title: Influence of different spacers on the biological profile of a DOTA-somatostatin analogue.
abstract: Radiolabeled somatostatin analogues have been successfully used for targeted radiotherapy and for imaging of somatostatin receptor (sst1-5)-positive tumors. Nevertheless, these analogues are subject to improving their tumor-to-nontarget ratio to enhance their diagnostic or therapeutic properties, preventing nephrotoxicity. In order to understand the influence of lipophilicity and charge on the pharmacokinetic profile of [1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)]-somatostatin-based radioligands such as [DOTA,1-Nal3]-octreotide (DOTA-NOC), different spacers (X) based on 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid (PEG2), 15-amino-4,7,10,13-tetraoxapentadecanoic acid (PEG4), N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc), triglycine, beta-alanine, aspartic acid, and lysine were introduced between the chelator DOTA and the peptide NOC. All DOTA-X-NOC conjugates were synthesized by Fmoc solid-phase synthesis. The partition coefficient (log D) at pH = 7.4 indicated that higher hydrophilicity than [111In-DOTA]-NOC was achieved with the introduction of the mentioned spacers, except with triglycine and beta-alanine. The high affinity of [InIII-DOTA]-NOC for human sst2 (hsst2) was preserved with the structural modifications, while an overall drop for hsst3 affinity was observed, except in the case of [InIII-DOTA]-beta-Ala-NOC. The new conjugates preserved the good affinity for hsst5, except for [InIII-DOTA]-Asn(GlcNAc)-NOC, which showed decreased affinity. A significant 1.2-fold improvement in the specific internalization rate in AR4-2J rat pancreatic tumor cells (sst2 receptor expression) at 4 h was achieved with the introduction of Asp as a spacer in the parent compound. In sst3-expressing HEK cells, the specific internalization rate at 4 h for [111In-DOTA]-NOC (13.1% +/- 0.3%) was maintained with [111In-DOTA]-beta-Ala-NOC (14.0% +/- 1.8%), but the remaining derivatives showed <2% specific internalization. Biodistribution studies were performed with Lewis rats bearing the AR4-2J rat pancreatic tumor. In comparison to [111In-DOTA]-NOC (2.96% +/- 0.48% IA/g), the specific uptake in the tumor at 4 h p.i. was significantly improved for the 111In-labeled sugar analogue (4.17% +/- 0.46% IA/g), which among all the new derivatives presented the best tumor-to-kidney ratio (1.9).
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiological Chemistry, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ginj
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reubi
authors.forename: Helmut R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Maecke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006573:Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D044967:Serum; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006573:Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; C071349:1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane- 1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid; D013004:Somatostatin