009) and those with Grade Group 1 disease (p = 0.0063). There were no significant differences in α2,3-sialyl PSMA levels between Grade Group 1 and benign prostate tumors (p = 0.7947).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that there are significant differences in the abundance of α2,3-sialylated PSMA in post-DRE urines from disease stratified prostate cancer patients, and the increase is correlated with progression and disease severity. The detection of increased PSMA sialyation in post-DRE urines from patients with higher Grade Group ≥2 disease states provides novel untapped potential for the development of prognostic biomarkers for prostate cancer. Specifically, quantitation of α2,3-sialylated PSMA shows potential for discriminating between benign to intermediate grade disease, which is a significant clinical challenge in staging and risk stratification of prostate cancer.

Self-assembled ferritin-based nanoparticles elicit a robust broad-spectrum protective immune response against SARS-CoV-2 variants

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants has resulted in global economic losses and posed a threat to human health. The pandemic highlights the urgent need for an efficient, easily producible, and broad-spectrum vaccine. Here, we present a potentially universal strategy for the rapid and general design of vaccines, focusing on the design and testing of omicron BA.5 RBD-conjugated self-assembling ferritin nanoparticles (NPs). The covalent bonding of RBD-Fc to protein A-ferritin was easily accomplished through incubation, resulting in fully multivalent RBD-conjugated NPs that exhibited high structural uniformity, stability, and efficient assembly. The ferritin nanoparticle vaccine synergistically stimulated the innate immune response, Tfh-GCB-plasma cell-mediated activation of humoral immunity and IFN-γ-driven cellular immunity. This nanoparticle vaccine induced a high level of cross-neutralizing responses and protected golden hamsters challenged with multiple mutant strains from infection-induced clinical disease, providing a promising strategy for broad-spectrum vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis. In conclusion, the nanoparticle conjugation platform holds promise for its potential universality and competitive immunization efficacy and is expected to facilitate the rapid manufacturing and broad application of next-generation vaccines.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) glycoforms in prostate cancer patients seminal plasma

INTRODUCTION

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a US Food and Drug Administration-approved theranostic target for prostate cancer (PCa). Although PSMA is known to be glycosylated, the composition and functional roles of its N-linked glycoforms have not been fully characterized.

METHODS

PSMA was isolated from pooled seminal plasma from low-risk grade Groups 1 and 2 PCa patients. Intact glycopeptides were analyzed by mass spectrometry to identify site-specific glycoforms.

RESULTS

We observed a rich distribution of PSMA glycoforms in seminal plasma from low and low-intermediate-risk PCa patients. Some interesting generalities can be drawn based on the predicted topology of PSMA on the plasma membrane. The glycoforms at ASN-459, ASN-476, and ASN-638 residues that are located at the basal domain facing the plasma membrane in cells, are predominantly high mannose glycans. ASN-76 which is located in the interdomain region adjacent to the apical domain of the protein shows a mixture of high mannose glycans and complex glycans, whereas ASN-121, ASN-195 and ASN-336 that are located and are exposed at the apical domain of the protein predominantly possess complex sialylated and fucosylated N-linked glycans. These highly accessible glycosites display the greatest diversity in isoforms across the patient samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides novel qualitative insights into PSMA glycoforms that are present in the seminal fluid of PCa patients. The presence of a rich diversity of glycoforms in seminal plasma provides untapped potential for glycoprotein biomarker discovery and as a clinical sample for noninvasive diagnostics of male urological disorders and diseases including PCa. Specifically, our glycomics approach will be critical in uncovering PSMA glycoforms with utility in staging and risk stratification of PCa.

Estimation of the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of the Lu-DOTA-iPSMA177<!--Q1:CorrectlyacknowledgingtheprimaryfundersandgrantIDsofyourresearchisimportanttoensurecompliancewithfunderpolicies.Pleasemakesurethatfundersarementionedaccordingly.--> radiopharmaceutical

Relative biological effectiveness is a radiobiological parameter relevant in radiotherapy planning and useful in evaluating the physiological impact of radiation in different tissues. Targeted radionuclide therapy allows the selective and specific deposition of higher radiation doses in a noninvasive way and without collateral effects through the administration of radiopharmaceuticals. Lu-DOTA-177(hydrazinylnicotinoyl-Lys-(Nal)-NH-CO-NH-Glu) also called Lu-iPSMA177 is a third generation radiopharmaceutical composed by a peptide that recognizes the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a membrane protein overexpressed in several types of cancer and that mediates the radiopharmaceutical's recognition of cancer cells. The present study reports radiobiological parameters of Lu-iPSMA177 and demonstrates the superiority of targeted radiopharmaceuticals over external radiotherapy treatment options in terms of their relative biological effectiveness. The relative biological effectiveness value of 1.020±0.003 for the LINAC, estimated by fitting the linear-quadratic model equation to the resulting survival curves, was like those of 1.25±0.04,1.060±0.005and1.00±0.04 obtained by an alternative method in relation to the mean lethal doses at 90, 80 or 60 survival percent respectively. While the relative biological effectiveness values of 5.65±0.13,4.72±0.27and2.87±0.19 estimated for Lu-iPSMA177 were significantly higher than those for the LINAC. The results confirm that the biological effect produced by the deposition of a radiation absorbed dose delivered by the LINAC can be induced with a quarter of that dose using Lu-iPSMA177 due to the energy distribution, dose-rate and energy fluence.

Site-Specific Intact N-Linked Glycopeptide Characterization of Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen from Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cells

The composition of N-linked glycans that are conjugated to the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and their functional significance in prostate cancer progression have not been fully characterized. PSMA was isolated from two metastatic prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP and MDAPCa2b, which have different tissue tropism and localization. Isolated PSMA was trypsin-digested, and intact glycopeptides were subjected to LC-HCD-EThcD-MS/MS analysis on a Tribrid Orbitrap Fusion Lumos mass spectrometer. Differential qualitative and quantitative analysis of site-specific N-glycopeptides was performed using Byonic and Byologic software. Comparative quantitative analysis demonstrates that multiple glycopeptides at asparagine residues 51, 76, 121, 195, 336, 459, 476, and 638 were in significantly different abundance in the two cell lines (p < 0.05). Biochemical analysis using endoglycosidase treatment and lectin capture confirm the MS and site occupancy data. The data demonstrate the effectiveness of the strategy for comprehensive analysis of PSMA glycopeptides. This approach will form the basis of ongoing experiments to identify site-specific glycan changes in PSMA isolated from disease-stratified clinical samples to uncover targets that may be associated with disease progression and metastatic phenotypes.

Glycoforms of human prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in human cells and prostate tissue

INTRODUCTION

N-glycosylation is a ubiquitous and variable posttranslational modification that regulates physiological functions of secretory and membrane-associated proteins and the dysregulation of glycosylation pathways is often associated with cancer growth and metastasis. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an established biomarker for prostate cancer imaging and therapy.

METHODS

Mass spectrometry was used to analyze the distribution of the site-specific glycoforms of PSMA in insect, human embryonic kidney, and prostate cancer cells, and in prostate tissue upon immunoaffinity enrichment.

RESULTS

While recombinant PSMA expressed in insect cells was decorated mainly by paucimannose and high mannose glycans, complex, hybrid, and high mannose glycans were detected in samples from human cells and tissue. We noted an interesting spatial distribution of the glycoforms on the PSMA surface-high mannose glycans were the dominant glycoforms at the N459, N476, and N638 sequons facing the plasma membrane, while the N121, N195, and N336 sites, located at the exposed apical PSMA domain, carried primarily complex glycans. The presence of high mannose glycoforms at the former sequons likely results from the limited access of enzymes of the glycosynthetic pathway required for the synthesis of the complex structures. In line with the limited accessibility of membrane-proximal sites, no glycosylation was observed at the N51 site positioned closest to the membrane.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study presents initial descriptive analysis of the glycoforms of PSMA observed in cell lines and in prostate tissue. It will hopefully stimulate further research into PSMA glycoforms in the context of tumor staging, noninvasive detection of prostate tumors, and the impact of glycoforms on physicochemical and enzymatic characteristics of PSMA in a tissue-specific manner.

A method to determine the mode of binding for GCPII inhibitors using bio-layer interferometry

The rapid dilution of the enzyme-inhibitor complex assay to monitor the recovery of enzyme activity is a well-established assay to determine the reversibility of inhibition. Our laboratory has previously employed this method to ascertain the reversibility of known glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII)-targeting agents. Due to the tedious and time-consuming nature of the assay, we sought to develop a facile method to determine the reversibility of well-characterized GCPII inhibitors using bio-layer interferometry (BLI). The results from the BLI assay are in agreement with the rapid dilution method. Herein, we report for the first time, a rapid, novel real-time BLI method to determine reversibility of inhibition.

Expression, purification and identification of an immunogenic fragment in the ectodomain of prostate-specific membrane antigen

The present study aimed to identify, express and purify an immunogenic fragment in the ectodomain of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) within a fusion protein. The PSMA amino acid sequence published in National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank was used to determine sequence homology and immunogenic index analyses, additionally using BLASTN, Protean and ExPASy software to predict the polypeptide sequences of immunogenic epitopes. The gene sequence encoding the ectodomain of the polypeptide immunogenic fragments, containing the identified immunogenic epitopes, was generated using whole-gene synthesis. Prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a-r-ectodomain-PSMA was constructed and the recombinant plasmids were transformed into competent BL21 (DE3) Escherichia coli, which was followed by induction of recombinant protein expression using isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside. Fusion proteins were isolated and purified using affinity chromatography and their immune activity was subsequently investigated using western blot analysis. Purified protein was used to immunize BALB/c mice in order to generate polyclonal antibodies, and the binding of polyclonal antibodies to prostate cancer cell lines in vitro was evaluated using flow cytometry. A total of 3 polypeptide fragments with high specificity were identified following analysis using numerous software packages, and the gene sequences encoding regions containing the 2 most immunogenic fragments were synthesized and successfully inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a-r-ectodomain-PSMA. The recombinant PSMA protein fragment had a molecular weight of ~50 kDa and 95% purity. Western blot analysis revealed that the r-ectodomain-PSMA fusion protein specifically bound to the anti-PSMA ectodomain monoclonal antibody. Flow cytometry demonstrated that polyclonal antibodies raised against these recombinant proteins could specifically bind to PSMA-positive LNCaP cells, but not to PSMA-negative PC-3 cells. An immunogenic fragment in the ectodomain of PSMA was successfully expressed and purified. The present study, therefore, provides a basis for the preparation of an anti-PSMA small humanized monoclonal antibody.

Design of composite inhibitors targeting glutamate carboxypeptidase II: the importance of effector functionalities

Inhibitors targeting human glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) typically consist of a P1' glutamate-derived binding module, which warrants the high affinity and specificity, linked to an effector function that is positioned within the entrance funnel of the enzyme. Here we present a comprehensive structural and computational study aimed at dissecting the importance of the effector function for GCPII binding and affinity. To this end we determined crystal structures of human GCPII in complex with a series of phosphoramidate-based inhibitors harboring effector functions of diverse physicochemical characteristics. Our data show that higher binding affinities of phosphoramidates, compared to matching phosphonates, are linked to the presence of additional hydrogen bonds between Glu424 and Gly518 of the enzyme and the amide group of the phosphoramidate. While the positioning of the P1' glutamate-derived module within the S1' pocket of GCPII is invariant, interaction interfaces between effector functions and residues lining the entrance funnel are highly varied, with the positively charged arginine patch defined by Arg463, Arg534 and Arg536 being the only 'hot-spot' common to several studied complexes. This variability stems in part from the fact that the effector/GCPII interfaces generally encompass isolated areas of nonpolar residues within the entrance funnel and resulting van der Waals contacts lack the directionality typical for hydrogen bonding interactions. The presented data unravel a complexity of binding modes of inhibitors within non-prime site(s) of GCPII and can be exploited for the design of novel GCPII-specific compounds.

PDB ID CODES

Atomic coordinates of the present structures together with the experimental structure factor amplitudes were deposited at the RCSB Protein Data Bank under accession codes 4P44 (complex with JRB-4-81), 4P45 (complex with JRB-4-73), 4P4B (complex with CTT54), 4P4D (complex with MP1C), 4P4E (complex with MP1D), 4P4F (complex with NC-2-40), 4P4I (complex with T33) and 4P4J (complex with T33D).

Development of inhibitor-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (IDEPT) for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cause of cancer death among American men after lung cancer. Unfortunately, current therapies do not provide effective treatments for patients with advanced, metastatic, or hormone refractory disease. Therefore, we seek to generate therapeutic agents for a novel PCa treatment strategy by delivering a suicide enzyme (yCD_triple) to a cell membrane bound biomarker found on PCa cells (prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)). This approach has resulted in a new PCa treatment strategy reported here as inhibitor-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (IDEPT). The therapeutic agents described were generated using a click chemistry reaction between the unnatural amino acid (p-azidophenylalanine (pAzF)) incorporated into yCD_triple and the dibenzylcyclooctyne moiety of our PSMA targeting agent (DBCO-PEG₄-AH₂-TG97). After characterization of the therapeutic agents, we demonstrate significant PCa cell killing of PSMA-positive cells. Importantly, we demonstrate that this click chemistry approach can be used to efficiently couple a therapeutic protein to a targeting agent and may be applicable to the ablation of other types of cancers and/or malignancies.

Biochemical characterization of prostate-specific membrane antigen from canine prostate carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) remains an important target for diagnostic and therapeutic application for human prostate cancer. Model cell lines have been recently developed to study canine prostate cancer but their PSMA expression and enzymatic activity have not been elucidated. The present study was focused on determining PSMA expression in these model canine cell lines and the use of fluorescent small-molecule enzyme inhibitors to detect canine PSMA expression by flow cytometry.

METHODS

Western blot and RT-PCR were used to determine the transcriptional and translational expression of PSMA on the canine cell lines Leo and Ace-1. An endpoint HPLC-based assay was used to monitor the enzymatic activity of canine PSMA and the potency of enzyme inhibitors. Flow cytometry was used to detect the PSMA expressed on Leo and Ace-1 cells using a fluorescently tagged PSMA enzyme inhibitor.

RESULTS

Canine PSMA expression on the Leo cell line was confirmed by Western blot and RT-PCR, the enzyme activity, and flow cytometry. Kinetic parameters Km and Vmax of PSMA enzymatic activity for the synthetic substrate (PABGγG) were determined to be 393 nM and 220 pmol min(-1)  mg protein(-1) , respectively. The inhibitor core 1 and fluorescent inhibitor 2 were found to be potent reversible inhibitors (IC50  = 13.2 and 1.6 nM, respectively) of PSMA expressed on the Leo cell line. Fluorescent labeling of Leo cells demonstrated that the fluorescent PSMA inhibitor 2 can be used for the detection of PSMA-positive canine prostate tumor cells. Expression of PSMA on Ace-1 was low and not detectable by flow cytometry.

CONCLUSIONS

The results described herein have demonstrated that PSMA is expressed on canine prostate tumor cells and exhibits similar enzymatic characteristics as human PSMA. The findings show that the small molecule enzyme inhibitors currently being studied for use in diagnosis and therapy of human prostate cancer can also be extended to include canine prostate cancer. Importantly, the findings demonstrate that the potential of the inhibitors for use in diagnosis and therapy can be evaluated in an immunocompetent animal model that naturally develops prostate cancer before use in humans.

Functional prostate-specific membrane antigen is enriched in exosomes from prostate cancer cells

Developing simple and effective approaches to detect tumor markers will be critical for early diagnosis or prognostic evaluation of prostate cancer treatment. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has been validated as an important tumor marker for prostate cancer progression including angiogenesis and metastasis. As a type II membrane protein, PSMA can be constitutively internalized from the cell surface into endosomes. Early endosomes can fuse with multivesicular bodies (MVB) to form and secrete exosomes (40–100 nm) into the extracellular environment. Herein, we tested whether some of the endosomal PSMA could be transferred to exosomes as an extracellular resource for PSMA. Using PSMA-positive LNCaP cells, the secreted exosomes were collected and isolated from the cultured media. The vesicular structures of exosomes were identified by electron microscopy, and exosomal marker protein CD9 and tumor susceptibility gene (TSG 101) were confirmed by western blot analysis. Our present data demonstrate that PSMA can be enriched in exosomes, exhibiting a higher content of glycosylation and partial proteolysis in comparison to cellular PSMA. An in vitro enzyme assay further confirmed that exosomal PSMA retains functional enzymatic activity. Therefore, our data may suggest a new role for PSMA in prostate cancer progression, and provide opportunities for developing non-invasive approaches for diagnosis or prognosis of prostate cancer.

Prolonged androgen deprivation leads to overexpression of calpain 2: implications for prostate cancer progression

Understanding the molecular mechanism of prostate cancer progression from androgen dependence to independence may lead to developing more effective treatments against prostate cancer. Herein, our previous in vitro model was employed to assess the effects of continuous androgen-deprivation on developing the metastatic phenotype from androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells (LNCaP). The results indicated that long-term androgen deprivation resulted in overexpression of calpain 2 and increased expression of filamin A (FlnA), but not for calpain 1. The enhanced activity of calpain 2 was confirmed by the accumulation of cleaved FlnA fragments, which could be effectively blocked by calpeptin (an inhibitor of calpain 2). Therefore, the combination of calpain 2 inhibitor and androgen deprivation may provide new therapeutic strategy for patients to prevent or postpone prostate cancer progression.

From AR to c-Met: androgen deprivation leads to a signaling pathway switch in prostate cancer cells

Elucidating the role of androgen deprivation in the transition from androgen-dependence to independence may enable the development of more specific therapeutic strategies against prostate cancer. Our previous in vitro model was employed to further assess the effects of continuous androgen‑deprivation on prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) with respect to both androgen receptor (AR) and c-Met expression. The results indicated that long-term androgen deprivation resulted in a signaling pathway switch from AR to c-Met in androgen-sensitive cells, which was confirmed by immunofluorescence imaging and western blot analysis. This signaling pathway switch may be predictive of a more aggressive disease state following androgen deprivation therapy.

PSMA-targeted SPECT agents: mode of binding effect on in vitro performance

BACKGROUND

The enzyme-biomarker prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an active target for imaging and therapeutic applications for prostate cancer. The internalization of PSMA has been shown to vary with inhibitors' mode of binding: irreversible, slowly reversible, and reversible.

METHODS

In the present study, PSMA-targeted clickable derivatives of an irreversible phosphoramidate inhibitor DBCO-PEG(4) -CTT-54 (IC(50) = 1.0 nM) and a slowly reversible phosphate inhibitor, DBCO-PEG(4) -CTT-54.2 (IC(50) = 6.6 nM) were clicked to (99m) Tc(CO)(3) -DPA-azide to assemble a PSMA-targeted SPECT agent. The selectivity, percent uptake, and internalization of these PSMA-targeted SPECT agents were evaluated in PSMA-positive and PSMA-negative cells.

RESULTS

In vitro studies demonstrated that PSMA-targeted SPECT agents exhibited selective cellular uptake in the PSMA-positive LNCaP cells compared to PSMA-negative PC3 cells. More importantly, it was found that (99m) Tc(CO)(3) -DPA-DBCO-PEG(4) -CTT-54 based on an irreversible PSMA inhibitor core, exhibited greater uptake and internalization than (99m) Tc(CO)(3) -DPA-DBCO-PEG(4) -CTT-54.2 constructed from a slowly reversible PSMA inhibitor core.

CONCLUSIONS

We have demonstrated that a PSMA-targeted SPECT agent can be assembled efficiently using copper-less click chemistry. In addition, we demonstrated that mode of binding has an effect on internalization and percent uptake of PSMA-targeted SPECT agents; with the irreversible targeting agent demonstrating superior uptake and internalization in PSMA+ cells. The approach demonstrated in this work now supports a modular approach for the assembly of PSMA-targeted imaging and therapeutic agents.

Prolonged androgen deprivation leads to downregulation of androgen receptor and prostate-specific membrane antigen in prostate cancer cells

Emergence of androgen-independent cancer cells during androgen deprivation therapy presents a significant challenge to successful treatment outcomes in prostate cancer. Elucidating the role of androgen deprivation in the transition from an androgen-dependent to an androgen-independent state may enable the development of more effective therapeutic strategies against prostate cancer. Herein, we describe an in vitro model for assessing the effects of continuous androgen-deprivation on prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) with respect to the expression of two prostate-specific markers: the androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Compared with androgen-containing normal growth medium, androgen-deprived medium apparently induced the concomitant downregulation of AR and PSMA over time. Decreased protein levels were confirmed by fluorescence imaging, western blotting and enzymatic activity studies. In contrast to the current understanding of AR and PSMA in prostate cancer progression, our data demonstrated that androgen-deprivation induced a decrease in AR and PSMA levels in androgen-sensitive LNCaP cells, which may be associated with the development of more aggressive disease-state following androgen deprivation therapy.

Targeting prostate cancer cells with a multivalent PSMA inhibitor-guided streptavidin conjugate

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a type II membrane glycoprotein, its high expression is associated with prostate cancer progression, and has been becoming an active target for imaging or therapeutic applications for prostate cancer. On the other hand, streptavidin-biotin system has been successfully employed in pretargeting therapy towards multiple cancers. Herein, we describe the synthesis of bifunctional ligands (biotin-CTT54, biotin-PEG(4)-CTT54, and biotin-PEG(12)-CTT54) possessing two functional motifs separated by a length-varied polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacer: one (CTT54) binds tumor-marker PSMA and the other (biotin) binds streptavidin or avidin. All three compounds exhibited high potencies (IC(50) values: 1.21, 2.53, and 10nM, respectively) and irreversibility; but only biotin-PEG(12)-CTT54 demonstrated specifically labeling PSMA-positive prostate cancer cells in a two-step pretargeting procedure. Additionally, the pre-formulated complex between biotin-PEG(12)-CTT54 and Cy5-streptavidin displayed the improved inhibitory potency (IC(50)=1.86 nM) and irreversibility against PSMA and rapid uptake of streptavidin conjugate into PSMA-positive prostate cancer cells through PSMA-associated internalization. Together, all these results supported a proof-concept that combination of streptavidin and PSMA's biotinylated inhibitor may lead to development of a novel strategy of tumor-targeting imaging or drug delivery towards prostate cancer.

A phosphoramidate-based prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted SPECT agent

BACKGROUND

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) remains an active target for imaging and therapeutic applications for prostate cancer.

METHODS

In the present study, an irreversible phosphoramidate inhibitor, CTT-54 (IC50 = 14 nM), has been modified to deliver 99mTc-(CO)3-DTPA as a SPECT imaging payload to PSMA+ cells in vivo and in vitro. Percent uptake, competitive binding, and internalization will evaluate the imaging agent in vitro. Preliminary biodistribution and imaging will be utilized for in vivo evaluation.

RESULTS

In vitro studies demonstrate that the radiotracer 99mTc-(CO)3-DTPA-CTT-54 exhibits increasing cellular uptake in the PSMA+ LNCaP cells over time. More importantly, it was found that 99mTc-(CO)3-DTPA-CTT-54 is rapidly internalized into LNCaP cells, presumably through the PSMA enzyme-inhibitor complex. In a pilot biodistribution study, increasing accumulation of the radiotracer in LNCaP xenografts was observed from 2 to 4 hr and significant clearance from non-target tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

While DTPA may not represent the ideal chelate structure for 99mTc(CO)3, the data provides proof-of-concept support for the development of a next-generation phosphoramidate-based PSMA inhibitor-conjugates for use as SPECT imaging agents.

A targeted low molecular weight near-infrared fluorescent probe for prostate cancer

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) remains an active target for imaging and therapeutic applications for prostate cancer. Although radionuclide-based imaging is generally more sensitive and also has been deeply explored, near-infrared fluorescence imaging agents are simple to prepare and compatible with long-term storage conditions. In the present study, a near-infrared fluorescent imaging probe (Cy5.5-CTT-54.2) has been developed by chemical conjugation of Cy5.5N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (Cy5.5-NHS) with a potent PSMA inhibitor CTT-54.2 (IC(50)=144 nM). The probe displays a highly potency (IC(50)=0.55 nM) against PSMA and has demonstrated successful application for specifically labeling PSMA-positive prostate cancer cells in both two and three-dimensional cell culture conditions. These results suggest that the potent, near-infrared Cy5.5-PSMA inhibitor conjugate may be useful for the detection of prostate tumor cells by optical in vivo imaging.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted photodynamic therapy induces rapid cytoskeletal disruption

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), an established enzyme-biomarker for prostate cancer, has attracted considerable attention as a target for imaging and therapeutic applications. We aimed to determine the effects of PSMA-targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) on cytoskeletal networks in prostate cancer cells. PSMA-targeted PDT resulted in rapid disruption of microtubules (alpha-/beta-tubulin), microfilaments (actin), and intermediate filaments (cytokeratin 8/18) in the cytoplasm of LNCaP cells. The collapse of cytoplasmic microtubules and the later nuclear translocation of alpha-/beta-tubulin were the most dramatic alternation. It is likely that these early changes of cytoskeletal networks are partly involved in the initiation of cell death.

In vitro targeted photodynamic therapy with a pyropheophorbide--a conjugated inhibitor of prostate-specific membrane antigen

BACKGROUND

The lack of specific delivery of photosensitizers (PSs), represents a significant limitation of photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. The biomarker prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has attracted considerable attention as a target for imaging and therapeutic applications for prostate cancer. Although recent efforts have been made to conjugate inhibitors of PSMA with imaging agents, there have been no reports on PS-conjugated PSMA inhibitors for targeted PDT of prostate cancer. The present study focuses on the use of a PSMA inhibitor-conjugate of pyropheophorbide-a (Ppa-conjugate 2) for targeted PDT to achieve apoptosis in PSMA+ LNCaP cells.

METHODS

Confocal laser scanning microscopy with a combination of nuclear staining and immunofluorescence methods were employed to monitor the specific imaging and PDT-mediated apoptotic effects on PSMA-positive LNCaP and PSMA-negative (PC-3) cells.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that PDT-mediated effects by Ppa-conjugate 2 were specific to LNCaP cells, but not PC-3 cells. Cell permeability was detected as early as 2 hr by HOE33342/PI double staining, becoming more intense by 4 hr. Evidence for the apoptotic caspase cascade being activated was based on the appearance of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) p85 fragment. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay detected DNA fragmentation 16 hr post-PDT, confirming apoptotic events.

CONCLUSIONS

Cell permeability by HOE33342/PI double staining as well as PARP p85 fragment and TUNEL assays confirm cellular apoptosis in PSMA+ cells when treated with PS-inhibitor conjugate 2 and subsequently irradiated. It is expected that the PSMA targeting small-molecule of this conjugate can serve as a delivery vehicle for PDT and other therapeutic applications for prostate cancer.

Cell-Surface labeling and internalization by a fluorescent inhibitor of prostate-specific membrane antigen

BACKGROUND

[corrected] Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) remains an attractive target for imaging and therapeutic applications for prostate cancer. Recent efforts have been made to conjugate inhibitors of PSMA with imaging agents. Compared to antibodies, small-molecule inhibitors of PSMA possess apparent advantages for in vivo applications. To date, there are no reports on the cellular fate of such constructs once bound the extracellular domain of PSMA. The present study was focused on precisely defining the binding specificity, time-dependent internalization, cellular localization, and retention of inhibitor conjugates targeted to PSMA on LNCaP cells. A novel fluorescent inhibitor was prepared as a model to examine these processes.

METHODS

Fluorescence microscopy of LNCaP and PC-3 cell lines was used to monitor the specificity, time-dependent internalization, cellular localization, and retention of a fluorescent PSMA inhibitor.

RESULTS

Fluorescent inhibitor 2 was found to be a potent inhibitor (IC50 = 0.35 nM) of purified PSMA. Its high affinity for PSMA on living cells was confirmed by antibody blocking and competitive binding experiments. Specificity for LNCaP cells was demonstrated as no labeling by 2 was observed for negative control PC-3 cells. Internalization of 2 by viable LNCaP cells was detected after 30 min incubation at 37 degrees C, followed by accumulation in the perinuclear endosomes. It was noted that internalized fluorescent inhibitor can be retained within endosomes for up to 150 min without loss of signal.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that potent, small-molecule inhibitors of PSMA can be utilized as carriers for targeted delivery for prostate cancer for future imaging and therapeutic applications.

Phosphoramidate derivatives of hydroxysteroids as inhibitors of prostate-specific membrane antigen

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a membrane-bound cell surface peptidase which is over-expressed in prostate cancer cells. The enzymatic activities of PSMA are understood but the role of the enzyme in prostate cancer remains conjectural. We previously confirmed the existence of a hydrophobic binding site remote from the enzyme's catalytic center. To explore the specificity and accommodation of this binding site, we prepared a series of six glutamate-containing phosphoramidate derivatives of various hydroxysteroids (1a-1f). The inhibitory potencies of the individual compounds of the series were comparable to a simple phenylalkyl analog (8), and in all cases IC50 values were sub-micromolar. Molecular docking was used to develop a binding model for these inhibitors and to understand their relative inhibitory potencies against PSMA.

The molecular pruning of a phosphoramidate peptidomimetic inhibitor of prostate-specific membrane antigen

To identify the pharmacophore of a phosphoramidate peptidomimetic inhibitor of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a small analog library was designed and screened for inhibitory potency against PSMA. The design of the lead inhibitor was based upon N-acyl derivatives of endogenous substrate folyl-gamma-Glu and incorporates a phosphoramidate group to interact with the PSMA catalytic zinc atoms. The scope of the analog library was designed to test the importance of various functional groups to the inhibitory potency of the lead phosphoramidate. The IC(50) for the lead phosphoramidate inhibitor was 35 nM while the IC(50) values for the analog library presented a range from 0.86 nM to 4.1 microM. Computational docking, utilizing a recently solved X-ray crystal structure of the recombinant protein, along with enzyme inhibition data, was used to propose a pharmacophore model for the PSMA active site.