Preparation, biodistribution and dosimetry of copper-64-labeled anti-colorectal carcinoma monoclonal antibody fragments 1A3-F(ab')2.

UNLABELLED: Antibody fragments labeled with a radiometal using bifunctional chelates generally undergo renal clearance followed by trapping of the metabolites, leading to high radiation doses to the kidneys. Copper-64-labeled BAT-2IT-1A3-F(ab')2 was recently reported to accumulate in colorectal tumors in an animal model, however, kidney uptake was also high. In this study, the preparation of 64Cu-BAT-2IT-1A3-F(ab')2 was optimized to reduce the renal uptake. METHODS: The bifunctional chelate 6-bromoacetamidobenzyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane-N,N ',N",N'"-tetraacetic acid (BAT) was conjugated to 1A3-F(ab')2 using the linking agent 2-iminothiolane (2IT). The conjugation reaction produced 20% of a lower molecular weight (molecular wieght) impurity found to be TETA-1A3-Fab'. The conjugation procedure was optimized to include FPLC purification of the BAT-2IT-1A3-F(ab')2 from TETA-1A3-Fab' after conjugation prior to labeling with 64Cu. The biodistribution of 64Cu-labeled FPLC-purified and unpurified conjugates was determined in normal Sprague-Dawley rats and tumor bearing Golden Syrian hamsters. Human absorbed doses were calculated from rat biodistribution data and PET imaging of a baboon. RESULTS: Upon FPLC purification of the BAT-2IT-1A3-F(ab')2, the immunoreactivity of 64Cu-labeled 1A3-F(ab')2 was significantly improved over that of non-FPLC-purified 64Cu-BAT-2IT-1A3-F(ab')2, and the kidney uptake was decreased in normal rats. The biodistribution in hamsters showed some improvement in both tumor uptake and kidney clearance with FPLC-purified 64Cu-BAT-2IT-1A3-F(ab')2. CONCLUSION: The improved dosimetry of 64Cu-labeled FPLC purified BAT-2IT-1A3-F(ab')2 should more readily allow this agent to be investigated clinically to image colorectal cancer using PET.

Characterization of glucocorticoid-specific binding in the L2C leukemia.

Glucocorticoid-specific binding macromolecules were measured and characterized in L2C cells, a B-lymphocyte guinea pig leukemia that is resistant to administered cortisol or adrenocorticotrophic hormone. L2C cells were harvested by cardiac puncture followed by Ficoll:Hypaque separation techniques. The cells were lysed by sonication, and the cytosol was obtained after centrifugation at 106,000 x g for 60 min at 0 degrees. Cytosol glucocorticoid receptor measurements were obtained by hydroxylapatite assay or column chromatography using Sephadex G-25. Maximal specifically bound [3H]triamcinolone acetonide in the cytosol fraction was 300 fmol/10(8) cells. Scatchard plot of specific L2C cytosol binding gave a Kd of 18 nM and an estimate of 2000 binding sites/cell. The specificity of binding in L2C cytosol was triamcinolone acetonide > dexamethasone > cortisol > progesterone > testosterone = estradiol. Binding of [3H]triamcinolone acetonide to cytosol glucocorticoid receptors was maximal at 22 hr of incubation at 19 degrees, and the receptor complex was stable for 48 hr. The receptor complex was not affected by DNase or RNase, but the receptor complex was lost with pronase or heat denaturation. Whole-cell binding assays were also performed, which resulted in similar quantities of maximally bound glucocorticoid receptor as well as the specificity of binding of various hormone analogs as found in the cytosol receptor assays. Transferring the whole cells from 0 to 22 degrees resulted in the appearance in nuclei of approximately 65% bound receptors. However, these translocated receptor complexes do not appear to affect the viability of the L2C cells as measured by trypan blue exclusion.