In vitro system to estimate renal brush border enzyme-mediated cleavage of Peptide linkages for designing radiolabeled antibody fragments of low renal radioactivity levels.

Renal localization of radiolabeled antibody fragments presents a problem in targeted imaging and radiotherapy. We recently reported that Fab fragments labeled with 3'-[(131)I]iodohippuryl N(epsilon)-maleoyl-l-lysine (HML) demonstrated markedly low renal radioactivity levels from early postinjection in mice. Previous studies suggested that low renal radioactivity levels were attributable to cleavage of the glycyl-lysine sequence in HML by the action of renal brush border enzymes, followed by urinary excretion of the resulting m-iodohippuric acid. In this study, an in vitro system using brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) isolated from the rat kidney cortex was developed to estimate renal brush border enzyme(s)-mediated cleavage of the peptide linkage. Low molecular weight HML derivatives, 3'-[(125)I]iodohippuryl l-lysine (HL), 3'-[(125)I]iodohippuryl N(epsilon)-tert-butoxycarbonyl-l-lysine (HBL), and their d-amino acid counterparts, were synthesized and incubated in BBMVs. Both [(125)I]HL and [(125)I]HBL generated m-[(125)I]iodohippuric acid after incubation in BBMVs at 37 degrees C while the latter liberated significantly higher amounts of the metabolite. [(125)I]d-HL and [(125)I]d-HBL failed to release the metabolite under similar conditions. The liberation of m-[(125)I]iodohippric acid from [(125)I]HL was significantly facilitated or completely inhibited by the addition of an activator or an inhibitor for carboxypeptidase M. The release of m-[(125)I]iodohippuric acid from [(125)I]HBL increased by the addition of the activator, whereas the inhibitor partially inhibited the release of the metabolite from [(125)I]HBL. The BBMV-mediated release of m-[(125)I]iodohippuric acid from [(125)I]HBL was not impaired by the addition of inhibitors for neutral endopeptidase or renal dipeptidase. These findings showed that the glycyl-l-lysine sequence in HML would be recognized and cleaved by metalloenzymes and nonmetalloenzymes on the renal brush border even when iodine was incorporated into a benzene ring and the N(epsilon)-amine residue of lysine was chemically modified, which supported the hypothesis that low renal radioactivity levels of HML-conjugated Fab fragments would be attributed to the release of m-iodohippuric acid by renal brush border enzymes. This study suggested that this in vitro system using BBMVs would be useful to estimate radiolabeling reagents of antibody fragments or peptides designed to reduce renal radioactivity with a variety of radionuclides.

[Design of radiolabeled antibody fragments for tumor-selective radioactivity localization--brush border enzyme-sensitive bond to decrease renal accumulation of radioactivity].

Nonspecific renal radioactivity localization constitutes a problem in targeted imaging and therapy with radiolabeled antibody fragments. Based on the idea that the renal radioactivity levels should be reduced if radiolabeled compounds excreted in the urine are released from antibody fragments by tubular brush border enzymes, 3'-iodohippuryl N epsilon-maleoyl-L-lysine (HML) was designed as a radioiodination reagent for antibody fragments; the glycyl-lysine sequence in HML is a substrate for a brush border enzyme and m-iodohippuric acid is released by cleavage of the linkage. In normal mice, HML-conjugated Fab demonstrated low renal radioactivity levels from early postinjection times. Directly radioiodinated Fab showed migration of radioactivity from the membrane to the lysosomal fraction of the renal cells from 10 to 30 min postinjection. On the other hand, the majority of the radioactivity was detected only in the membrane fraction after injection of HML-conjugated Fab. In tumor-bearing mice, HML-conjugated Fab showed a marked decrease in renal radioactivity localization without impairing the tumor accumulation. These findings indicate that HML is a useful reagent for reducing the renal radioactivity levels of antibody fragments.

Renal metabolism of 3'-iodohippuryl N(epsilon)-maleoyl-L-lysine (HML)-conjugated Fab fragments.

Renal localization of radiolabeled antibody fragments constitutes a problem in targeted imaging and radiotherapy. Recently, we reported use of a novel radioiodination reagent, 3'-[131I]iodohippuryl N(epsilon)-maleoyl-L-lysine (HML), that liberates m-iodohippuric acid before antibody fragments are incorporated into renal cells. In mice, HML-conjugated Fab demonstrated low renal radioactivity levels from early postinjection times. In this study, renal metabolism of HML-conjugated Fab fragments prepared by different thiolation chemistries and by direct radioiodination were investigated to determine the mechanisms responsible for the low renal radioactivity levels. Fab fragments were thiolated by 2-iminothiolane modification or by reduction of disulfide bonds in the Fab fragments, followed by conjugation with radioiodinated HML to prepare [131I]HML-IT-Fab and [125I]HML-Fab, respectively. In biodistribution studies in mice, both [131I]HML-IT-Fab and [125I]HML-Fab demonstrated significantly lower renal radioactivity levels than those of [125I]Fab. In subcellular distribution studies, [125I]Fab showed migration of radioactivity from the membrane to the lysosomal fraction of the renal cells from 10 to 30 min postinjection. On the other hand, the majority of the radioactivity was detected only in the membrane fraction at the same time points after injection of both [131I]HML-IT-Fab and [125I]HML-Fab. In metabolic studies, while [125I]Fab remained intact at 10 min postinjection, both HML-conjugated Fab fragments generated m-iodohippuric acid as a radiometabolite at the same postinjection time. [131I]HML-IT-Fab registered two radiometabolites (intact [131I]HML-IT-Fab and m-iodohippuric acid), whereas additional radiometabolites were observed with [125I]HML-Fab. This suggested that metabolism of both HML-conjugated Fab fragments would occur in the membrane fractions of the renal cells. The findings of this study reinforced our previous hypothesis that radiochemical design of antibody fragments that liberate radiometabolites that are excreted into the urine by the action of brush border enzymes would constitute a useful strategy to reduce renal radioactivity levels from early postinjection times.

N-hydroxysuccinimide-hippuran ester: application for radiolabeling of macro-molecules.

A method for synthesis of N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of radioactive hippuran is developed in order to label human serum albumin in a simple and efficient manner. Organ distribution in mice and rats for the labeled albumin preparation and the commercial radioiodinated serum albumin is similar. Hippuran metabolite released from the labeled preparation into the blood stream results in its rapid urinary clearance. The hippuran labeling method offers a mild and rapid protocol for radioiodine labeling of proteins and antibodies for application in diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures.

Evaluation of (o)-[77Br]bromohippuran as renal tubular function agent.

(o)-[77Br]bromohippuran (BHIP) was developed as renal tubular function agent due to its favourable chemical and physical properties and compared to (o)-[131I]iodohippuran (IHIP). Renograms obtained from baboons were compared and absorbed radiation dose calculations performed. Although BHIP showed a delayed kidney uptake and washout pattern, good kidney clearance of the radionuclide was obtained after 30 min. Radiation dose values for BHIP were markedly lower than for IHIP indicating that larger activities of BHIP could be administered to increase counting statistics. BHIP imaging in normal volunteers did however not substantiate the favourable behaviour obtained in the primate.

[Chemical form of the radioactive excretion products after intravenous application of 125I-orthoiodohippurate to rats (author's transl)]. / Chemische Form der radioaktiven Ausscheidungsprodukte nach intravenöser Verabreichung von 125J-Orthojodhippuran an Ratten.

100 muCi 125I-Orthoiodohippurate were injected i. v. to 2 Wistar rats. Urine and faeces were analysed by means of thin-layer chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The combined metabolic balance resulted in the following findings: Rat 1: 15% 125I-Orthoiodobenzoic acid, 66% 125I-Orthoiodohippuric acid and 12,5% 125I-iodide. Rat 2: 18,5% 125I-Orthoiodobenzoic acid, 67,5% 125I-Orthoiodohippuric acid and 10,2% 125I-iodide.