Fluorothymidine Positron Emission Tomography Research Articles

Combined Injection of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose and 3′-Deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine PET Achieves More Complete Identification of Viable Lung Cancer Cells in Mice and Patients than Individual Radiopharmaceutical: A Proof-of-Concept Study

PURPOSE: The objective is to validate the combination of 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) as a “novel” positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for better visualization of cancer cell components in solid cancers than individual radiopharmaceutical. METHODS: Nude mice with subcutaneous xenografts of human non-small cell lung cancer A549 and HTB177 cells and patients with lung cancer were included. In ex vivo study, intratumoral radioactivity of 18F-FDG, 18F-FLT, and the cocktail of 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT detected by autoradiography was compared with hypoxia (by pimonidazole) and proliferation (by bromodeoxyuridine) in tumor section. In in vivo study, first, 18F-FDG PET and 18F-FLT PET were conducted in the same subjects (mice and patients) 10 to 14 hours apart. Second, PET scan was also performed 1 hour after one tracer injection; subsequently, the other was administered and followed the second PET scan in the mouse. Finally, 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT cocktail PET scan was also performed in the mouse. RESULTS: When injected individually, 18F-FDG highly accumulated in hypoxic zones and high 18F-FLT in proliferative cancer cells. In case of cocktail injection, high radioactivity correlated with hypoxic regions and highly proliferative and normoxic regions. PET detected that intratumoral distribution of 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT was generally mismatched in both rodents and patients. Combination of 18F-FLT and 18F-FDG appeared to map more cancer tissue than single-tracer PET. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of 18F-FDG and 18F-FLT PET imaging would give a more accurate representation of total viable tumor tissue than either tracer alone and would be a powerful imaging strategy for cancer management.

Abstract A15: HDAC6 inhibitor C1A abrogates the recruitment of the autophagic machinery and synergizes with proteasome, src kinase, and PI3K-mTOR inhibition.

Abstract The histone deacetylase (HDAC) family of proteins plays a profound role in transcriptional silencing and intracellular protein function, and HDAC inhibitors have shown promise for the treatment of human malignancies. HDAC6 activity is altered in tumorigenesis and its selective inhibition is likely to cause less toxicity compared to broad spectrum inhibitors. An important function of HDAC6 is the processing of misfolded proteins within cells during autophagy and formation of aggresomes. Prosurvival autophagy may represent a major impediment to successful cancer therapy and more potent and specific inhibitors of autophagy are needed. This study evaluated whether targeting HDAC6 could be used to impair autophagy and restore chemosensitivity. Treatment of colon cancer HCT-116 cells and osteosarcoma U2OS-LC3-GFP cells with HDAC6 inhibitor C1A for 24 hours (or tubastatin A, another HDAC6 inhibitor) caused a dose dependent increase in expression of lipid associated LC3 II, suggesting autophagosome formation or blockage. Using a pH-sensitive, double tagged mCherry-GFP-LC3 reporter, we could further demonstrate impairment of autophagosome-lysosome fusion. We hypothesized that the effect of autophagy tool compounds will be modulated by C1A. Increased LC3 II/p62 expression induced by chloroquine, 3-MA, bortezomib or BEZ-235 were inhibited by C1A (also seen with tubastatin A). Combination of C1A with bortezomib or BEZ-235 induced a greater proportion of cells undergoing apoptosis as depicted by an increase of caspase 3/7 activity in HCT-116 cells. Treatment with C1A (or tubastatin A) also impaired the formation of LC3 II following treatment with src inhibitor, dasatinib (or PP2, another src inhibitor but not PP3, a negative control compound); synergy as assessed by caspase 3/7 activity was seen in lung cancer A549 cells. Based on combination index values, we demonstrated that C1A synergistically enhanced proteasome, src kinase and PI3K-mTOR growth inhibition. In vivo, the anti-tumor activity of C1A in combination with bortezomib or BEZ-235 was confirmed in HCT-116 tumor bearing mice. Tumor growth was significantly delayed in animals treated with combination therapy. A similar observation was seen in A549 tumor bearing mice treated with C1A in combination with dasatinib. The efficacy of the combination C1A and BEZ-235 was also predicted as early as 48 h with [18F]fluorothymidine positron emission tomography ([18F]FLT-PET) in HCT-116 tumor bearing mice. These results provide a rationale for combination therapy with HDAC6 inhibitors and chemotherapy associated with pro-survival autophagy in the treatment of solid tumors. Imaging of cell proliferation with [18F]FLT-PET detected the mechanistic validity of this combination treatment approach and, thus, warrants further investigation in pre-clinical models and patients. This work was supported in part by Cancer Research U.K.-Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Grant C2536/A10337. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):A15. Citation Format: Maciej Kaliszczak, Olivier E. Pardo, Michael J. Seckl, Eric O. Aboagye. HDAC6 inhibitor C1A abrogates the recruitment of the autophagic machinery and synergizes with proteasome, src kinase, and PI3K-mTOR inhibition. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2013 Oct 19-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A15.

Evaluation of Arginine Deiminase Treatment in Melanoma Xenografts Using 18F-FLT PET

This study aims to develop a molecular imaging strategy for response assessment of arginine deiminase (ADI) treatment in melanoma xenografts using 3'-[(18)F]fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine ([(18)F]-FLT) positron emission tomography (PET). F-FLT response to ADI therapy was studied in preclinical models of melanoma in vitro and in vivo. The molecular mechanism of response to ADI therapy was investigated, with a particular emphasis on biological pathways known to regulate (18)F-FLT metabolism. Proliferation of SK-MEL-28 melanoma tumors was potently inhibited by ADI treatment. However, no metabolic response was observed in FLT PET, presumably based on the known ADI-induced degradation of PTEN, followed by instability of the tumor suppressor p53 and a relative overexpression of thymidine kinase 1, the enzyme mainly responsible for intracellular FLT processing. The specific pharmacological properties of ADI preclude using (18)F-FLT to evaluate clinical response in melanoma and argue for further studies to explore the use of other clinically applicable PET tracers in ADI treatment.

Pemetrexed Induced Thymidylate Synthase Inhibition in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study with 3′-Deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine Positron Emission Tomography

ObjectivesPemetrexed is a thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor and is effective in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine (18F-FLT), a proliferation marker, could potentially identify tumor specific TS-inhibition. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pemetrexed-induced TS-inhibition on 18F-FLT uptake 4 hours after pemetrexed administration in metastatic NSCLC patients.MethodsFourteen NSCLC patients underwent dynamic 18F-FLT positron emission tomography (PET) scans at baseline and 4 hours after the first dose of pemetrexed. Volumes of interest were defined with a 41%, 50% and 70% threshold of the maximum pixel. Kinetic analysis and simplified measures were performed. At one, two, four and six hours after pemetrexed, plasma deoxyuridine was measured as systemic indicator of TS-inhibition. Tumor response measured with response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST), time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were determined.ResultsEleven patients had evaluable 18F-FLT PET scans at baseline and 4 hours after pemetrexed. Two patients had increased 18F-FLT uptake of 35% and 31% after pemetrexed, whereas two other patients had decreased uptake of 31%. In the remaining seven patients 18F-FLT uptake did not change beyond test-retest borders. In all patients deoxyuridine levels raised after administration of pemetrexed, implicating pemetrexed-induced TS-inhibition. 18F-FLT uptake in bone marrow was significantly increased 4 hours after pemetrexed administration. Six weeks after the start of treatment 5 patients had partial response, 4 stable disease and 2 progressive disease. Median TTP was 4.2 months (range 3.0–7.4 months); median OS was 13.0 months (range 5.1–30.8 months). Changes in 18F-FLT uptake were not predictive for tumor response, TTP or OS.ConclusionsMeasuring TS-inhibition in a clinical setting 4 hours after pemetrexed revealed a non-systematic change in 18F-FLT uptake within the tumor. No significant association with tumor response, TTP or OS was observed.

Sequential therapy with the selective T-type calcium channel blocker mibefradil and temozolomide in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas: An Adult Brain Tumor Consortium phase I study (ABTC1101).

TPS2105 Background: Despite recent advances in their treatment, high-grade gliomas (HGG) carry a dismal prognosis. Treatment options at recurrence are particularly limited and a re-challenge with temozolomide (TMZ) frequently appears as the most appropriate systemic treatment option in patients whose progression occurred off TMZ. This study investigates the sequential treatment of mibefradil (MIB), a selective Cav3 calcium channel blocker, and standard dose TMZ. Preclinical data showed that Cav3 inhibitors such as MIB can slow tumor growth without significant effect on normal tissues and can induce cell cycle arrest in cancer cells at the G1/S-phase checkpoint. We hypothesize that withdrawal of MIB could synchronize and release cells into S-phase, thereby potentiating the cytotoxic effect of TMZ. Methods: This trial is an open-label, multicenter phase I study, structured into a dose escalation phase to determine the maximum tolerated dose of MIB (MTD; Primary Objective) and an expansion cohort of 10 patients at the MTD level. Adults with recurrent HGG (WHO grade 3 or 4) who have previously received standard adjuvant therapy with radiation (RT) and TMZ (last dose ≥ 3 months prior to enrollment) and who have not received other cytotoxic therapy (except for carmustine wafers) are eligible. Patients receive oral MIB for 7 days on a 4 x/day (QID) schedule, followed by standard dose TMZ at 150-200 mg/m2 for 5 days each 28-day cycle. Dose finding uses a modified 3+3 design, starting at MIB 25 mg po QID (100 mg/day) with dose increases of 25 mg/dose per dose level. The target dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rate is ≤ 33%. Secondary Objectives: (1) safety and adverse event analysis (incl. cardiac monitoring during cycle 1), (2) pharmacokinetic profile of MIB, (3) response assessment (RANO criteria), and (4) assessment of the potential effect of MIB on tumor DNA synthesis as determined by fluorothymidine positron emission tomography (FLT PET; extension cohort). Enrollment status as of January 2013: cohort 1 completed without DLT; cohort 2 enrolling at MIB 200 mg/day. Clinical trial information: NCT01480050.

18F]-FLT Positron Emission Tomography Can Be Used to Image the Response of Sensitive Tumors to PI3-Kinase Inhibition with the Novel Agent GDC-0941

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is deregulated in a range of cancers, and several targeted inhibitors are entering the clinic. This study aimed to investigate whether the positron emission tomography tracer 3'-deoxy-3'-[(18)F]fluorothymidine ([(18)F]-FLT) is suitable to mark the effect of the novel PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941, which has entered phase II clinical trial. CBA nude mice bearing U87 glioma and HCT116 colorectal xenografts were imaged at baseline with [(18)F]-FLT and at acute (18 hours) and chronic (186 hours) time points after twice-daily administration of GDC-0941 (50 mg/kg) or vehicle. Tumor uptake normalized to blood pool was calculated, and tissue was analyzed at sacrifice for PI3K pathway inhibition and thymidine kinase (TK1) expression. Uptake of [(18)F]-FLT was also assessed in tumors inducibly overexpressing a dominant-negative form of the PI3K p85 subunit p85α, as well as HCT116 liver metastases after GDC-0941 therapy. GDC-0941 treatment induced tumor stasis in U87 xenografts, whereas inhibition of HCT116 tumors was more variable. Tumor uptake of [(18)F]-FLT was significantly reduced following GDC-0941 dosing in responsive tumors at the acute time point and correlated with pharmacodynamic markers of PI3K signaling inhibition and significant reduction in TK1 expression in U87, but not HCT116, tumors. Reduction of PI3K signaling via expression of Δp85α significantly reduced tumor growth and [(18)F]-FLT uptake, as did treatment of HCT116 liver metastases with GDC-0941. These results indicate that [(18)F]-FLT is a strong candidate for the noninvasive measurement of GDC-0941 action.

Abstract 4336: Selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINE) display single agent efficacy against gastric (NCI-N87) and colon (HCT-116) xenografts.

Abstract Abstract Chromosomal Maintenance Protein 1/Exportin 1 (CRM1/XPO1) is a key nuclear export protein whose inhibition leads to the nuclear accumulation of Tumor Suppressor Proteins (TSPs) such as p53, FOXO, PTEN, pRB and I-κB. SINE are a novel class of compounds currently in clinical development for a variety of cancers. SINE irreversibly block CRM1-dependent nuclear export and force the nuclear retention of TSPs, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Here we report in vitro activity of SINE on a broad range of cancer cell lines and in vivo efficacy results in NCI-N87 gastric and HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma murine tumor xenograft models. Methods MTT cytotoxicity assays were used to determine IC50s of KPT-SINE on various cell lines. The effects of SINE on the cell cycle and gene expression were investigated by FACS and quantitative RT/PCR respectively. Inhibition of CRM1 nuclear export was determined by immunofluorescence of CRM1 cargos. The effects of SINE treatment on tumor growth in vivo were assessed by measuring tumor volumes and by imaging with FluoroThymidine Positron Emission Tomography (FLT-PET). In tumors, gene expression was analyzed and immunohistochemistry performed to detect TSP, proliferation and apoptosis markers. Results SINE showed potent cytotoxicity on the majority of the cell lines tested with IC50 values <1 μM, but did not affect non-malignant human intestinal epithelial cells. The inhibition of CRM1 nuclear export with SINE resulted with the accumulation of TSPs p53, p21, p27 and FOXO in the nucleus. Immunoblot and qPCR studies showed increased expression of stress-related genes, reduced expression of proliferation markers, and evidence of cell death. SINE therapy was well-tolerated in mice. In the HCT-116 (p53wt, K-ras mutant) xenograft model, oral SINE treatment inhibited tumor growth by >80%. Treated tumor samples showed very low levels of Ki67 and increased TUNEL staining consistent with induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in SINE-treated groups. Also, marked upregulation of the TSPs p53 and p21 was observed, indicating that SINE induced nuclear localization of these proteins in situ. In the NCI-N87 gastric carcinoma xenograft model, oral SINE treatment inhibited tumor growth >75% compared with vehicle- treated animals. Immunofluorescence analysis with biomarkers of proliferation, along with FLT-PET results, indicated significant inhibition of proliferation in tumors. Histological analysis of the tumors confirmed in vitro observations of cytotoxic effects on tumors, induction of apoptosis and the replacement of cancer cells with fibrotic tissue. Conclusions These studies demonstrate potent in vitro and in vivo efficacy of single agent SINE CRM1 inhibitors against NCI-N87 and HCT-116 xenografts. These data further support the development of SINE-based therapies for gastric and colorectal cancers. Citation Format: Dilara McCauley, Trinayan Kashyap, Mwanasha Hamuza, Yosef Landesman, Paul Ippolitti, Sharon Shechter, Jean Richard Saint-Martin, Marsha Crochiere, William Senapedis, Boris Klebanov, Sharon Tamir, Diego Del Alamo, Erkan Baloglu, Giulio Draetta, Michael Kauffman, Sharon Shacham. Selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINE) display single agent efficacy against gastric (NCI-N87) and colon (HCT-116) xenografts. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4336. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4336

18F]FDG and [18F]FLT positron emission tomography imaging following treatment with belinostat in human ovary cancer xenografts in mice

BackgroundBelinostat is a histone deacetylase inhibitor with anti-tumor effect in several pre-clinical tumor models and clinical trials. The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in cell proliferation and glucose uptake by use of 3’-deoxy-3’-[18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]FLT) and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) following treatment with belinostat in ovarian cancer in vivo models.MethodsIn vivo uptake of [18F]FLT and [18F]FDG in human ovary cancer xenografts in mice (A2780) were studied after treatment with belinostat. Mice were divided in 2 groups receiving either belinostat (40 mg/kg ip twice daily Day 0–4 and 6–10) or vehicle. Baseline [18F]FLT or [18F]FDG scans were made before treatment (Day 0) and repeated at Day 3, 6 and 10. Tracer uptake was quantified using small animal PET/CT.ResultsTumors in the belinostat group had volumes that were 462 ± 62% (640 mm3) at Day 10 relative to baseline which was significantly different (P = 0.011) from the control group 769 ± 74% (926 mm3). [18F]FLT SUVmax increased from baseline to Day 10 (+30 ± 9%; P = 0.048) in the control group. No increase was observed in the treatment group. [18F]FDG SUVmean was significantly different in the treatment group compared to the control group (P = 0.0023) at Day 10. Within treatment groups [18F]FDG uptake and to a lesser extent [18F]FLT uptake at Day 3 were significantly correlated with tumor growth at Day 10.Conclusions[18F]FDG uptake early following treatment initiation predicted tumor sizes at Day 10, suggesting that [18F]FDG may be a valuable biomarker for non-invasive assessment of anti-tumor activity of belinostat.

Limits of [18F]-FLT PET as a Biomarker of Proliferation in Oncology

BackgroundNon-invasive imaging biomarkers of cellular proliferation hold great promise for quantifying response to personalized medicine in oncology. An emerging approach to assess tumor proliferation utilizes the positron emission tomography (PET) tracer 3’-deoxy-3’[18F]-fluorothymidine, [18F]-FLT. Though several studies have associated serial changes in [18F]-FLT-PET with elements of therapeutic response, the degree to which [18F]-FLT-PET quantitatively reflects proliferative index has been continuously debated for more that a decade. The goal of this study was to elucidate quantitative relationships between [18F]-FLT-PET and cellular metrics of proliferation in treatment naïve human cell line xenografts commonly employed in cancer research.Methods and Findings[18F]-FLT-PET was conducted in human cancer xenograft-bearing mice. Quantitative relationships between PET, thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) protein levels and immunostaining for proliferation markers (Ki67, TK1, PCNA) were evaluated using imaging-matched tumor specimens. Overall, we determined that [18F]-FLT-PET reflects TK1 protein levels, yet the cell cycle specificity of TK1 expression and the extent to which tumors utilize thymidine salvage for DNA synthesis decouple [18F]-FLT-PET data from standard estimates of proliferative index.ConclusionsOur findings illustrate that [18F]-FLT-PET reflects tumor proliferation as a function of thymidine salvage pathway utilization. Unlike more general proliferation markers, such as Ki67, [18F]-FLT PET reflects proliferative indices to variable and potentially unreliable extents. [18F]-FLT-PET cannot discriminate moderately proliferative, thymidine salvage-driven tumors from those of high proliferative index that rely primarily upon de novo thymidine synthesis. Accordingly, the magnitude of [18F]-FLT uptake should not be considered a surrogate of proliferative index. These data rationalize the diversity of [18F]-FLT-PET correlative results previously reported and suggest future best-practices when [18F]-FLT-PET is employed in oncology.

Diagnosis of Metastases from Postoperative Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Comparison between FDG and FLT PET/CT Studies

To compare positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) studies performed with the glucose analog fluorine 18 ((18)F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and the cell proliferation tracer (18)F fluorothymidine (FLT) in the diagnosis of metastases from postoperative differentiated thyroid cancer. The institutional ethics review board approved this prospective study. From March 2010 to February 2012, 20 patients (mean age, 53 years; age range, 22-79 years) with postoperative differentiated thyroid cancer underwent both FDG and FLT PET/CT as a staging work-up before radioiodine therapy. In each patient, 28 anatomic areas were set and analyzed for lymph node and distant metastases. The McNemar exact or χ(2) test was used to examine differences in diagnostic indexes in the detection of lymph node and distant metastases between both tracer PET/CT studies. There were 34 lymph node metastases and/or 73 distant metastases (70 metastases in lung and one each in bone, nasopharynx, and brain) in 13 patients. At patient-based analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 92% (12 of 13 patients), 86% (six of seven patients), and 90% (18 of 20 patients), respectively, for FDG PET/CT and 69% (nine of 13 patients), 29% (two of seven patients), and 55% (11 of 20 patients) for FLT PET/CT. The accuracy of FDG PET/CT was significantly better than that of FLT PET/CT (P = .023). At lesion-based analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosing lymph node metastases were 85% (29 of 34 lesions), 99.6% (245 of 246 lesions), and 97.9% (274 of 280 lesions), respectively, for FDG PET/CT and 50% (17 of 34 lesions), 90.7% (223 of 246 lesions), and 85.7% (240 of 280 lesions) for FLT PET/CT. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosing distant metastases were 45% (33 of 73 lesions), 100% (207 of 207 lesions), and 85.7% (240 of 280 lesions), respectively, for FDG PET/CT and 6.8% (five of 73 lesions), 100% (207 of 207 lesions), and 75.7% (212 of 280 lesions) for FLT PET/CT. The sensitivity (P = .002), specificity (P < .001), and accuracy (P < .001) of FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of lymph node metastases were superior to those of FLT PET, as were the sensitivity (P < .001) and accuracy (P < .001) in the diagnosis of distant metastases. FDG PET/CT is superior to FLT PET/CT in the diagnosis of postoperative differentiated thyroid cancer lymph node and distant metastases. Thus, FDG PET/CT is more suitable than FLT PET/CT for examining recurrence of postoperative differentiated thyroid cancer.

3′-Deoxy-3′-[18F]-fluorothymidine ([18F]-FLT) transport in newly diagnosed glioma: correlation with nucleoside transporter expression, vascularization, and blood–brain barrier permeability

3'-Deoxy-3'-[(18)F]-fluorothymidine ([(18)F]-FLT), a marker of cellular proliferation, has been used in positron emission tomography (PET) examination of gliomas. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the uptake of [(18)F]-FLT in glioma correlates with messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1), microvascular density (assessed by CD34 immunohistochemistry), and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown. A total of 21 patients with newly diagnosed glioma were examined with [(18)F]-FLT PET. Tumor lesions were identified as areas of focally increased [(18)F]-FLT uptake, exceeding that of surrounding normal tissue. Dynamic analysis of [(18)F]-FLT PET revealed correlations between the phosphorylation rate constant k 3 and ENT1 expression; however there was no correlation between the kinetic parameters and CD34 score. There was a good correlation between the gadolinium (Gd) enhancement score (evaluating BBB breakdown) and ENT1 expression, CD34 score, and Ki-67 index. This preliminary study suggests that ENT1 expression might not reflect accumulation of [(18)F]-FLT in vivo due to BBB permeability in glioma.

A novel small molecule hydroxamate preferentially inhibits HDAC6 activity and tumour growth

Background:This study investigates whether a histone deacetylase subtype 6 (HDAC6) inhibitor could be used in the treatment of solid tumours.Methods:We evaluated the effect of a novel inhibitor, C1A, on HDAC6 biochemical activity and cell growth. We further examined potential of early noninvasive imaging of cell proliferation by [18F]fluorothymidine positron emission tomography ([18F]FLT-PET) to detect therapy response.Results:C1A induced sustained acetylation of HDAC6 substrates, α-tubulin and HSP90, compared with current clinically approved HDAC inhibitor SAHA. C1A induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation of a panel of human tumour cell lines from different origins in the low micromolar range. Systemic administration of the drug inhibited the growth of colon tumours in vivo by 78%. The drug showed restricted activity on gene expression with <0.065% of genes modulated during 24 h of treatment. C1A treatment reduced tumour [18F]FLT uptake by 1.7-fold at 48 h, suggesting that molecular imaging could provide value in future studies of this compound.Conclusion:C1A preferentially inhibits HDAC6 and modulates HDAC6 downstream targets leading to growth inhibition of a diverse set of cancer cell lines. This property together with the favourable pharmacokinetics and efficacy in vivo makes it a candidate for further pre-clinical and clinical development.

Quantification of intra-tumour cell proliferation heterogeneity using imaging descriptors of 18F fluorothymidine-positron emission tomography

Intra-tumour heterogeneity is a characteristic shared by all cancers. We explored the use of texture variables derived from images of [18F]fluorothymidine-positron emission tomography (FLT-PET), thus notionally assessing the heterogeneity of proliferation in individual tumours. Our aims were to study the range of textural feature values across tissue types, verify the repeatability of these image descriptors and further, to explore associations with clinical response to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. The repeatability of 28 textural descriptors was assessed in patients who had two FLT-PET scans prior to therapy using relative differences and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). We tested associations between features at baseline and clinical response measured in 11 patients after three cycles of chemotherapy, and explored changes in FLT-PET at one week after the start of therapy. A subset of eight features was characterized by low variations at baseline (<±30%) and high repeatability (0.7 ≤ ICC ≤ 1). The intensity distribution profile suggested fewer highly proliferating cells in lesions of non-responders compared to responders at baseline. A true increase in CV and homogeneity was measured in four out of six responders one week after the start of therapy. A number of textural features derived from FLT-PET are altered following chemotherapy in breast cancer, and should be evaluated in larger clinical trials for clinical relevance.

18F]FLT PET for Non-Invasive Assessment of Tumor Sensitivity to Chemotherapy: Studies with Experimental Chemotherapy TP202377 in Human Cancer Xenografts in Mice

Aim3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]FLT) is a tracer used to assess cell proliferation in vivo. The aim of the study was to use [18F]FLT positron emission tomography (PET) to study non-invasively early anti-proliferative effects of the experimental chemotherapeutic agent TP202377 in both sensitive and resistant tumors.MethodsXenografts in mice from 3 human cancer cell lines were used: the TP202377 sensitive A2780 ovary cancer cell line (n = 8–16 tumors/group), the induced resistant A2780/Top216 cell line (n = 8–12 tumors/group) and the natural resistant SW620 colon cancer cell line (n = 10 tumors/group). In vivo uptake of [18F]FLT was studied at baseline and repeated 6 hours, Day 1, and Day 6 after TP202377 treatment (40 mg/kg i.v.) was initiated. Tracer uptake was quantified using small animal PET/CT.ResultsTP202377 (40 mg/kg at 0 hours) caused growth inhibition at Day 6 in the sensitive A2780 tumor model compared to the control group (P<0.001). In the A2780 tumor model TP202377 treatment caused significant decrease in uptake of [18F]FLT at 6 hours (-46%; P<0.001) and Day 1 (-44%; P<0.001) after treatment start compared to baseline uptake. At Day 6 uptake was comparable to baseline. Treatment with TP202377 did not influence tumor growth or [18F]FLT uptake in the resistant A2780/Top216 and SW620 tumor models. In all control groups uptake of [18F]FLT did not change. Ki67 gene expression paralleled [18F]FLT uptake.ConclusionTreatment of A2780 xenografts in mice with TP202377 (single dose i.v.) caused a significant decrease in cell proliferation assessed by [18F]FLT PET after 6 hours. Inhibition persisted at Day 1; however, cell proliferation had returned to baseline at Day 6. In the resistant A2780/Top216 and SW620 tumor models uptake of [18F]FLT did not change after treatment. With [18F]FLT PET it was possible to distinguish non-invasively between sensitive and resistant tumors already 6 hours after treatment initiation.

18 F-FLT Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/CT Imaging in Myelofibrosis: A Non Invasive Method to Assess Bone Marrow Function and Extramedullary Hematopoiesis

AbstractAbstract 1741 Background:Positron emission tomography (PET) generally employing fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) combined with high-resolution structural imaging using computed tomography (CT) is regularly used in the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of treatment response in clinical oncology. 3′-18Fluoro-3′-deoxy-L-thymidine (18F-FLT) is a nucleoside analog that quickly accumulates in proliferating cells, more recently evaluated in various cancers including hematologic malignancies like acute leukemias or lymphomas as a PET radiotracer offering non invasive assessment of cell proliferation in vivo. Published results suggest that this technique could be useful to assess bone marrow (BM) activity and extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). However, to our knowledge, only 3 patients (pts) with myelofibrosis (MF) have been explored with 18F-FLT PET/CT (FLT PET). This pilot study aimed to establish proof-of-concept that FLT PET could be a new non invasive technique useful for MF management, in terms of diagnosis, staging and for monitoring response to therapy. Methods:Pts were evaluated using 2 different techniques. First, conventional BM scintigraphy (BMS) was performed: on day 1, pts were injected with 99mTechnetium-nanocolloids and a planar image of the reticuloendothelial system was performed 30 min after injection; pts were then injected with 111Indium-Cl3 and planar imaging of the erythroid BM was performed after 48h. Secondly, FLT PET was performed 1 hour after injection of 18F-FLT (provided by AAA), and consisted in a whole-body acquisition. Images were interpreted in a blinded fashion independently by two nuclear physicians, qualitatively and according to a visual scale for both examinations. In addition, 18F-FLT uptake was quantified using standardized uptake value (SUV) in several sites of the skeleton, spleen and liver. Results:15 pts (9 men, 6 women, mean age: 62 years) were included between Apr 2011 and Jul 2012 (14 evaluable at time of abstract submission). 7 pts (47%) had primary (PMF), 4 post-polycythemia vera (PV), and 4 post-essential thrombocythemia (ET) MF, respectively (WHO criteria). All the pts had a BM biopsy with quantification of fibrosis. 11 pts (73%) had a JAK2V617F mutation, 1 a MPL515 mutation, and 3 had neither of these mutations. Therapies included hydroxyurea (n=1), androgens (n=1), interferon (n=4) and ruxolitinib (n=5); 4 pts had no specific therapy for MF.Three distinct patterns of FLT PET images were observed. 3 pts showed a marked reduced hematopoietic activity in the central compartment of the skeleton but a high uptake in spleen, suggesting the existence of myeloid metaplasia (Fig 1A). 8 pts had a rather normal pattern of BM activity in the central skeleton associated with marked expansion of BM activity to distal extremities and intense uptake of the tracer in the spleen (Fig 1B). 3 pts showed a relatively normal pattern of BM activity in the central skeleton, a mild expansion to distal extremities with no splenic abnormality (Fig 1C). FLT interpretation in myeloid malignancies is not standardized and we used comparisons with BMS to establish interpretation guidelines. Qualitative FLT PET results were equivalent to the 111In-Cl3 imaging in most cases, but in 2 pts FLT uptake was normal when BMS showed reduced 111In-Cl3 uptake. Compared to BMS, PET will also provide much more information including: (i) quantitative analyses of 18F-FLT uptake using SUV (preliminary results show that SUV ranges are [1.8 – 18.4] and [2.3 – 19.8] in BM and spleen, respectively); (ii) precise evaluation of malignant myelopoiesis in the different anatomical sites using coupled CT images. These analyses, and correlation with clinical and biological characteristics, BM histopathology and type of therapy received are ongoing. Conclusion:FLT PET is a new, convenient non invasive technique for evaluation of malignant hematopoiesis in MF, including BM activity and EMH. Distinct patterns of FLT uptake may help in the diagnosis and staging of MF. In addition, ongoing correlation studies with histological BM fibrosis could provide evidence for a role of this non invasive technique in the assessment of the evolution of fibrosis over time without the need for sequential biopsies. A subsequent clinical trial will determine in a larger cohort of MF pts the usefulness of PET for evaluation of tumor response to therapy and prediction of early response using sequential evaluation of FLT uptake in BM and spleen. [Display omitted] Disclosures:Off Label Use: 3′-18Fluoro-3′-deoxy-L-thymidine (18F-FLT) is a nucleoside analog tested as a PET radiotracer in patients with myelofibrosis.

Early Evaluation of Response to Chemoradiation in Head-and-Neck Squamous Cell Cancer (HNSCC) With F-18 Fluorothymidine Positron Emission Tomography (FLT PET)

Early Evaluation of Response to Chemoradiation in Head-and-Neck Squamous Cell Cancer (HNSCC) With F-18 Fluorothymidine Positron Emission Tomography (FLT PET)

18F]FLT is superior to [18F]FDG for predicting early response to antiproliferative treatment in high-grade lymphoma in a dose-dependent manner

Positron emission tomography (PET) with the thymidine analogue [(18)F]fluorothymidine ([(18)F]FLT) has been shown to detect early response to chemotherapy in high-grade lymphoma. In this preclinical in vitro and in vivo study we compared [(18)F]FLT to the glucose analogue [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([(18)F]FDG) regarding dose-dependent visualization and prediction of early therapy response. Immunodeficient mice bearing human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (SUDHL-4) xenotransplants were treated intraperitoneally with increasing doses of the cytotoxic agent doxorubicin. Metabolic and antiproliferative effects were assessed 2days after therapy by [(18)F]FLT and [(18)F]FDG PET. Explanted lymphomas were analysed histologically and by immunostaining against Ki67 and caspase 3. In vitro, lymphoma cells were incubated with increasing concentrations of doxorubicin and analysed using the tetrazolium assay, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and [(18)F]FLT and [(18)F]FDG uptake 48h later. In vivo, tumour growth was inhibited by doses of doxorubicin ranging from 25μg to 200μg. The mean tumour-to-background ratio (TBR) of [(18)F]FLT on day +2 was significantly reduced in all dose groups compared to control and baseline values and preceded changes in tumour volume. Importantly, there was a significant inverse correlation between reduction in TBR and dose of chemotherapy (r = -0.54, p = 0.021). The mean TBR of [(18)F]FDG, however, increased after therapy and differed considerably between groups (r = -0.13, p = 0.668). Explanted tumours showed a dose-dependent decrease in the proliferation marker Ki67, but no change in the apoptotic marker caspase 3. In vitro, doxorubicin led to a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability and a decrease in S phase. Lymphoma cells showed a dose-dependent reduction in [(18)F]FLT uptake, in contrast to a variable and decelerated reduction in [(18)F]FDG uptake. Thus, the increase in [(18)F]FDG uptake in vivo presumably reflected nonspecific glucose metabolism of inflammatory cells, as confirmed by histology of explanted lymphomas. Early responses to dose-dependent antiproliferative treatment in high-grade lymphoma are more accurately visualized with [(18)F]FLT PET than with [(18)F]FDG PET.

FLT-PET Is Superior to FDG-PET for Very Early Response Prediction in NPM-ALK-Positive Lymphoma Treated with Targeted Therapy

The prognosis of relapsed or refractory aggressive lymphoma is poor. The huge variety of currently evolving targeted treatment approaches would benefit from tools for early prediction of response or resistance. We used various ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) cell lines to evaluate two inhibitors, the HSP90 inhibitor NVP-AUY922, and the mTOR inhibitor everolimus, both of which have shown to interfere with ALK-dependent oncogenic signal transduction. Their therapeutic effect was determined in vitro by MTT assay, [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)- and [(18)F]fluorothymidine (FLT)-uptake, and by biochemical analysis of ALK-induced signaling. Micro-FDG- and FLT-positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies in immunodeficient mice bearing ALCL xenotransplants were carried out with the cell lines SUDHL-1 and Karpas299 to assess early treatment response to NVP-AUY922 or everolimus in vivo. SUDHL-1 cells showed sensitivity to both inhibitors in vitro. Importantly, we detected a significant reduction of FLT-uptake in SUDHL-1 bearing animals using both inhibitors compared with baseline as early as 5 days after initiation of targeted therapy. Immunostaining showed a decrease in Ki-67 and an increase in cleaved caspase-3 staining. In contrast, FDG-uptake did not significantly decrease at early time points. Karpas299 xenotransplants, which are resistant to NVP-AUY922 and sensitive to everolimus treatment, showed an increase of mean FLT-uptake on day 2 after administration of NVP-AUY299, but a significant reduction in FLT-uptake upon everolimus treatment. In conclusion, we show that FLT-PET but not FDG-PET is able to predict response to treatment with specific inhibitors very early in the course of treatment and thus enables early prediction of treatment efficacy.

A pilot study for the early assessment of the effects of BMS-754807 plus gefitinib in an H292 tumor model by [18F]fluorothymidine-positron emission tomography

BMS-754807 is an inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and insulin receptor that also represses aurora kinase. Cancers that express high levels of IGF-1/IGF-1R are sensitive to BMS-754807; however, it shows limited efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in which IGF-1R-driven signals may not be dominant factors in cell proliferation. In this study, we investigated whether a combination of BMS-754807 and gefitinib would be synergistic in H292 NSCLC and whether [(18)F]fluorothymidine ([(18)F]FLT)-positron emission tomography (PET) could predict the effects. We found that BMS-754807 synergized with gefitinib in reducing cell viability (combination index=0.38) and Akt phosphorylation, and increasing the subG1 fraction in H292 cells. BMS-754807 alone and in combination with gefitinib increased the cells in G2M phase and polyploid cells and decreased the phosphorylation of IGF-1R and histone H3. The inhibition of tumor growth by gefitinib was increased by BMS-754807 (%T/C, 17.5 % vs. 58.0 % for gefitinib alone and combined treatment, respectively), although BMS-754807 alone had little effect. The standardized uptake value by [(18)F]FLT-PET were increased in vehicle-treated mice by 73 %, minimally changed in gefitinib- or BMS-754807-treated mice, whereas decreased in co-treated mice by -48.8 % between day 0 and day 3. The combination therapy with BMS-754807 and gefitinib might be a more effective anticancer strategy than BMS-754807 alone in tumors that are less IGF-1R-dependent and that [(18)F]FLT-PET can be used to assess early therapeutic responses.

Combined imaging biomarkers for therapy evaluation in glioblastoma multiforme: correlating sodium MRI and F-18 FLT PET on a voxel-wise basis

We evaluate novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) quantitative imaging biomarkers and associated multimodality, serial-time-point analysis methodologies, with the ultimate aim of providing clinically feasible, predictive measures for early assessment of response to cancer therapy. A focus of this work is method development and an investigation of the relationship between the information content of the two modalities. Imaging studies were conducted on subjects who were enrolled in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) therapeutic clinical trials. Data were acquired, analyzed and displayed using methods that could be adapted for clinical use. Subjects underwent dynamic [18F]fluorothymidine (F-18 FLT) PET, sodium (23Na) MRI and 3-T structural MRI scans at baseline (before initiation of therapy), at an early time point after beginning therapy and at a late follow-up time point after therapy. Sodium MRI and F-18 FLT PET images were registered to the structural MRI. F-18 FLT PET tracer distribution volumes and sodium MRI concentrations were calculated on a voxel-wise basis to address the heterogeneity of tumor physiology. Changes in, and differences between, these quantities as a function of scan timing were tracked.While both modalities independently show a change in tissue status as a function of scan time point, results illustrate that the two modalities may provide complementary information regarding tumor progression and response. Additionally, tumor status changes were found to vary in different regions of tumor. The degree to which these methods are useful for GBM therapy response assessment and particularly for differentiating true progression from pseudoprogression requires additional patient data and correlation of these imaging biomarker changes with clinical outcome.