title: Synthesis and in vitro and in vivo evaluation of hypoxia-enhanced 111In-bombesin conjugates for prostate cancer imaging.
abstract: Receptor-targeted agents, such as gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (BB2r)-targeted peptides, have been investigated extensively in preclinical and clinical studies. In an attempt to increase the effectiveness of diagnostic or radiotherapeutic agents, we have begun to explore the incorporation of the hypoxia-selective prodrug 2-nitroimidazole into receptor-targeted peptides. Hypoxia is a well-known characteristic of many solid tumors, including breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. The aim of this approach is to use the hypoxia-trapping capability of 2-nitroimidazoles to increase the retention of the agent in hypoxic, BB2r-positive tumors. We have demonstrated that incorporation of one or more 2-nitroimidazoles into the BB2r-targeted peptide significantly increases the in vitro retention of the agent in hypoxic prostate cancer cells. The study described herein represents our first investigation of the in vivo properties of these hypoxia-enhanced BB2r-targeted agents in a PC-3 xenograft mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four (111)In-labeled BB2r-targeted conjugates--(111) IN-1, (111) IN-2, (111) IN-3, and (111) IN-4, composed of 2-nitroimidazole moieties of 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively--were synthesized, labeled, and purified. The BB2r binding affinities, externalization, and protein-association properties of these radioconjugates were assessed using the BB2r-positive PC-3 human prostate cancer cell line under hypoxic and normoxic environments. The in vivo biodistribution and micro-SPECT/CT imaging of the (111) IN-1, (111) IN-2, and (111) IN-4 radioconjugates were investigated in PC-3 tumor-bearing severely combined immunodeficient mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All conjugates and (nat)In-conjugates demonstrated nanomolar binding affinities. (111) IN-1, (111) IN-2, (111) IN-3, and (111) IN-4 demonstrated 41.4%, 60.7%, 69.1%, and 69.4% retention, correspondingly, of internalized radioactivity under hypoxic conditions relative to 34.8%, 35.3%, 33.2%, and 29.7% retention, respectively, under normoxic conditions. Protein-association studies showed significantly higher levels of association under hypoxic conditions for 2-nitroimidazole-containing BB2r-targeted radioconjugates than for controls. On the basis of the initial 1-h uptake in the PC-3 tumors, (111) IN-1, (111) IN-2, and (111) IN-4 demonstrated tumor retentions of 1.5%, 6.7%, and 21.0%, respectively, by 72 h after injection. Micro-SPECT/CT imaging studies of (111) IN-1, (111) IN-2, and (111) IN-4 radioconjugates resulted in clear delineation of the tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of the in vitro and in vivo studies, the BB2r-targeted agents that incorporated 2-nitroimidazole moieties demonstrated improved retention. These results indicate that further exploration into the potential of hypoxia-selective trapping agents for BB2r-targeted agents, as well as other targeted compounds, is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5830, USA.
authors.forename: Zhengyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Nilesh K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Wagh
authors.forename: Sunny M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ogbomo
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yinnong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Brusnahan
authors.forename: Jered C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Garrison
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001839:Bombesin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007553:Isotope Labeling / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin; D001839:Bombesin
keywords: 2-nitroimidazole; BB2 receptor; bombesin; prostate cancer; tumor hypoxia
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