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Background Radioimmunotherapy is emerging as a new tool for adjuvant therapy of colorectal cancer. The liver remains the main site for metastases, carrying a high mortality rate. Many animal models are available but none associates easy, reliable implantation and in-vivo follow-up for experimental therapeutic studies. The aims of this study were to develop a reliable hepatic metastatic colonic cancer model in mice using the intraportal route for injection, with follow-up by bioluminescence (BLI) and to evaluate the impact of tumor location on tumor antigen direct targeting using radiolabeled anti-CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) antibodies. Methods Ls-174T Luc+ is a colon carcinoma cell line strongly expressing CEA, transfected with the luciferase gene for BLI. Isolated or aggregated cells (1×106) were injected through the portal vein. The tumor burden was investigated using BLI to assess hepatic implantation and growth kinetics. The biodistribution of the 125I anti-CEA antibody fragment (F6) was studied in this model and was compared with subcutaneous implantation. Results The tumor implantation rate was 100% using aggregated cells compared with 26.6% of isolated cells. Photons emitted by 1×106 cells were detected by BLI immediately after injection and allowed visual confirmation of hepatic distribution. The tumor growth was assessed over time to select homogeneous groups of animals. Radiolabeled anti-CEA antibody biodistributions showed a significantly higher uptake in hepatic than in subcutaneous tumors. Conclusion The association of hepatic tumor graft through the portal route and BLI provides a reliable animal model and permits sensitive in-vivo detection and follow-up of hepatic metastases. The hepatic model seems to more closely reproduce colon cancer metastases compared with subcutaneous metastasis. The hepatic model is of particular interest for studying radioimmunotherapy.

The aim of this study was to design liposomes as radioactivity carriers for pretargeted radioimmunotherapy with favorable pharmacokinetic parameters. To monitor the liposomes integrity in vivo, their surface was radiolabeled with indium-111 bound to DTPA-derivatized phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE-DTPA) and the aqueous phase was labeled by using an original active loading technique of radioiodinated Bolton-Hunter reagent (BH) that reacts with pre-encapsulated arginine to form a positively charged conjugate ((125)I-BH-arginine). Different formulations of doubly radiolabeled liposomes were tested in vitro and in vivo to evaluate radiolabeling stability, integrity of the vesicles and their pharmacokinetics. Radiolabeling yields were high (surface >75%, encapsulation >60%) and stable (>85% after 24 h in serum 37 degrees C). In vivo, the pharmacokinetic behavior of doubly radiolabeled liposomes was strongly dependant on the formulation. Blood clearance of PEGylated liposomes (DSPC/Chol/DSPE-DTPA/DSPE-PEG5%) was 0.15 mL/h compared to a conventional formulation (DSPC/Chol/DSPE-DTPA: clearance 1.44 mL/h). Non-encapsulated BH-arginine conjugate was quickly eliminated in urine (clearance 6.04 mL/h). Blood kinetics of the two radionuclides were similar and radiochromatographic profiles of mice serum confirmed the integrity of circulating liposomes. The significant reduction of activity uptake in organs after liposome catabolism (liver and spleen), achieved by the rapid renal elimination of (125)I-BH-arginine, should bring significant improvements for targeted radionuclide therapy with sterically-stabilized liposomes.

Murine models are useful for targeted radiotherapy pre-clinical experiments. These models can help to assess the potential interest of new radiopharmaceuticals. In this study, we developed a voxel-based mouse for dosimetric estimates. A female nude mouse (30 g) was frozen and cut into slices. High-resolution digital photographs were taken directly on the frozen block after each section. Images were segmented manually. Monoenergetic photon or electron sources were simulated using the MCNP4c2 Monte Carlo code for each source organ, in order to give tables of S-factors (in Gy Bq-1 s-1) for all target organs. Results obtained from monoenergetic particles were then used to generate S-factors for several radionuclides of potential interest in targeted radiotherapy. Thirteen source and 25 target regions were considered in this study. For each source region, 16 photon and 16 electron energies were simulated. Absorbed fractions, specific absorbed fractions and S-factors were calculated for 16 radionuclides of interest for targeted radiotherapy. The results obtained generally agree well with data published previously. For electron energies ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 MeV, the self-absorbed fraction varies from 0.98 to 0.376 for the liver, and from 0.89 to 0.04 for the thyroid. Electrons cannot be considered as 'non-penetrating' radiation for energies above 0.5 MeV for mouse organs. This observation can be generalized to radionuclides: for example, the beta self-absorbed fraction for the thyroid was 0.616 for I-131; absorbed fractions for Y-90 for left kidney-to-left kidney and for left kidney-to-spleen were 0.486 and 0.058, respectively. Our voxel-based mouse allowed us to generate a dosimetric database for use in preclinical targeted radiotherapy experiments.

Pretargeted therapy with radiolabelled bivalent haptens and bispecific antibodies has shown promising results, but blood clearance of the activity-carrying haptens under conditions designed for radioimmunotherapy is relatively slow. Thus, the chase of excess circulating bispecific antibody by biotinylation of the bispecific antibody and injection of avidin before hapten administration was tested with a view to increasing tumour-to-blood activity ratios.The anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) x anti-diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid-indium (di-DTPA-indium) bispecific antibody (hMN-14x734) was derivatised with NHS-LC-biotin and injected into LS-174T tumour-bearing nude mice at a dose of 3.5 nmol, followed by avidin and finally by the 125I-labelled di-DTPA-indium hapten (1 nmol). Blood samples were collected, animals sacrificed and tumours and normal tissues counted.Avidin chased up to 72% of the circulating antibody in the liver and the spleen within 30 min. When the labelled hapten was injected 3 h after avidin, tumour to blood ratios measured 3 and 24 h after hapten injection were significantly improved by the chase (3.5-fold), whereas tumour uptake was not significantly reduced. Uptake in normal tissues was unchanged (liver, kidney) or decreased (muscle), with the exception of spleen, in which uptake of both antibody and hapten was increased by the avidin chase.The chase strategy reduces hapten concentration in blood and thus should reduce bone marrow exposure. The use of two different recognition systems limits possible interference between the chase and targeting steps.

The use of samarium-153 in the context of radioimmunotherapy of cancers has been limited by the instability of antibody labelling, which produces high uptake concentrations in liver and bone. This study compares the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of 153Sm-labelled OC125 monoclonal antibody, in whole or F(ab')2 fragment form and with diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) or 6-p-isothiocyanatobenzyl diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (CITCDTPA) coupling, in nude mice grafted subcutaneously with an ovarian adenocarcinoma line (SHIN-3) expressing CA125 antigen. The specific activity of the immunoconjugates was 18.5-55.5 MBq/mg, and their immunoreactivity exceeded 65%. With 153Sm-DTPA-OC125F(ab')2, the stability study in serum indicated that 50% of the metal remained bound to the antibody. The pharmacokinetic study showed a retention half-life of 25.1 h and blood clearance of 0.72 ml/h. The biodistribution study indicated tumour uptake of 4.53%+/-0.49% of injected activity per gram (%ID/g) at 24 h and tumour-to-liver and tumour-to-bone ratios of 0.23+/-0.02 and 1.54+/-0.49 respectively at 24 h. With 153Sm-CITCDTPA-OC125F(ab')2, serum stability was greater (87% of the metal remaining bound to the antibody), retention half-life was 22.25 h and blood clearance was 2.23 ml/h. Tumour was better targeted (8.30%+/-3.56%ID/g at 24 h), and tumour-to-liver and tumour-to-bone ratios were 1.17+/-0.36 and 7.08+/-3.09 respectively at 24 h. However, renal retention remained elevated (29.76%+/-9. 41%ID/g at 24 h). With intact IgG, renal uptake decreased (1.41%+/-0. 49%ID/g at 24 h), but tumour uptake was lower than with fragments (1. 46%+/-0.58%ID/g at 24 h). Liver uptake was higher (tumour-to-liver ratio 0.10+/-0.05), and blood clearance was slower. The stability and distribution of 153Sm-CITCDTPA were more favourable than those of 153Sm-DTPA for application in radioimmunotherapy. Quantitative analysis performed using digitized images obtained by conventional autoradiography and the imaging plate system indicated that the latter system is suitable for biodistribution studies of immunoconjugates.

The five linker-containing immunoconjugates described in the preceding paper were labeled with 111In and tested for their biodistribution, pharmacokinetics and immunoscintigraphic imaging properties in tumor-xenografted nude mice. The results were compared with DTPADA and CDTAMA for reference. Results showed that, for immunoscintigraphy, the derivatives in decreasing order of effectiveness were: aliphatic (tumor/liver > 4.5 and tumor/kidney > 6.5 at 96 h), thioether (tumor/liver > 3 and tumor/kidney > 1.2 at 24 h), ethylene glycol succinate (tumor/liver > 1.7 and tumor/kidney > 0.5 at 24 h) and disulfide (tumor/liver > 0.5 and tumor/kidney > 0.6 at 96 h). Pharmacokinetic results were complementary with those of the biodistribution studies and provide a basis for the study of in vivo metabolic mechanisms of linker-immunoconjugates. Indium-111-labeled linker-immunoconjugates appear promising for tumor imaging with better contrast than what is obtained with the use of the conventional 111In-DTPA dianhydride chelate.

The purpose of this study was to synthesize new bifunctional linker-chelating agents for the modification of the in vivo distribution of 111 In-labeled antibodies. A general simple synthetic method of preparing cyclohexyl EDTA (CDTA) derivatives containing a linker/spacer group is described. Linkers prepared included a diester, a six carbon aliphatic chain, two thioethers and a disulfide group. The CDTA-linker compounds were coupled to F(Ab′) 2 fragments of anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody and labeled with 111 In with good retention of immunoreactivity.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 19-9 and 73-3 specific for human colon adenocarcinoma were labelled with a high number of gadolinium atoms. Twenty five DTPA were chelated per MAb, with only slight loss of immunoreactivity. The NMR contrast agent Gd-25 DTPA-MAb 19-9 or 73-3 ([Gd] 17 mumole/kg, [MAb] 60 microM) was injected into nude mice bearing human colon adenocarcinoma (SW948). Tumours were removed 24 hr after injection and T1 was measured in vitro. T1 relaxation time varied according to MAb specificity against tumour targets; T1 decreased 20% for MAb 19-9 and MAb 73-3 with SW948 tumour. Imaging was performed with this model. Very good contrast was obtained 24 hr after Gd-25 DTPA-MAb injection.

Anti-interleukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibodies have been shown to prevent allograft rejection. This paper reports on the biodistribution of a mouse MoAb directed at the 55 Kd alpha chain of rat interleukin-2 receptor (IL2-R) during allograft rejection. Only a low percentage (approximately 1%) of intact 125I-labeled MoAb was detected in the rejected graft, and irrelevant control IgG1 was found at a similar level. This suggests that most of the injected intact MoAb bound to graft tissue via its monomorphic Fc segment. In contrast, OX39 F(ab')2 fragments showed a preferential localization in the rejected allograft and did not bind to the LEW-to-LEW syngeneic heart graft. Irrelevant F(ab')2 did not concentrate in the allogeneic graft. Accordingly, F(ab')2 fragments from OX39 or irrelevant MoAb were used for gamma-scintigraphy on allograft recipients together with biodistribution studies. Results show that scintigraphy was able to detect allograft accumulation of 131I OX39 F(ab')2, whereas no imaging was obtained when OX39 F(ab')2 was used in the syngeneic combination or when irrelevant 131-IgG1 F(ab')2 was given to allograft recipients. This method, applied to the clinical situation, could be of interest for detection of early graft rejection episodes by immunoscintigraphy using reagents specific for activation determinants on lymphocyte membranes, such asmore » anti-interleukin-2 receptor MoAb.« less