Evaluation of 99mTc-HYNIC-VCAM-1scFv as a Potential Qualitative and Semiquantitative Probe Targeting Various Tumors

Functionalized Liposome and Albumin-Based Systems as Carriers for Poorly Water-Soluble Anticancer Drugs: An Updated Review

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In the available treatments, chemotherapy is one of the most used, but has several associated problems, namely the high toxicity to normal cells and the resistance acquired by cancer cells to the therapeutic agents. The scientific community has been battling against this disease, developing new strategies and new potential chemotherapeutic agents. However, new drugs often exhibit poor solubility in water, which led researchers to develop functionalized nanosystems to carry and, specifically deliver, the drugs to cancer cells, targeting overexpressed receptors, proteins, and organelles. Thus, this review is focused on the recent developments of functionalized nanosystems used to carry poorly water-soluble drugs, with special emphasis on liposomes and albumin-based nanosystems, two major classes of organic nanocarriers with formulations already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cancer therapeutics.

Radionuclide-Based Imaging of Breast Cancer: State of the Art

Simple Summary

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignant tumors, possessing high incidence and mortality rates that threaten women’s health. Thus, early and effective breast cancer diagnosis is crucial for enhancing the survival rate. Radionuclide molecular imaging displays its advantages for detecting breast cancer from a functional perspective. Noninvasive visualization of biological processes with radionuclide-labeled small metabolic compounds helps elucidate the metabolic state of breast cancer, while radionuclide-labeled ligands/antibodies for receptor-targeted radionuclide molecular imaging is sensitive and specific for visualization of the overexpressed molecular markers in breast cancer. This review focuses on the most recent developments of novel radiotracers as promising tools for early breast cancer diagnosis.

Abstract

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that can affect women worldwide and endanger their health and wellbeing. Early detection of breast cancer can significantly improve the prognosis and survival rate of patients, but with traditional anatomical imagine methods, it is difficult to detect lesions before morphological changes occur. Radionuclide-based molecular imaging based on positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) displays its advantages for detecting breast cancer from a functional perspective. Radionuclide labeling of small metabolic compounds can be used for imaging biological processes, while radionuclide labeling of ligands/antibodies can be used for imaging receptors. Noninvasive visualization of biological processes helps elucidate the metabolic state of breast cancer, while receptor-targeted radionuclide molecular imaging is sensitive and specific for visualization of the overexpressed molecular markers in breast cancer, contributing to early diagnosis and better management of cancer patients. The rapid development of radionuclide probes aids the diagnosis of breast cancer in various aspects. These probes target metabolism, amino acid transporters, cell proliferation, hypoxia, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) and so on. This article provides an overview of the development of radionuclide molecular imaging techniques present in preclinical or clinical studies, which are used as tools for early breast cancer diagnosis.

Single-Chain Variable Fragment Antibody of Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 as a Molecular Imaging Probe for Colitis Model Rabbit Investigation

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) can be a promising target for colitis study because of its critical role in inflammation development. Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody presents fast blood clearance when served as an imaging probe. We applied the probe of ^99mTc-scFv-VCAM-1 to colitis rabbit to examine its imaging performance. The colitis model rabbit was prepared, and a typical inflammatory lesion was confirmed in the colon. The probe of ^99mTc-scFv-VCAM-1 was synthesized and injected into the model animal before imaging examination. Scintigraphy detected colitis lesions in both SPECT planar and SPECT/CT fused images, with higher target-to-nontarget ratios in the model group (2.71 ± 0.31) than those in the control group (1.12 ± 0.10). Biodistribution study determined tracer uptake in different organs, and autoradiography (ARG) confirmed probe accumulation in colon lesions. The uptake ratio of the model colon to the control colon was 4.71 ± 0.61 in quantitative analysis of the ARG regions of interest. Stronger VCAM-1 expression in the model colon than that in the control colon was confirmed by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Our imaging study indicates molecular imaging with scFv-VCAM-1 as a promising way for inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis and evaluation.