title: Targeted alpha therapy using short-lived alpha-particles and the promise of nanobodies as targeting vehicle.
abstract: The combination of a targeted biomolecule that specifically defines the target and a radionuclide that delivers a cytotoxic payload offers a specific way to destroy cancer cells. Targeted radionuclide therapy (TRNT) aims to deliver cytotoxic radiation to cancer cells and causes minimal toxicity to surrounding healthy tissues. Recent advances using α-particle radiation emphasizes their potential to generate radiation in a highly localized and toxic manner because of their high level of ionization and short range in tissue.
  
  
  
  We review the importance of targeted alpha therapy (TAT) and focus on nanobodies as potential beneficial vehicles. In recent years, nanobodies have been evaluated intensively as unique antigen-specific vehicles for molecular imaging and TRNT.
  
  
  
  We expect that the efficient targeting capacity and fast clearance of nanobodies offer a high potential for TAT. More particularly, we argue that the nanobodies' pharmacokinetic properties match perfectly with the interesting decay properties of the short-lived α-particle emitting radionuclides Astatine-211 and Bismuth-213 and offer an interesting treatment option particularly for micrometastatic cancer and residual disease.
authors.affiliation: a Vrije Universiteit Brussel, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Yana
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dekempeneer
authors.affiliation: a Vrije Universiteit Brussel, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging , Brussels , Belgium.|b Nuclear Medicine Department , UZ Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keyaerts
authors.affiliation: a Vrije Universiteit Brussel, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krasniqi
authors.affiliation: a Vrije Universiteit Brussel, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Janik
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puttemans
authors.affiliation: c Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muyldermans
authors.affiliation: a Vrije Universiteit Brussel, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging , Brussels , Belgium.|b Nuclear Medicine Department , UZ Brussel , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lahoutte
authors.affiliation: a Vrije Universiteit Brussel, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'huyvetter
authors.affiliation: a Vrije Universiteit Brussel, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Devoogdt
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001246:Astatine; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061905:Single-Domain Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011868:Radioisotopes; D061905:Single-Domain Antibodies; D001246:Astatine
keywords: Cancer; astatine-211; bismuth-213; nanobody; radionuclide labeling; targeted alpha therapy; targeting vehicles