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Andriana P, Fair-Mäkelä R, Liljenbäck H, Kärnä S, Iqbal I, Makrypidi K, Rajander J, Pirmettis I, Li XG, Jalkanen S, Saraste A, Salmi M, Roivainen A. Macrophage mannose receptor CD206 targeting of fluoride-18 labeled mannosylated dextran: A validation study in mice. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2024; 51:2216-2228. [PMID: 38532026 PMCID: PMC11178572 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-024-06686-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Aluminum fluoride-18-labeled 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid-conjugated mannosylated dextran derivative (Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM) is a new tracer for PET imaging. We report here on in vitro and in vivo validation of the tracer's ability to target the macrophage mannose receptor CD206. METHODS First, the uptake of intravenously (i.v.) administered Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM was compared between wild-type (WT) and CD206-/- knockout (KO) mice. C57BL/6N mice were injected with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in the left hind leg and the uptake of Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM after i.v. or intradermal (i.d.) injection was studied at 5 and 14 days after CFA induction of inflammation. Healthy C57BL/6N mice were studied as controls. Mice underwent PET/CT on consecutive days with [18F]FDG, i.v. Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM, and i.d. Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM. After the last imaging, Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM was i.v. injected for an ex vivo biodistribution study and autoradiography of inflamed tissues. Blood plasma samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. To evaluate the specificity of Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM binding, an in vitro competitive displacement study was performed on inflamed tissue sections using autoradiography. CD206 expression was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS Compared with WT mice, the uptake of Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM was significantly lower in several CD206-/- KO mice tissues, including liver (SUV 8.21 ± 2.51 vs. 1.06 ± 0.16, P < 0.001) and bone marrow (SUV 1.63 ± 0.37 vs. 0.22 ± 0.05, P < 0.0001). The uptake of i.v. injected Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM was significantly higher in inflamed ankle joint (SUV 0.48 ± 0.13 vs. 0.18 ± 0.05, P < 0.0001) and inflamed foot pad skin (SUV 0.41 ± 0.10 vs. 0.04 ± 0.01, P < 0.0001) than in the corresponding tissues in healthy mice. The i.d.-injected Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM revealed differences between CFA-induced lymph node activation and lymph nodes in healthy mice. Ex vivo γ-counting, autoradiography, and immunohistochemistry supported the results, and a decrease of ~ 80% in the binding of Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM in the displacement study with excess NOTA-D10CM confirmed that tracer binding was specific. At 60 min after i.v. injection, an average 96.70% of plasma radioactivity was derived from intact Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM, indicating good in vivo stability. The uptake of Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM into inflamed tissues was positively associated with the area percentage of CD206-positive staining. CONCLUSION The uptake of mannosylated dextran derivative Al[18F]F-NOTA-D10CM correlated with CD206 expression and the tracer appears promising for inflammation imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Putri Andriana
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Ruth Fair-Mäkelä
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Heidi Liljenbäck
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
- Turku Center of Disease Modeling, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Salli Kärnä
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Imran Iqbal
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Konstantina Makrypidi
- Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science and Technology, Energy and Safety, NCSR "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Johan Rajander
- Turku PET Centre, Accelerator Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Ioannis Pirmettis
- Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science and Technology, Energy and Safety, NCSR "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Xiang-Guo Li
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
- InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Sirpa Jalkanen
- InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Antti Saraste
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Heart Center, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Marko Salmi
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Anne Roivainen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, 20520, Turku, Finland.
- InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
- Turku Center of Disease Modeling, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
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Cong Y, Devoogdt N, Lambin P, Dubois LJ, Yaromina A. Promising Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches Based on VHHs for Cancer Management. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:371. [PMID: 38254860 PMCID: PMC10814765 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the distinctive structure of heavy chain-only antibodies in species belonging to the Camelidae family has elicited significant interest in their variable antigen binding domain (VHH) and gained attention for various applications, such as cancer diagnosis and treatment. This article presents an overview of the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of VHHs as compared to conventional antibodies, and their usage in diverse applications. The singular properties of VHHs are explained, and several strategies that can augment their utility are outlined. The preclinical studies illustrating the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of distinct VHHs in diverse formats against solid cancers are summarized, and an overview of the clinical trials assessing VHH-based agents in oncology is provided. These investigations demonstrate the enormous potential of VHHs for medical research and healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Cong
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Philippe Lambin
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, 6229 HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ludwig J. Dubois
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
| | - Ala Yaromina
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW—School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (Y.C.); (P.L.)
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Jiang D, Wei W. Molecular imaging for better theranostics. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2023; 50:3799-3801. [PMID: 37646834 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06415-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Ave., Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Weijun Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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Zeven K, De Groof TW, Ceuppens H, Awad RM, Ertveldt T, de Mey W, Meeus F, Raes G, Breckpot K, Devoogdt N. Development and evaluation of nanobody tracers for noninvasive nuclear imaging of the immune-checkpoint TIGIT. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1268900. [PMID: 37799715 PMCID: PMC10548220 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1268900] [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: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction T cell Ig and ITIM domain receptor (TIGIT) is a next-generation immune checkpoint predominantly expressed on activated T cells and NK cells, exhibiting an unfavorable prognostic association with various malignancies. Despite the emergence of multiple TIGIT-blocking agents entering clinical trials, only a fraction of patients responded positively to anti-TIGIT therapy. Consequently, an urgent demand arises for noninvasive techniques to quantify and monitor TIGIT expression, facilitating patient stratification and enhancing therapeutic outcomes. Small antigen binding moieties such as nanobodies, are promising candidates for such tracer development. Methods We generated a panel of anti-human or anti-mouse TIGIT nanobodies from immunized llamas. In addition, we designed a single-chain variable fragment derived from the clinically tested monoclonal antibody Vibostolimab targeting TIGIT, and assessed its performance alongside the nanobodies. In vitro characterization studies were performed, including binding ability and affinity to cell expressed or recombinant TIGIT. After Technetium-99m labeling, the nanobodies and the single-chain variable fragment were evaluated in vivo for their ability to detect TIGIT expression using SPECT/CT imaging, followed by ex vivo biodistribution analysis. Results Nine nanobodies were selected for binding to recombinant and cell expressed TIGIT with low sub-nanomolar affinities and are thermostable. A six-fold higher uptake in TIGIT-overexpressing tumor was demonstrated one hour post- injection with Technetium-99m labeled nanobodies compared to an irrelevant control nanobody. Though the single-chain variable fragment exhibited superior binding to TIGIT-expressing peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro, its in vivo behavior yielded lower tumor-to-background ratios at one hour post- injection, indicating that nanobodies are better suited for in vivo imaging than the single-chain variable fragment. Despite the good affinity, high specificity and on-target uptake in mice in this setting, imaging of TIGIT expression on tumor- infiltrating lymphocytes within MC38 tumors remained elusive. This is likely due to the low expression levels of TIGIT in this model. Discussion The excellent affinity, high specificity and rapid on-target uptake in mice bearing TIGIT- overexpressing tumors showed the promising diagnostic potential of nanobodies to noninvasively image high TIGIT expression within the tumor. These findings hold promise for clinical translation to aid patient selection and improve therapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katty Zeven
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Timo W.M. De Groof
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hannelore Ceuppens
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Robin Maximilian Awad
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Ertveldt
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wout de Mey
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fien Meeus
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Geert Raes
- Laboratory for Cellular and Molecular Immunology (CMIM), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB) Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
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do Valle NCH, Janssen S, Stroet MCM, Pollenus S, Van den Block S, Devoogdt N, Debacker JM, Hernot S, De Rooster H. Safety assessment of fluorescently labeled anti-EGFR Nanobodies in healthy dogs. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1266288. [PMID: 37781693 PMCID: PMC10538052 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1266288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Surgical resection is one of the main treatment options for several types of cancer, the desired outcome being complete removal of the primary tumor and its local metastases. Any malignant tissue that remains after surgery may lead to relapsing disease, negatively impacting the patient's quality of life and overall survival. Fluorescence imaging in surgical oncology aims to facilitate full resection of solid tumors through the visualization of malignant tissue during surgery, following the administration of a fluorescent contrast agent. An important class of targeting molecules are Nanobodies® (Nbs), small antigen-binding fragments derived from camelid heavy chain only antibodies. When coupled with a fluorophore, Nbs can bind to a specific receptor and demarcate tumor margins through a fluorescence camera, improving the accuracy of surgical intervention. A widely investigated target for fluorescence-guided surgery is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is overexpressed in several types of tumors. Promising results with the fluorescently labeled anti-EGFR Nb 7D12-s775z in murine models motivated a project employing the compound in a pioneering study in dogs with spontaneous cancer. Methods: To determine the safety profile of the study drug, three healthy purpose-bred dogs received an intravenous injection of the tracer at 5.83, 11.66, and 19.47 mg/m2, separated by a 14-day wash-out period. Physical examination and fluorescence imaging were performed at established time points, and the animals were closely monitored between doses. Blood and urine values were analyzed pre- and 24 h post administration. Results: No adverse effects were observed, and blood and urine values stayed within the reference range. Images of the oral mucosa, acquired with a fluorescence imaging device (Fluobeam®), suggest rapid clearance, which was in accordance with previous in vivo studies. Discussion: These are the first results to indicate that 7D12-s775z is well tolerated in dogs and paves the way to conduct clinical trials in canine patients with EGFR-overexpressing spontaneous tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayra Cristina Herreira do Valle
- Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Simone Janssen
- Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marcus C. M. Stroet
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofie Pollenus
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sonja Van den Block
- Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jens M. Debacker
- Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sophie Hernot
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hilde De Rooster
- Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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