1
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Su DG, Djureinovic D, Schoenfeld D, Marquez-Nostra B, Olino K, Jilaveanu L, Kluger H. Melanocortin-1 Receptor Expression as a Marker of Progression in Melanoma. JCO Precis Oncol 2024; 8:e2300702. [PMID: 38662983 DOI: 10.1200/po.23.00702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) plays a critical role in human pigmentation and DNA repair mechanisms. MC1R-targeting agents are being investigated in clinical trials in patients with melanoma, yet large studies investigating the rate and degree of MC1R expression in primary and metastatic human melanoma tissue are lacking. METHODS Using tissue microarrays containing three large cohorts of 225 cases of benign nevi, 189 with primary melanoma, and 271 with metastatic melanoma, we applied quantitative immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry to comprehensively study MC1R protein expression. RESULTS We show a stepwise elevation of MC1R expression in different stages of melanoma progression (nevi, primary, metastasis). Higher MC1R expression was seen in deeper (>1 mm) primary lesions and ulcerated lesions and was associated with shorter survival in primary and metastatic tumors. On multivariable analysis, Breslow thickness, male sex, and chronic sun exposure were independent predictors of worse overall survival in the primary melanoma cohort. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that MC1R might be a valuable drug target in aggressive melanoma. Additional studies are warranted to determine its functional significance in melanoma progression and its utility as a predictive biomarker in patients receiving MC1R-directed therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Su
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Dijana Djureinovic
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - David Schoenfeld
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Bernadette Marquez-Nostra
- Department of Radiology, Division of Advanced Medical Imaging Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Kelly Olino
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Lucia Jilaveanu
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Harriet Kluger
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
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2
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Su D, Djureinovic D, Schoenfeld D, Marquez-Nostra B, Olino K, Jilaveanu L, Kluger H. Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) expression as a marker of progression in melanoma. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3314825. [PMID: 37790306 PMCID: PMC10543287 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3314825/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) plays a critical role in human pigmentation and DNA repair mechanisms. MC1R-targeting agents are being investigated in clinical trials in melanoma patients, yet large studies investigating the rate and degree of MC1R expression in primary and metastatic human melanoma tissue are lacking. Using tissue microarrays containing three large cohorts of 225 cases of benign nevi, 189 with primary melanoma, and 271 with metastatic melanoma, we applied quantitative immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry to comprehensively study MC1R protein expression. We show a stepwise elevation of MC1R expression in different stages of melanoma progression (nevi, primary, metastasis). Higher MC1R expression was seen in deeper (>1 mm) primary lesions, ulcerated lesions, and mucosal melanomas compared to cutaneous melanomas and was associated with shorter survival in primary and metastatic tumors. On multi-variable analysis, Breslow thickness, ulceration, male sex, and chronic sun exposure were independent predictors of worse overall survival in the primary melanoma cohort. In the metastatic melanoma cohort, MC1R expression and mucosal melanomas were independent predictors of inferior overall survival. Our data suggest that MC1R might be a valuable drug target in aggressive melanoma. Additional studies are warranted to determine its functional significance in melanoma progression and its utility as a predictive biomarker in patients receiving MC1R-directed therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Su
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Dijana Djureinovic
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - David Schoenfeld
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Bernadette Marquez-Nostra
- Department of Radiology, Division of Advanced Medical Imaging Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Kelly Olino
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Lucia Jilaveanu
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Harriet Kluger
- Division of Medical Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
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3
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Dobre EG, Surcel M, Constantin C, Ilie MA, Caruntu A, Caruntu C, Neagu M. Skin Cancer Pathobiology at a Glance: A Focus on Imaging Techniques and Their Potential for Improved Diagnosis and Surveillance in Clinical Cohorts. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021079. [PMID: 36674595 PMCID: PMC9866322 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Early diagnosis is essential for completely eradicating skin cancer and maximizing patients' clinical benefits. Emerging optical imaging modalities such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), optical coherence tomography (OCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), near-infrared (NIR) bioimaging, positron emission tomography (PET), and their combinations provide non-invasive imaging data that may help in the early detection of cutaneous tumors and surgical planning. Hence, they seem appropriate for observing dynamic processes such as blood flow, immune cell activation, and tumor energy metabolism, which may be relevant for disease evolution. This review discusses the latest technological and methodological advances in imaging techniques that may be applied for skin cancer detection and monitoring. In the first instance, we will describe the principle and prospective clinical applications of the most commonly used imaging techniques, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of their implementation in the clinical setting. We will also highlight how imaging techniques may complement the molecular and histological approaches in sharpening the non-invasive skin characterization, laying the ground for more personalized approaches in skin cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena-Georgiana Dobre
- Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91-95, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihaela Surcel
- Immunology Department, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Carolina Constantin
- Immunology Department, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Ana Caruntu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, “Carol Davila” Central Military Emergency Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University, 031593 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Constantin Caruntu
- Department of Physiology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Dermatology, “Prof. N.C. Paulescu” National Institute of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, 011233 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Monica Neagu
- Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91-95, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
- Immunology Department, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Pathology, Colentina University Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
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4
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Lin Y, Huang J, Chen Y, Wen Z, Cao Y, Zhang L, Cai T, Yu C, He X. Evaluation of perfluoropropane (C 3F 8)-filled chitosan polyacrylic acid nanobubbles for ultrasound imaging of sentinel lymph nodes and tumors. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:6447-6459. [PMID: 36018299 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01140a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Accurate sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification is an important prerequisite for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). However, existing SLN mapping techniques, mainly imaging-guided methods, are severely restricted by the high cost of the instruments, harmful radiation or unsatisfactory imaging depths. Herein, we prepared a new ultrasound contrast agent by filling perfluoropropane (C3F8) into chitosan polyacrylic acid nanobubbles for precise SLN identification. The obtained ultrasound contrast agent, coined C3F8-CS-PAA nanobubbles, presents a nanometer size with a diameter of approximately 120 nm. The C3F8-CS-PAA nanobubbles of desirable size are able to enter lymphatic vessels and accumulate in the sentinel lymph node to enhance ultrasound imaging. As a result, the injection of C3F8-CS-PAA nanobubbles can remarkably enhance the ultrasound imaging lymph system, providing image guidance for sentinel lymph node biopsy. Furthermore, it was shown that such C3F8-CS-PAA nanobubbles can effectively permeate into the tumor region via the tumor-enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect to enhance tumor ultrasound imaging for monitoring tumorigenesis. This work highlights a novel nanoscale ultrasound contrast agent for the lymphatic system and tumor imaging, with great promise for subsequent studies and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lin
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
| | - Ju Huang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Institute of Ultrasound Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Yinyin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering & Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Ziwei Wen
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
| | - Yang Cao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Institute of Ultrasound Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
| | - Tao Cai
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Chaoqun Yu
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
| | - Xuemei He
- Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
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5
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Tafreshi NK, Kil H, Pandya DN, Tichacek CJ, Doligalski ML, Budzevich MM, Delva NC, Langsen ML, Vallas JA, Boulware DC, Engelman RW, Gage KL, Moros EG, Wadas TJ, McLaughlin ML, Morse DL. Lipophilicity Determines Routes of Uptake and Clearance, and Toxicity of an Alpha-Particle-Emitting Peptide Receptor Radiotherapy. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2021; 4:953-965. [PMID: 33860213 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Lipophilicity is explored in the biodistribution (BD), pharmacokinetics (PK), radiation dosimetry (RD), and toxicity of an internally administered targeted alpha-particle therapy (TAT) under development for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. The TAT conjugate is comprised of the chelator DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetate), conjugated to melanocortin receptor 1 specific peptidic ligand (MC1RL) using a linker moiety and chelation of the 225Ac radiometal. A set of conjugates were prepared with a range of lipophilicities (log D 7.4 values) by varying the chemical properties of the linker. Reported are the observations that higher log D 7.4 values are associated with decreased kidney uptake, decreased absorbed radiation dose, and decreased kidney toxicity of the TAT, and the inverse is observed for lower log D 7.4 values. Animals administered TATs with lower lipophilicities exhibited acute nephropathy and death, whereas animals administered the highest activity TATs with higher lipophilicities lived for the duration of the 7 month study and exhibited chronic progressive nephropathy. Changes in TAT lipophilicity were not associated with changes in liver uptake, dose, or toxicity. Significant observations include that lipophilicity correlates with kidney BD, the kidney-to-liver BD ratio, and weight loss and that blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels correlated with kidney uptake. Furthermore, BUN was identified as having higher sensitivity and specificity of detection of kidney pathology, and the liver enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) had high sensitivity and specificity for detection of liver damage associated with the TAT. These findings suggest that tuning radiopharmaceutical lipophilicity can effectively modulate the level of kidney uptake to reduce morbidity and improve both safety and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narges K Tafreshi
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - HyunJoo Kil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,Modulation Therapeutics, Inc., Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Darpan N Pandya
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Christopher J Tichacek
- Departments of Radiation Oncology and Radiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Michael L Doligalski
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Mikalai M Budzevich
- Small Animal Imaging Laboratory and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Nella C Delva
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Michael L Langsen
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - John A Vallas
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - David C Boulware
- Small Animal Imaging Laboratory and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Robert W Engelman
- Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology & Cell Biology and Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Kenneth L Gage
- Departments of Radiation Oncology and Radiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Eduardo G Moros
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Departments of Radiation Oncology and Radiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology & Cell Biology and Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Thaddeus J Wadas
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Mark L McLaughlin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,Modulation Therapeutics, Inc., Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - David L Morse
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Small Animal Imaging Laboratory and Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Departments of Pediatrics, Pathology & Cell Biology and Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
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6
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Tichacek CJ, Tafreshi NK, Kil H, Engelman RW, Doligalski ML, Budzevich MM, Gage KL, McLaughlin ML, Wadas TJ, Silva A, Moros E, Morse DL. Biodistribution and Multicompartment Pharmacokinetic Analysis of a Targeted α Particle Therapy. Mol Pharm 2020; 17:4180-4188. [PMID: 32960613 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Targeted α particle therapy (TAT) is ideal for treating disease while minimizing damage to surrounding nontargeted tissues due to short path length and high linear energy transfer (LET). We developed a TAT for metastatic uveal melanoma, targeting the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R), which is expressed in 94% of uveal melanomas. Two versions of the therapy are being investigated: 225Ac-DOTA-Ahx-MC1RL (225Ac-Ahx) and 225Ac-DOTA-di-d-Glu-MC1RL (225Ac-di-d-Glu). The biodistribution (BD) from each was studied and a multicompartment pharmacokinetic (PK) model was developed to describe drug distribution rates. Two groups of 16 severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice bearing high MC1R expressing tumors were intravenously injected with 225Ac-Ahx or 225Ac-di-d-Glu. After injection, four groups (n = 4) were euthanized at 24, 96, 144, and 288 h time points for each cohort. Tumors and 13 other organs were harvested at each time point. Isomeric γ spectra were measured in tissue samples using a scintillation γ detector and converted to α activity using factors for γ ray abundance per α decay. Time activity curves were calculated for each organ. A five-compartment PK model was built with the following compartments: blood, tumor, normal tissue, kidney, and liver. This model is characterized by a system of five ordinary differential equations using mass action kinetics, which describe uptake, intercompartmental transitions, and clearance rates. The ordinary differential equations were simultaneously solved and fit to experimental data using a genetic algorithm for optimization. The BD data show that both compounds have minimal distribution to organs at risk other than the kidney and liver. The PK parameter estimates had less than 5% error. From these data, 225Ac-Ahx showed larger and faster uptake in the liver. Both compounds had comparable uptake and clearance rates for other compartments. The BD and PK behavior for two targeted radiopharmaceuticals were investigated. The PK model fit the experimental data and provided insight into the kinetics of the compounds systematically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Tichacek
- Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Narges K Tafreshi
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - HyunJoo Kil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Robert W Engelman
- Department of Pediatrics, Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Michael L Doligalski
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Mikalai M Budzevich
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States.,Small Animal Imaging Laboratory, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Kenneth L Gage
- Department of Radiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Mark L McLaughlin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States.,Modulation Therapeutics Inc., Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Thaddeus J Wadas
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Ariosto Silva
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Eduardo Moros
- Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - David L Morse
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Pathology and Cell Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
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7
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Tafreshi NK, Tichacek CJ, Pandya DN, Doligalski ML, Budzevich MM, Kil H, Bhatt NB, Kock ND, Messina JL, Ruiz EE, Delva NC, Weaver A, Gibbons WR, Boulware DC, Khushalani NI, El-Haddad G, Triozzi PL, Moros EG, McLaughlin ML, Wadas TJ, Morse DL. Melanocortin 1 Receptor-Targeted α-Particle Therapy for Metastatic Uveal Melanoma. J Nucl Med 2019; 60:1124-1133. [PMID: 30733316 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.118.217240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
New effective therapies are greatly needed for metastatic uveal melanoma, which has a very poor prognosis with a median survival of less than 1 y. The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is expressed in 94% of uveal melanoma metastases, and a MC1R-specific ligand (MC1RL) with high affinity and selectivity for MC1R was previously developed. Methods: The 225Ac-DOTA-MC1RL conjugate was synthesized in high radiochemical yield and purity and was tested in vitro for biostability and for MC1R-specific cytotoxicity in uveal melanoma cells, and the lanthanum-DOTA-MC1RL analog was tested for binding affinity. Non-tumor-bearing BALB/c mice were tested for maximum tolerated dose and biodistribution. Severe combined immunodeficient mice bearing uveal melanoma tumors or engineered MC1R-positive and -negative tumors were studied for biodistribution and efficacy. Radiation dosimetry was calculated using mouse biodistribution data and blood clearance kinetics from Sprague-Dawley rat data. Results: High biostability, MC1R-specific cytotoxicity, and high binding affinity were observed. Limiting toxicities were not observed at even the highest administered activities. Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution studies revealed rapid blood clearance (<15 min), renal and hepatobillary excretion, MC1R-specific tumor uptake, and minimal retention in other normal tissues. Radiation dosimetry calculations determined pharmacokinetics parameters and absorbed α-emission dosages from 225Ac and its daughters. Efficacy studies demonstrated significantly prolonged survival and decreased metastasis burden after a single administration of 225Ac-DOTA-MC1RL in treated mice relative to controls. Conclusion: These results suggest significant potential for the clinical translation of 225Ac-DOTA-MC1RL as a novel therapy for metastatic uveal melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narges K Tafreshi
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Christopher J Tichacek
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Darpan N Pandya
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Michael L Doligalski
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Mikalai M Budzevich
- Small Animal Imaging Laboratory, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - HyunJoo Kil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, and Modulation Therapeutics Inc., Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Nikunj B Bhatt
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Nancy D Kock
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Jane L Messina
- Departments of Anatomic Pathology and Cutaneous Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Dermatology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Epifanio E Ruiz
- Small Animal Imaging Laboratory, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Nella C Delva
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Adam Weaver
- Division of Research Integrity and Compliance, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - William R Gibbons
- Division of Research Integrity and Compliance, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - David C Boulware
- Biostatistics Core Facility, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Nikhil I Khushalani
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Ghassan El-Haddad
- Departments of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida; and
| | - Pierre L Triozzi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Eduardo G Moros
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Mark L McLaughlin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, and Modulation Therapeutics Inc., Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Thaddeus J Wadas
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - David L Morse
- Department of Cancer Physiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida .,Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.,Small Animal Imaging Laboratory, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
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8
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Targeting Ligand Specificity Linked to Tumor Tissue Topological Heterogeneity via Single-Cell Micro-Pharmacological Modeling. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3638. [PMID: 29483578 PMCID: PMC5827036 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21883-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapy has held promise to be a successful anticancer treatment due to its specificity towards tumor cells that express the target receptors. However, not all targeting drugs used in the clinic are equally effective in tumor eradication. To examine which biochemical and biophysical properties of targeted agents are pivotal for their effective distribution inside the tumor and their efficient cellular uptake, we combine mathematical micro-pharmacological modeling with in vivo imaging of targeted human xenograft tumors in SCID mice. The mathematical model calibrated to experimental data was used to explore properties of the targeting ligand (diffusion and affinity) and ligand release schemes (rates and concentrations) with a goal to identify the properties of cells and ligands that enable high receptor saturation. By accounting for heterogeneities typical of in vivo tumors, our model was able to identify cell- and tissue-level barriers to efficient drug uptake. This work provides a base for utilizing experimentally measurable properties of a ligand-targeted agent and patient-specific attributes of the tumor tissue to support the development of novel targeted imaging agents and for improvement in their delivery to individual tumor cells.
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9
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Cohen AS, Khalil FK, Welsh EA, Schabath MB, Enkemann SA, Davis A, Zhou JM, Boulware DC, Kim J, Haura EB, Morse DL. Cell-surface marker discovery for lung cancer. Oncotarget 2017; 8:113373-113402. [PMID: 29371917 PMCID: PMC5768334 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Novel lung cancer targeted therapeutic and molecular imaging agents are needed to improve outcomes and enable personalized care. Since these agents typically cannot cross the plasma membrane while carrying cytotoxic payload or imaging contrast, discovery of cell-surface targets is a necessary initial step. Herein, we report the discovery and characterization of lung cancer cell-surface markers for use in development of targeted agents. To identify putative cell-surface markers, existing microarray gene expression data from patient specimens were analyzed to select markers with differential expression in lung cancer compared to normal lung. Greater than 200 putative cell-surface markers were identified as being overexpressed in lung cancers. Ten cell-surface markers (CA9, CA12, CXorf61, DSG3, FAT2, GPR87, KISS1R, LYPD3, SLC7A11 and TMPRSS4) were selected based on differential mRNA expression in lung tumors vs. non-neoplastic lung samples and other normal tissues, and other considerations involving known biology and targeting moieties. Protein expression was confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and scoring of patient tumor and normal tissue samples. As further validation, marker expression was determined in lung cancer cell lines using microarray data and Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were performed for each of the markers using patient clinical data. High expression for six of the markers (CA9, CA12, CXorf61, GPR87, LYPD3, and SLC7A11) was significantly associated with worse survival. These markers should be useful for the development of novel targeted imaging probes or therapeutics for use in personalized care of lung cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison S Cohen
- Department of Cancer Imaging and Metabolism, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Farah K Khalil
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Eric A Welsh
- Biomedical Informatics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Matthew B Schabath
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Steven A Enkemann
- Molecular Genomics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andrea Davis
- Department of Cancer Imaging and Metabolism, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jun-Min Zhou
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David C Boulware
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jongphil Kim
- Department of Biostatistics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Eric B Haura
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David L Morse
- Department of Cancer Imaging and Metabolism, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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Ha Y, Choi HK. Recent conjugation strategies of small organic fluorophores and ligands for cancer-specific bioimaging. Chem Biol Interact 2016; 248:36-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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11
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Abstract
Effective targeted therapy strategies are still lacking for the 15-20% of melanoma patients whose melanomas are driven by oncogenic NRAS. Here, we report on the NRAS-specific behavior of amuvatinib, a kinase inhibitor with activity against c-KIT, Axl, PDGFRα, and Rad51. An analysis of BRAF-mutant and NRAS-mutant melanoma cell lines showed the NRAS-mutant cohort to be enriched for targets of amuvatinib, including Axl, c-KIT, and the Axl ligand Gas6. Increasing concentrations of amuvatinib selectively inhibited the growth of NRAS-mutant, but not BRAF-mutant melanoma cell lines, an effect associated with induction of S-phase and G2/M-phase cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. Mechanistically, amuvatinib was noted to either inhibit Axl, AKT, and MAPK signaling or Axl and AKT signaling and to induce a DNA damage response. In three-dimensional cell culture experiments, amuvatinib was cytotoxic against NRAS-mutant melanoma cell lines. Thus, we show for the first time that amuvatinib has proapoptotic activity against melanoma cell lines, with selectivity observed for those harboring oncogenic NRAS.
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12
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Wang B, Galliford CV, Low PS. Guiding principles in the design of ligand-targeted nanomedicines. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2014; 9:313-30. [PMID: 24552563 DOI: 10.2217/nnm.13.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Medicines for the treatment of most human pathologies are encumbered by unwanted side effects that arise from the deposition of an effective drug into the wrong tissues. The logical remedy for these undesirable properties involves selective targeting of the therapeutic agent to pathologic cells, thereby avoiding collateral toxicity to healthy cells. Since significant advantages can also accrue by incorporating a therapeutic or imaging agent into a nanoparticle, many laboratories are now combining both benefits into a single formulation. This review will focus on the major guiding principles in the design of ligand-targeted nanoparticles, including optimization of their chemical and physical properties, selection of the ideal targeting ligand, engineering of the appropriate surface passivation and linker strategies to achieve selective delivery of the entrapped cargo to the desired diseased cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Chris V Galliford
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Philip S Low
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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13
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Tichauer KM, Deharvengt SJ, Samkoe KS, Gunn JR, Bosenberg MW, Turk MJ, Hasan T, Stan RV, Pogue BW. Tumor endothelial marker imaging in melanomas using dual-tracer fluorescence molecular imaging. Mol Imaging Biol 2013; 16:372-82. [PMID: 24217944 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-013-0692-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Revised: 09/05/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer-specific endothelial markers available for intravascular binding are promising targets for new molecular therapies. In this study, a molecular imaging approach of quantifying endothelial marker concentrations (EMCI) is developed and tested in highly light-absorbing melanomas. The approach involves injection of targeted imaging tracer in conjunction with an untargeted tracer, which is used to account for nonspecific uptake and tissue optical property effects on measured targeted tracer concentrations. PROCEDURES Theoretical simulations and a mouse melanoma model experiment were used to test out the EMCI approach. The tracers used in the melanoma experiments were fluorescently labeled anti-Plvap/PV1 antibody (plasmalemma vesicle associated protein Plvap/PV1 is a transmembrane protein marker exposed on the luminal surface of endothelial cells in tumor vasculature) and a fluorescent isotype control antibody, the uptakes of which were measured on a planar fluorescence imaging system. RESULTS The EMCI model was found to be robust to experimental noise under reversible and irreversible binding conditions and was capable of predicting expected overexpression of PV1 in melanomas compared to healthy skin despite a 5-time higher measured fluorescence in healthy skin compared to melanoma: attributable to substantial light attenuation from melanin in the tumors. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the potential of EMCI to quantify endothelial marker concentrations in vivo, an accomplishment that is currently unavailable through any other methods, either in vivo or ex vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth M Tichauer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA,
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Avella-Oliver M, Gimenez-Romero D, Morais S, González-Martínez MÁ, Bueno PR, Puchades R, Maquieira Á. INSEL: an in silico method for optimizing and exploring biorecognition assays. Chem Commun (Camb) 2013; 49:10868-70. [DOI: 10.1039/c3cc44018d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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