title: Specific and sensitive tumor imaging using biostable oligonucleotide aptamer probes.
abstract: Although several imaging modalities are widely used for tumor imaging, none are tumor type-specific. Different types of cancer exhibit differential therapeutic responses, thus necessitating development of an imaging modality able to detect various tumor types with high specificity. To illustrate this point, CD30-specific oligonucleotide aptamer in vivo imaging probes were conjugated to the near-infrared IRD800CW reporter. Mice bearing xenografted CD30-positive or control CD30-negative lymphoma tumors on contralateral sides of the same mouse were developed. Following a systemic administration of aptamer probes, whole body imaging of tumor-bearing mice was performed. Imaging signal from tumor sites was analyzed and imaging specificity confirmed by tissue immunostaining. The in vivo biodistribution of aptamer probes was also evaluated. Whole body scans revealed that the RNA-based aptamer probes selectively highlighted CD30-expressing lymphoma tumors immediately after systemic administration, but did not react with control tumors in the same mouse. The resultant imaging signal lasted up to 1 hr and the aptamer probes were rapidly eliminated from the body through urinary and lower intestinal tracts. For more sensitive imaging, biostable CD30-specific ssDNA-based aptamer probes were also generated. Systemic administration of these probes also selectively highlighted the CD30-positive lymphoma tumors, with imaging signal detected 4-5 folds higher than that derived from control tumors in the same animal, and lasted for up to 24hr. This study demonstrates that oligonucleotide aptamer probes can provide tumor type-specific imaging with high sensitivity and a long-lasting signal, indicating their potential for clinical applications.
authors: 1. Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital; ; 2. Cancer Pathology Laboratory, Houston Methodist Research Institute;
authors: Zihua
authors: Z
authors: Zeng
authors: 1. Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital; ; 2. Cancer Pathology Laboratory, Houston Methodist Research Institute;
authors: Parag
authors: P
authors: Parekh
authors: 3. Department of Translational Imaging, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Zheng
authors: Z
authors: Li
authors: 3. Department of Translational Imaging, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Zheng-Zheng
authors: ZZ
authors: Shi
authors: 3. Department of Translational Imaging, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Ching-Hsuan
authors: CH
authors: Tung
authors: 1. Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital; ; 2. Cancer Pathology Laboratory, Houston Methodist Research Institute;
authors: Youli
authors: Y
authors: Zu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011485:Protein Binding; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen
keywords: biostable oligonucleotide aptamer; sensitive imaging; tumor-specific