(67/68)Ga-labeling agent that liberates (67/68)Ga-NOTA-methionine by lysosomal proteolysis of parental low molecular weight polypeptides to reduce renal radioactivity levels

Bioconjug Chem. 2014 Nov 19;25(11):2038-45. doi: 10.1021/bc5004058. Epub 2014 Oct 22.

Abstract

The renal localization of gallium-67 or gallium-68 ((67/68)Ga)-labeled low molecular weight (LMW) probes such as peptides and antibody fragments constitutes a problem in targeted imaging. Wu et al. previously showed that (67)Ga-labeled S-2-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (SCN-Bz-NOTA)-conjugated methionine ((67)Ga-NOTA-Met) was rapidly excreted from the kidney in urine following lysosomal proteolysis of the parental (67)Ga-NOTA-Bz-SCN-disulfide-stabilized Fv fragment (Bioconjugate Chem., (1997) 8, 365-369). In the present study, a new (67/68)Ga-labeling reagent for LMW probes that liberates (67/68)Ga-NOTA-Met was designed, synthesized, and evaluated using longer-lived (67)Ga in order to reduce renal radioactivity levels. We employed a methionine-isoleucine (MI) dipeptide bond as the cleavable linkage. The amine residue of MI was coupled with SCN-Bz-NOTA for (67)Ga-labeling, while the carboxylic acid residue of MI was derivatized to maleimide for antibody conjugation in order to synthesize NOTA-MI-Mal. A Fab fragment of the anti-Her2 antibody was thiolated with iminothiolane, and NOTA-MI-Mal was conjugated with the antibody fragment by maleimide-thiol chemistry. The Fab fragment was also conjugated with SCN-Bz-NOTA (NOTA-Fab) for comparison. (67)Ga-NOTA-MI-Fab was obtained at radiochemical yields of over 95% and was stable in murine serum for 24 h. In the biodistribution study using normal mice, (67)Ga-NOTA-MI-Fab registered significantly lower renal radioactivity levels from 1 to 6 h postinjection than those of (67)Ga-NOTA-Fab. An analysis of urine samples obtained 6 h after the injection of (67)Ga-NOTA-MI-Fab showed that the majority of radioactivity was excreted as (67)Ga-NOTA-Met. In the biodistribution study using tumor-bearing mice, the tumor to kidney ratios of (67)Ga-NOTA-MI-Fab were 4 times higher (6 h postinjection) than those of (67)Ga-NOTA-Fab. Although further studies including the structure of radiometabolites and/or cleavable linkages are required, the results of the present study indicate that the current chemical design is applicable to the development of (67)Ga-labeled Fabs for low renal radioactivity levels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Stability
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemistry
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / metabolism*
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / pharmacokinetics
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / urine
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / chemistry
  • Isotope Labeling
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Kidney / radiation effects*
  • Lysosomes / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Methionine / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Molecular Weight
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Proteolysis*
  • Radioactivity
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Heterocyclic Compounds
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring
  • Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments
  • Peptides
  • 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N',N''-triacetic acid
  • Methionine