Simone U. Dalm

Comparison of the Therapeutic Response to Treatment with a 177Lu-Labeled Somatostatin Receptor Agonist and Antagonist in Preclinical Models

Peptide receptor scintigraphy and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy using radiolabeled somatostatin receptor (SSTR) agonists are successfully used in the clinic for imaging and treatment of neuroendocrine tumors. Contrary to the paradigm that internalization and the resulting accumulation of radiotracers in cells is necessary for efficient tumor targeting, recent studies have demonstrated the superiority of radiolabeled SSTR antagonists for imaging purposes, despite little to no internalization in cells. However, studies comparing the therapeutic antitumor effects of radiolabeled SSTR agonists versus antagonists are lacking. The aim of this study was to directly compare the therapeutic effect of 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate, an SSTR agonist, and 177Lu-DOTA-JR11, an SSTR antagonist. Methods: We analyzed radiotracer uptake (both membrane-bound and internalized fractions) and the produced DNA double-strand breaks, by determining the number of p53 binding protein 1 foci, after incubating SSTR2-positive cells with 177Lu-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid, 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate, or 177Lu-DOTA-JR11. Also, biodistribution studies were performed in tumor-xenografted mice to determine the optimal dose for therapy experiments. Afterward, in vivo therapy experiments comparing the effect of 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate and 177Lu-DOTA-JR11 were performed in this same animal model. Results: We found a 5-times-higher uptake of 177Lu-DOTA-JR11 than of 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate. The major part (88% ± 1%) of the antagonist uptake was membrane-bound, whereas 74% ± 3% of the total receptor agonist uptake was internalized. Cells treated with 177Lu-DOTA-JR11 showed 2 times more p53-binding protein 1 foci than cells treated with 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate. Biodistribution studies with 177Lu-DOTA-JR11 (0.5 μg/30 MBq) resulted in the highest tumor radiation dose of 1.8 ± 0.7 Gy/MBq, 4.4 times higher than the highest tumor radiation dose found for 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate. In vivo therapy studies with 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate and 177Lu-DOTA-JR11 resulted in a tumor growth delay time of 18 ± 5 and 26 ± 7 d, respectively. Median survival rates were 43.5, 61, and 71 d for the control group, 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate group, and the 177Lu-DOTA-JR11–treated group, respectively. Conclusion: On the basis of these results, we concluded that the use of radiolabeled SSTR antagonists such as JR11 might enhance peptide receptor scintigraphy and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy of neuroendocrine tumors and provide successful imaging and therapeutic strategies for cancer types with relatively low SSTR expression.

In Vitro and In Vivo Application of Radiolabeled Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor Ligands in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) consists of multiple subtypes defined by various molecular characteristics, for instance, estrogen receptor (ER) expression. Methods for visualizing BC include mammography, MR imaging, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine–based methods such as 99mTc-sestamibi and 18F-FDG PET, unfortunately all lacking specificity. Peptide receptor scintigraphy and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy are successfully applied for imaging and therapy of somatostatin receptor–expressing neuroendocrine tumors using somatostatin receptor radioligands. On the basis of a similar rationale, radioligands targeting the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R) might offer a specific method for imaging and therapy of BC. The aim of this study was to explore the application of GRP-R radioligands for imaging and therapy of BC by introducing valid preclinical in vitro and in vivo models. Methods: GRP-R expression of 50 clinical BC specimens and the correlation with ER expression was studied by in vitro autoradiography with the GRP-R agonist 111In-AMBA. GRP-R expression was also analyzed in 9 BC cell lines applying 111In-AMBA internalization assays and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. In vitro cytotoxicity of 177Lu-AMBA was determined on the GRP-R–expressing BC cell line T47D. SPECT/CT imaging and biodistribution were studied in mice with subcutaneous and orthotopic ER-positive T47D and MCF7 xenografts after injection of the GRP-R antagonist 111In-JMV4168. Results: Most of the human BC specimens (96%) and BC cell lines (6/9) were found to express GRP-R. GRP-R tumor expression was positively (P = 0.026, χ2(4) = 12,911) correlated with ER expression in the human BC specimens. Treatment of T47D cells with 10−7 M/50 MBq of 177Lu-AMBA resulted in 80% reduction of cells in vitro. Furthermore, subcutaneous and orthotopic tumors from both BC cell lines were successfully visualized in vivo by SPECT/CT using 111In-JMV4168; T47D tumors exhibited a higher uptake than MCF7 xenografts. Conclusion: Targeting GRP-R–expressing BC tumors using GRP-R radioligands is promising for nuclear imaging and therapy, especially in ER-positive BC patients.

68Ga/177Lu-NeoBOMB1, a Novel Radiolabeled GRPR Antagonist for Theranostic Use in Oncology

Because overexpression of the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) has been reported on various cancer types, for example, prostate cancer and breast cancer, targeting this receptor with radioligands might have a significant impact on staging and treatment of GRPR-expressing tumors. NeoBOMB1 is a novel DOTA-coupled GRPR antagonist with high affinity for GRPR and excellent in vivo stability. The purpose of this preclinical study was to further explore the use of NeoBOMB1 for theranostic application by determining the biodistribution of 68Ga-NeoBOMB1 and 177Lu-NeoBOMB1. Methods: PC-3 tumor–xenografted BALB/c nu/nu mice were injected with either approximately 13 MBq/250 pmol 68Ga-NeoBOMB1 or a low (∼1 MBq/200 pmol) versus high (∼1 MBq/10 pmol) peptide amount of 177Lu-NeoBOMB1, after which biodistribution and imaging studies were performed. At 6 time points (15, 30, 60, 120, 240, and 360 min for 68Ga-NeoBOMB1 and 1, 4, 24, 48, 96, and 168 h for 177Lu-NeoBOMB1) postinjection tumor and organ uptake was determined. To assess receptor specificity, additional groups of animals were coinjected with an excess of unlabeled NeoBOMB1. Results of the biodistribution studies were used to determine pharmacokinetics and dosimetry. Furthermore, PET/CT and SPECT/MRI were performed. Results: Injection of approximately 250 pmol 68Ga-NeoBOMB1 resulted in a tumor and pancreas uptake of 12.4 ± 2.3 and 22.7 ± 3.3 percentage injected dose per gram (%ID/g) of tissue, respectively, at 120 min after injection. 177Lu-NeoBOMB1 biodistribution studies revealed a higher tumor uptake (17.9 ± 3.3 vs. 11.6 ± 1.3 %ID/g of tissue at 240 min after injection) and a lower pancreatic uptake (19.8 ± 6.9 vs. 105 ± 13 %ID/g of tissue at 240 min after injection) with the higher peptide amount injected, leading to a significant increase in the absorbed dose to the tumor versus the pancreas (200 pmol, 570 vs. 265 mGy/MBq; 10 pmol, 435 vs. 1393 mGy/MBq). Using these data to predict patient dosimetry, we found a kidney, pancreas, and liver exposure of 0.10, 0.65, and 0.06 mGy/MBq, respectively. Imaging studies resulted in good visualization of the tumor with both 68Ga-NeoBOMB1 and 177Lu-NeoBOMB1. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that 68Ga- or 177Lu-labeled NeoBOMB1 is a promising radiotracer with excellent tumor uptake and favorable pharmacokinetics for imaging and therapy of GRPR-expressing tumors.

Clinical Relevance of Targeting the Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor, Somatostatin Receptor 2, or Chemokine C-X-C Motif Receptor 4 in Breast Cancer for Imaging and Therapy

Imaging and therapy using radioligands targeting receptors overexpressed on tumor cells is successfully applied in neuroendocrine tumor patients. Because expression of the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2), and chemokine C-X-C motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) has been demonstrated in breast cancer, targeting these receptors using radioligands might offer new imaging and therapeutic opportunities for breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to correlate messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of GRPR, SSTR2, and CXCR4 with clinicopathologic and biologic factors, and with prognosis and prediction to therapy response, in order to identify specific breast cancer patient groups suited for the application of radioligands targeting these receptors. Methods: First, we studied GRPR and SSTR2 expression in 13 clinical breast cancer specimens by in vitro autoradiography and correlated this with corresponding mRNA levels to investigate whether mRNA levels reliably represent cell surface expression. Next, GRPR, SSTR2, and CXCR4 mRNA levels were measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in 915 primary breast cancer tissues and correlated with known clinicopathologic and biologic factors, disease-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and overall survival (DFS, MFS, and OS, respectively). In 224 adjuvant hormonal treatment–naïve estrogen receptor (ER, ESR1)–positive patients who received tamoxifen as first-line therapy for recurrent or metastatic disease, the expression levels of the receptors were correlated with progression-free survival. Results: Our results showed a significant positive correlation between GRPR and SSTR2 expression analyzed by in vitro autoradiography and by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (Spearmans rank correlation coefficient [Rs] = 0.94, P < 0.001, and Rs = 0.73, P = 0.0042, respectively). Furthermore, high GRPR and SSTR2 mRNA levels were observed more frequently in ESR1-positive specimens, whereas high CXCR4 expression was associated with ESR1-negative specimens. Also, high mRNA expression of CXCR4 was associated with a prolonged DFS, MFS, and OS (multivariate hazard ratio MFS = 0.76 [95% confidence interval, 0.64–0.90], P = 0.001), whereas high mRNA levels of GRPR were associated with a prolonged progression-free survival after the start of first-line tamoxifen treatment (multivariate hazard ratio = 0.68 [95% confidence interval, 0.48–0.97], P = 0.031). Conclusion: Our data indicate that imaging and therapy using GRPR or SSTR2 radioligands might especially be beneficial for ESR1-positive breast cancer and CXCR4 radioligands for ESR1-negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer imaging using radiolabelled somatostatin analogues

Imaging and therapy using radiolabelled somatostatin analogues are methods successfully used in patients with somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-expressing neuroendocrine tumours. Since these techniques were first introduced, many improvements have been made. SSTR expression has also been reported on breast cancer (BC). Currently mammography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound are the most frequent methods used for BC imaging. Since SSTR expression on BC was demonstrated, clinical studies examining the feasibility of visualizing primary BC using SSTR radioligands have been performed. However, to date SSTR-mediated nuclear imaging is not used clinically in BC patients. The aim of this review is to assess whether recent improvements made within nuclear medicine may enable SSTR-mediated imaging to play a role in BC management. For this we critically analysed results of past studies and discussed the potential of the improvements made within nuclear medicine on SSTR-mediated nuclear imaging of BC. Seven databases were searched for publications on BC imaging with SSTR radioligands. The papers found were analysed by 3 individual observers to identify whether the studies met the pre-set inclusion criteria defined as studies in which nuclear imaging using radiolabelled SST analogues was performed in patients with breast lesions. Twenty-four papers were selected for this review including studies on SSTR-mediated nuclear imaging in BC, neuroendocrine BC and other breast lesions. The analysed studies were heterogeneous with respect to the imaging method, imaging protocol, patient groups and the radiolabelled SST analogues used. Despite the fact that the analysed studies were heterogeneous, sensitivity for primary BC ranged from 36-100%. In a subset of the studies LN lesions were visualized, but sensitivity was lower compared to that for primary tumours. A part of the studies included benign lesions and specificity ranged from 22-100%. Furthermore, false negatives and false positives were reported. In the majority of the studies scan outcome was not associated with BC subtype.

Review: Receptor Targeted Nuclear Imaging of Breast Cancer

Receptor targeted nuclear imaging directed against molecular markers overexpressed on breast cancer (BC) cells offers a sensitive and specific method for BC imaging. Currently, a few targets such as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), somatostatin receptor (SSTR), and the gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) are being investigated for this purpose. Expression of these targets is BC subtype dependent and information that can be gained from lesion visualization is dependent on the target; ER-targeting radiotracers, e.g., can be used to monitor response to anti-estrogen treatment. Here we give an overview of the studies currently under investigation for receptor targeted nuclear imaging of BC. Main findings of imaging studies are summarized and (potential) purposes of lesion visualization by targeting these molecular markers are discussed. Since BC is a very heterogeneous disease and molecular target expression can vary per subtype, but also during disease progression or under influence of treatment, radiotracers for selected imaging purposes should be chosen carefully.

Comparing the therapeutic potential of thermosensitive liposomes and hyperthermia in two distinct subtypes of breast cancer

ABSTRACT Local drug delivery of Doxorubicin (Dox) with thermosensitive liposomes (TSL) and hyperthermia (HT) has shown preclinically to achieve high local drug concentrations with good therapeutic efficacy. Currently, this is clinically studied for treatment of chest wall recurrence of breast cancer, however with various outcomes. This study examines the potency of neoadjuvant TSL HT combination therapy in two orthotopic mouse models of human breast cancer, MDA‐MB‐231 and T‐47D, which morphologically correlate to mesenchymal and epithelial phenotypes, respectively. Both cell lines showed improved in vitro chemosensitivity and Dox uptake at HT. Dox‐loaded TSL (TSLDox) was stable in vitro in FBS, BALB/c‐nu plasma and human plasma, although release of the drug at HT was incomplete for the latter two. Combination treatment with TSLDox and HT in vivo was significantly more effective against MDA‐MB‐231 tumors, whereas T‐47D tumors showed no significant therapeutic response. Ex vivo investigation revealed a higher mean vessel density and poorly differentiated extracellular matrix (ECM) in MDA‐MB‐231 tumors relative to T‐47D tumors. Although in vitro results of the TSLDox and HT treatment were favorable for both cell types, the therapeutic efficacy in vivo was remarkably different. The well‐differentiated and slowly‐growing T‐47D tumors may provide a microenvironment that limits drug delivery to the target cell and therefore renders the therapy ineffective. Mesenchymal and invasive MDA‐MB‐231 tumors display higher vascularization and less mature ECM, significantly enhancing tumor response to TSLDox and HT treatment. These results yield insight into the efficacy of TSL treatment within different tumor microenvironments, and further advance our understanding of factors that contribute to heterogeneous therapeutic outcomes in clinical trials.

Progressive APOBEC3B mRNA expression in distant breast cancer metastases

Background APOBEC3B was recently identified as a gain-of-function enzymatic source of mutagenesis, which may offer novel therapeutic options with molecules that specifically target this enzyme. In primary breast cancer, APOBEC3B mRNA is deregulated in a substantial proportion of cases and its expression is associated with poor prognosis. However, its expression in breast cancer metastases, which are the main causes of breast cancer-related death, remained to be elucidated. Patients and methods RNA was isolated from 55 primary breast cancers and paired metastases, including regional lymph node (N = 20) and distant metastases (N = 35). APOBEC3B mRNA levels were measured by RT-qPCR. Expression levels of the primary tumors and corresponding metastases were compared, including subgroup analysis by estrogen receptor (ER/ESR1) status. Results Overall, APOBEC3B mRNA levels of distant metastases were significantly higher as compared to the corresponding primary breast tumor (P = 0.0015), an effect that was not seen for loco-regional lymph node metastases (P = 0.23). Subgroup analysis by ER-status showed that increased APOBEC3B levels in distant metastases were restricted to metastases arising from ER-positive primary breast cancers (P = 0.002). However, regarding ER-negative primary tumors, only loco-regional lymph node metastases showed increased APOBEC3B expression when compared to the corresponding primary tumor (P = 0.028). Conclusion APOBEC3B mRNA levels are significantly higher in breast cancer metastases as compared to the corresponding ER-positive primary tumors. This suggests a potential role for APOBEC3B in luminal breast cancer progression, and consequently, a promising role for anti-APOBEC3B therapies in advanced stages of this frequent form of breast cancer.

SSTR-mediated Breast Cancer Imaging: Is There A Role For Radiolabeled SSTR Antagonists?

Recent studies have shown enhanced tumor targeting by novel somatostatin receptor (SSTR) antagonists compared with clinically widely used agonists. However, these results have been obtained mostly in neuroendocrine tumors, and only limited data are available for cancer types with lower SSTR expression, including breast cancer (BC). To date, two studies have reported higher binding of the antagonist than the agonist in BC, but in both studies only a limited number of cases were evaluated. In this preclinical study, we further investigated whether the application of an SSTR antagonist can improve SSTR-mediated BC imaging in a large panel of BC specimens. We also generated an in vivo BC mouse model and performed SPECT/MRI and biodistribution studies. Methods: Binding of 111In-DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate (SSTR agonist) and 111In-DOTA-JR11 (SSTR antagonist) to 40 human BC specimens was compared using in vitro autoradiography. SSTR2 immunostaining was performed to confirm SSTR2 expression of the tumor cells. Furthermore, binding of the radiolabeled SSTR agonist and antagonist was analyzed in tissue material from 6 patient-derived xenografts. One patient-derived xenograft, the estrogen receptor–positive model T126, was chosen to generate in vivo mouse models containing orthotopic breast tumors for in vivo SPECT/MRI and biodistribution studies after injection with 177Lu-DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate or 177Lu-DOTA-JR11. Results: 111In-DOTA-JR11 binding to human BC tissue was significantly higher than 111In-DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate binding (P < 0.001). The median ratio of antagonist binding versus agonist binding was 3.39 (interquartile range, 2–5). SSTR2 immunostaining confirmed SSTR2 expression on the tumor cells. SPECT/MRI of the mouse model found better tumor visualization with the antagonist. This result was in line with the significantly higher tumor uptake of the radiolabeled antagonist than of the agonist as measured in biodistribution studies 285 min after radiotracer injection (percentage injected dose per gram of tissue: 1.92 ± 0.43 vs. 0.90 ± 0.17; P = 0.002). Conclusion: SSTR antagonists are promising candidates for BC imaging.

Prospects of targeting the gastrin releasing peptide receptor and somatostatin receptor 2 for nuclear imaging and therapy in metastatic breast cancer

Background The gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) and the somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) are overexpressed on primary breast cancer (BC), making them ideal candidates for receptor-mediated nuclear imaging and therapy. The aim of this study was to determine whether these receptors are also suitable targets for metastatic BC. Methods mRNA expression of human BC samples were studied by in vitro autoradiography and associated with radioligand binding. Next, GRPR and SSTR2 mRNA levels of 60 paired primary BCs and metastases from different sites were measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Receptor mRNA expression levels were associated with clinico-pathological factors and expression levels of primary tumors and corresponding metastases were compared. Results Binding of GRPR and SSTR radioligands to tumor tissue correlated significantly with receptor mRNA expression. High GRPR and SSTR2 mRNA levels were associated with estrogen receptor (ESR1)-positive tumors (p<0.001 for both receptors). There was no significant difference in GRPR mRNA expression of primary tumors versus paired metastases. Regarding SSTR2 mRNA expression, there was also no significant difference in the majority of cases, apart from liver and ovarian metastases which showed a significantly lower expression compared to the corresponding primary tumors (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). Conclusion Targeting the GRPR and SSTR2 for nuclear imaging and/or treatment has the potential to improve BC care in primary as well as metastatic disease.