Radiolabeled Monoclonal Antibody Against Colony-Stimulating Factor 1 Receptor Specifically Distributes to the Spleen and Liver in Immunocompetent Mice.

Macrophages can promote tumor development. Preclinically, targeting macrophages by colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1)/CSF1 receptor (CSF1R) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) enhances conventional therapeutics in combination treatments. The physiological distribution and tumor uptake of CSF1R mAbs are unknown. Therefore, we radiolabeled a murine CSF1R mAb and preclinically visualized its biodistribution by PET. CSF1R mAb was conjugated to N -succinyl-desferrioxamine ( N -suc-DFO) and subsequently radiolabeled with zirconium-89 ( ⁸⁹ Zr). Optimal protein antibody dose was first determined in non-tumor-bearing mice to assess physiological distribution. Next, biodistribution of optimal protein dose and ⁸⁹ Zr-labeled isotype control was compared with PET and ex vivo biodistribution after 24 and 72 h in mammary tumor-bearing mice. Tissue autoradiography and immunohistochemistry determined radioactivity distribution and tissue macrophage presence, respectively. [ ⁸⁹ Zr]Zr-DFO- N -suc-CSF1R-mAb optimal protein dose was 10 mg/kg, with blood pool levels of 10 ± 2% injected dose per gram tissue (ID/g) and spleen and liver uptake of 17 ± 4 and 11 ± 4%ID/g at 72 h. In contrast, 0.4 mg/kg of [ ⁸⁹ Zr]Zr-DFO- N -suc-CSF1R mAb was eliminated from circulation within 24 h; spleen and liver uptake was 126 ± 44% and 34 ± 7%ID/g, respectively. Tumor-bearing mice showed higher uptake of [ ⁸⁹ Zr]Zr-DFO- N -suc-CSF1R-mAb in the liver, lymphoid tissues, duodenum, and ileum, but not in the tumor than did ⁸⁹ Zr-labeled control at 72 h. Immunohistochemistry and autoradiography showed that ⁸⁹ Zr was localized to macrophages within lymphoid tissues. Following [ ⁸⁹ Zr]Zr-DFO- N -suc-CSF1R-mAb administration, tumor macrophages were almost absent, whereas isotype-group tumors contained over 500 cells/mm ² . We hypothesize that intratumoral macrophage depletion by [ ⁸⁹ Zr]Zr-DFO- N -suc-CSF1R-mAb precluded tumor uptake higher than ⁸⁹ Zr-labeled control. Translation of molecular imaging of macrophage-targeting therapeutics to humans may support macrophage-directed therapeutic development.
Competing Interests: EV reports institutional financial support for her advisory role from Daiichi Sankyo, Merck, NSABP, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Synthon and institutional financial support for clinical trials or contracted research from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Chugai Pharma, CytomX Therapeutics, G1 Therapeutics, Genentech, Nordic Nanovector, Radius Health, Roche, Synthon, and Servier. CS reports receiving unrestricted research grants from Novartis, Roche, Genentech, Pfizer, SNS Oncology, and G1 Therapeutics that were made available to UMCG. KdV reports receiving research grants from Roche and is a consultant for Third Rock Ventures. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2021 Waaijer, Suurs, Hau, Vrijland, de Visser, de Groot, de Vries, Lub-de Hooge and Schröder.)