Aim: Radionuclide imaging of the HER2 receptor, which is a target for trastuzumab therapy, can provide important diagnostic information. Further, targeting radionuclide therapy might be an option for treatment of HER2 expressing tumors. The phage-display selected Affibody ligand Z(HER2:342), which binds to HER2 with an affinity of 22 pM, may here play an important role. The small size of the Z(HER2:342), 7.5 kDa, enables quick tumor localization and fast blood clearance. Earlier, successful targeting of HER2-expressing xenografts using Z(HER2:342) labeled using [(111)In]benzyl-DTPA was reported. By changing to the CHX-A''-DTPA chelator, the stability and labeling kinetics of the radiometal-Z(HER2:342) conjugate can be improved. The aim of this study was to evaluate the labeling of the CHX-A''-DTPA-Z(HER2:342) conjugate with (111)In for diagnostic imaging and with (114m)In for locoregional radionuclide therapy.
Methods: The isothiocyanate derivative of CHX-A''-DTPA was coupled to Z(HER2:342) in alkaline conditions at 37 degrees C. The conjugate was labeled with both (111)In and (114m)In and evaluated in vitro and in vivo.
Results: Labeling with (111)In and (114m)In provided >95% yield after 30 min at RT. Specific radioactivity was 0.5 and 12 MBq/nmol, for (114m)In and (111)In, respectively. The radiolabeled conjugates demonstrated specific binding to HER2 expressing SKOV-3 cells. In mice bearing SKOV-3 xenografts, the tumor uptake of [(111)In]CHX-A''-DTPA-Z(HER2:342) 4 h postinjection was 10.3+/-3.6% IA/g and tumor-to-blood ratio about 190.
Conclusion: [(111)In]CHX-A''-DTPA-Z(HER2:342) is a promising candidate for the visualization of HER2 expression in malignant tumors. Labeled with (114m)In it could also be used for locoregional treatment of HER2 expressing tumors.