Comparison of biological properties of 111In-labeled dimeric cyclic RGD peptides

Abstract

IntroductionIn this study two 111In-labeled dimeric cyclic RGD peptides, 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) and 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2), were evaluated as radiotracers for breast tumor imaging. The objective was to evaluate the impact of SAA, PEG2 and 1,2,3-triazole linkers as compare to PEG4 on the tumor uptake and excretion kinetics of 111In radiotracers. MethodsDOTA-Galacto-RGD2 was prepared by conjugation of Galacto-RGD2 with DOTA-OSu in the presence of diisopropylethylamine. Its integrin αvβ3 binding affinity was determined using a whole-cell displacement assay against 125I-echistatin bound to U87MG glioma cells, and was compared with those of c(RGDfK), DOTA-3P-RGD2 and DOTA-3P-RGK2 (a nonsense peptide conjugate with “scrambled” RGK sequences). 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) and 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2) were prepared and evaluated for their tumor-targeting capability and biodistribution properties in athymic nude mice bearing MDA-MB-435 breast tumor xenografts. Planar imaging studies were performed to demonstrate the utility of 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) and 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2) for breast tumor imaging. ResultsIC50 values of DOTA-Galacto-RGD2, DOTA-3P-RGD2, and DOTA-3P-RGK2 were calculated to be 27±2, 29±4, 596±48nM, respectively. The tumor uptake values of 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) (6.79±0.98, 6.56±0.56, 4.17±0.61 and 1.09±0.13 %ID/g at 1, 4, 24 and 72hours p.i., respectively) were almost identical to those of 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2) (6.17±1.65, 5.94±0.84, 3.40±0.50 and 0.99±0.20 %ID/g, respectively). 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) had a faster clearance from blood and muscle than 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2), leading to higher tumor/blood and tumor/muscle ratios. 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2) had lower liver uptake and better tumor/liver ratios than 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2). The tumor uptake of 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) and 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2) was both integrin αvβ3 and RGD-specific. Imaging data suggest that 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) and 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2) are useful as radiotracers for imaging integrin αvβ3-positive breast tumors. ConclusionThe results from this study suggest that replacing PEG4 linkers between two RGD moieties with a pair of SAA, PEG2 and 1,2,3-triazole groups has little impact on integrin αvβ3 binding affinity and tumor uptake of 111In-labeled dimeric cyclic RGD peptides. Despite the subtle differences in their excretion kinetics from noncancerous tissues, 111In(DOTA-Galacto-RGD2) and 111In(DOTA-3P-RGD2) are useful radiotracers for imaging integrin αvβ3-positive breast tumors.