Optimal composition and position of histidine-containing tags improves biodistribution of 99mTc-labeled DARPin G3

Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 28;9(1):9405. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45795-8.

Abstract

Radionuclide molecular imaging of HER2 expression in disseminated cancer enables stratification of patients for HER2-targeted therapies. DARPin G3, a small (14 kDa) engineered scaffold protein, is a promising probe for imaging of HER2. We hypothesized that position (C- or N-terminus) and composition (hexahistidine or (HE)3) of histidine-containing tags would influence the biodistribution of [99mTc]Tc(CO)3-labeled DARPin G3. To test the hypothesis, G3 variants containing tags at N-terminus (H6-G3 and (HE)3-G3) or at C-terminus (G3-H6 and G3-(HE)3) were labeled with [99mTc]Tc(CO)3. Labeling yield, label stability, specificity and affinity of the binding to HER2, biodistribution and tumor targeting properties of these variants were compared side-by-side. There was no substantial influence of position and composition of the tags on binding of [99mTc]Tc(CO)3-labeled variants to HER2. The specificity of HER2 targeting in vivo was confirmed. The tumor uptake in BALB/c nu/nu mice bearing SKOV3 xenografts was similar for all variants. On the opposite, there was a strong influence of the tags on uptake in normal tissues. The tumor-to-liver ratio for [99mTc]Tc(CO)3-(HE)3-G3 was three-fold higher compared to the hexahistidine-tag containing variants. Overall, [99mTc]Tc(CO)3-(HE)3-G3 variant provided the highest tumor-to-lung, tumor-to-liver, tumor-to-bone and tumor-to-muscle ratios, which should improve sensitivity of HER2 imaging in these common metastatic sites.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Histidine* / chemistry
  • Histidine* / genetics
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacokinetics*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Technetium / chemistry*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • polyhistidine
  • Histidine
  • Technetium
  • Receptor, ErbB-2