Synthesis of hexa aza cages, SarAr-NCS and AmBaSar and a study of their metal complexation, conjugation to nanomaterials and proteins for application in radioimaging and therapy.

A novel hexa aza cage, N(1)-(4-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]icosane-1,8-diamine (SarAr-NCS) was synthesized in good yield and characterized by (1)H NMR and electrospray mass spectrometry. A new method for the synthesis of the related N(1)-(4-carboxybenzyl)-3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]icosane-1,8-diamine (AmBaSar) using the p-carboxybenzaldehyde is reported. The complexation of Cu(2+), Co(2+) and Zn(2+) by the two ligands over a range of pHs was found to be similar to the parent derivative SarAr. SarAr-NCS was conjugated to both silica particles (≈90 nm diam.) and the model B72.3 murine antibody. The SarAr-NCSN-silica particles were radiolabeled with Cu(2+) doped (64)Cu and the number of ligands conjugated was calculated to be an average of 7020 ligands per particle. Conjugation of SarAr-NCS to the B72.3 antibody was optimized over a range of conditions. The SarAr-NCSN-B72.3 conjugate was stored in buffer and as a lyophilized powder at 4 °C over 38 days. Its radiolabeling efficiency, stability and immunoreactivity were maintained. The development of a high yielding synthesis of SarAr-NCS should provide an entry point for a wide range of Cu and Zn radiometal PET imaging agents and potentially radiotherapeutic agents with (67)Cu.

Optimizing radiolabeling amine-functionalized silica nanoparticles using SarAr-NCS for applications in imaging and radiotherapy.

Silica nanoparticles functionalized with amine groups and in the size range of approximately 60-94 nm were produced by combining sol-gel processing and emulsion technology. Hexa-aza cage ligand SarAr-NCS was conjugated to the silica nanoparticles and subsequently radiolabeled with a solution of (57)Co(2+)-doped carrier Co(2+). The number of Co(2+) ions bound to the silica particles at pH 7 was used to determine the average number of available SarAr-NCS ligands conjugated to a silica particle. For organically modified silica particles of 94.0 and 59.5 nm diameter, the maximum number of metal binding sites was determined to be 11700 and 3270 sites per particle, respectively. For silica particles (63.5 nm peak diameter) produced using an water-in-oil emulsion, the calculated average was 4480 on the particle surface. The number of SarAr-NCS conjugated on the particles was easily controlled, potentially providing for a range of products for applications in the risk assessment of particles and theranostic imaging or radiotherapy when radiolabeled with a suitable radioisotope such as (64)Cu or (67)Cu.

Investigating the binding properties of porous drug delivery systems using nuclear sensors (radiotracers) and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy--predicting conditions for optimum performance.

Understanding how the size, charge and number of available pores in porous material influences the uptake and release properties is important for optimising their design and ultimately their application. Unfortunately there are no standard methods for screening porous materials in solution and therefore formulations must be developed for each encapsulated agent. This study investigates the potential of a library of radiotracers (nuclear sensors) for assessing the binding properties of hollow silica shell materials. Uptake and release of Cu(2+) and Co(2+) and their respective complexes with polyazacarboxylate macrocycles (dota and teta) and a series of hexa aza cages (diamsar, sarar and bis-(p-aminobenzyl)-diamsar) from the hollow silica shells was monitored using their radioisotopic analogues. Coordination chemistry of the metal (M) species, subtle alterations in the molecular architecture of ligands (Ligand) and their resultant complexes (M-Ligand) were found to significantly influence their uptake over pH 3 to 9 at room temperature. Positively charged species were selectively and rapidly (within 10 min) absorbed at pH 7 to 9. Negatively charged species were preferentially absorbed at low pH (3 to 5). Rates of release varied for each nuclear sensor, and time to establish equilibrium varied from minutes to days. The subtle changes in design of the nuclear sensors proved to be a valuable tool for determining the binding properties of porous materials. The data support the development of a library of nuclear sensors for screening porous materials for use in optimising the design of porous materials and the potential of nuclear sensors for high through-put screening of materials.

Influence of valency and labelling chemistry on in vivo targeting using radioiodinated HER2-binding Affibody molecules.

PURPOSE: HER2 is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase, which is overexpressed in a number of carcinomas. The Affibody molecule Z(HER2:342) is a small (7 kDa) affinity protein binding to HER2 with an affinity of 22 pM. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of ((4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl)maleimide (HPEM) for radioiodination of Z(HER2:342) and to compare the targeting properties of monomeric and dimeric forms of Z(HER2:342). METHODS: The biodistribution of different radioiodinated derivatives of Z(HER2:342) was studied in BALB/C nu/nu mice bearing HER2-expressing SKOV-3 xenografts. Biodistributions of (125)I-PIB-Z(HER2:342) and site-specifically labelled (125)I-HPEM-Z(HER2:342)-C were compared. Biodistributions of monomeric (131)I-HPEM-Z(HER2:342)-C and dimeric (125)I-HPEM-(Z(HER2:342))(2)-C were evaluated using a paired-label method. RESULTS: (125)I-HPEM-Z(HER2:342)-C had the same level of tumour accumulation as (125)I-PIB-Z(HER2:342), but fourfold lower renal retention of radioactivity. The monomeric form of Z(HER2:342) provided better tumour targeting than the dimeric form. CONCLUSION: Favourable biodistribution of (131)I-HPEM-Z(HER2:342)-C makes it a promising candidate for radionuclide therapy.

Evaluation of ((4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl)maleimide for site-specific radiobromination of anti-HER2 affibody.

Affibody molecules are a new class of small phage-display selected proteins using a scaffold domain of the bacterial receptor protein A. They can be selected for specific binding to a large variety of protein targets. An affibody molecule binding with high affinity to a tumor antigen HER2 was recently developed for radionuclide diagnostics and therapy in vivo. The use of the positron-emitting nuclide (76)Br (T(1/2) = 16.2 h) could improve the sensitivity of detection of HER2-expressing tumors. A site-specific radiobromination of a cysteine-containing variant of the anti-HER2 affibody, (Z(HER2:4))(2)-Cys, using ((4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl)maleimide (HPEM), was evaluated in this study. It was found that HPEM can be radiobrominated with an efficiency of 83 +/- 0.4% and thereafter coupled to freshly reduced affibody with a yield of 65.3 +/- 3.9%. A "one-pot" labeling enabled the radiochemical purity of the conjugate to exceed 97%. The label was stable against challenge with large excess of nonlabeled bromide and in a high molar strength solution. In vitro cell tests demonstrated that radiobrominated affibody binds specifically to the HER2-expressing cell-line, SK-OV-3. Biodistribution studies in nude mice bearing SK-OV-3 xenografts have shown tumor accumulation of 4.8 +/- 2.2% IA/g and good tumor-to-normal tissue ratios.

Radiobromination of humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab using N-succinimidyl 5-bromo-3-pyridinecarboxylate, a potential label for immunoPET.

Combining the specificity of radioimmunoscintigraphy and the high sensitivity of PET in an in vivo detection technique could improve the quality of nuclear diagnostics. Positron-emitting nuclide (76)Br (T(1/2)=16.2 h) might be a possible candidate for labeling monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and their fragments, provided that the appropriate labeling chemistry has been established. For internalizing antibodies, such as the humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab, radiobromine label should be residualizing, i.e., ensuring that radiocatabolites are trapped intracellularly after the proteolytic degradation of antibody. This study evaluated the chemistry of indirect radiobromination of trastuzumab using N-succinimidyl 5-(tributylstannyl)-3-pyridinecarboxylate. Literature data indicated that the use of this method provided residualizing properties for iodine and astatine labels on some antibodies. An optimized "one-pot" procedure produced an overall labeling efficiency of 45.5+/-1.2% over 15 min. The bromine label was stable under physiological and denaturing conditions. The labeled trastuzumab retained its capacity to bind specifically to HER2-expressing SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma cells in vitro (immunoreactivity more than 75%). However, in vitro cell test did not demonstrate that the radiobromination of trastuzumab using N-succinimidyl 5-bromo-3-pyridinecarboxylate improves cellular retention of radioactivity in comparison with the use of N-succinimidyl 4-bromobenzoate.

Synthesis and radioiodination of some daunorubicin and doxorubicin derivatives.

Daunorubicin and doxorubicin are efficient agents for cancer treatment. Their clinical efficacy is, however, hampered by their indiscriminant toxicity. This problem may be circumvented by encapsulating the drugs in liposomes and selectively targeting the tumor cells using tumor targeting agents. Furthermore, the antitumor effect could be enhanced by attaching the Auger electron emitter, (125)I, to daunorubicin and doxorubicin derivatives. In this context a number of ester, amide, and amine derivatives of daunorubicin and doxorubicin were synthesized. Benzoic acid ester derivatives of daunorubicin were synthesized by nucleophilic esterification of the 14-bromodaunorubicin with the potassium salt of the corresponding benzoic acid, resulting in good yields. Nicotinic acids and benzoic acids, activated with a succinimidyl group, were coupled to the amino group of daunorubicin to give the corresponding amide derivatives. Amine derivatives were obtained by the reductive amination of aromatic aldehydes with daunorubicin hydrochloride. The stannylated ester and amide derivatives were used as precursors for radioiodination. Radiolabeling with (125)I was performed using chloramine-T as an oxidant. The optimized labeling resulted in high radiolabeling yields (85-95%) of the radioiodinated daunorubicin and doxorubicin derivatives. Radioiodination of the amines was conducted at the ortho position of the activated phenyl rings providing moderate radiochemical yields (55-75%).