Imaging tumor angiogenesis in breast cancer experimental lung metastasis with positron emission tomography, near-infrared fluorescence, and bioluminescence

Angiogenesis. 2013 Jul;16(3):663-74. doi: 10.1007/s10456-013-9344-y. Epub 2013 Mar 8.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to develop a molecular imaging agent that can allow for both positron emission tomography (PET) and near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging of CD105 expression in metastatic breast cancer. TRC105, a chimeric anti-CD105 monoclonal antibody, was labeled with both a NIRF dye (i.e., IRDye 800CW) and (64)Cu to yield (64)Cu-NOTA-TRC105-800CW. Flow cytometry analysis revealed no difference in CD105 binding affinity/specificity between TRC105 and NOTA-TRC105-800CW. Serial bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was carried out to non-invasively monitor the lung tumor burden in BALB/c mice, after intravenous injection of firefly luciferase-transfected 4T1 (i.e., fLuc-4T1) murine breast cancer cells to establish the experimental lung metastasis model. Serial PET imaging revealed that fLuc-4T1 lung tumor uptake of (64)Cu-NOTA-TRC105-800CW was 11.9 ± 1.2, 13.9 ± 3.9, and 13.4 ± 2.1 %ID/g at 4, 24, and 48 h post-injection respectively (n = 3). Biodistribution studies, blocking fLuc-4T1 lung tumor uptake with excess TRC105, control experiments with (64)Cu-NOTA-cetuximab-800CW (which served as an isotype-matched control), ex vivo BLI/PET/NIRF imaging, autoradiography, and histology all confirmed CD105 specificity of (64)Cu-NOTA-TRC105-800CW. Successful PET/NIRF imaging of tumor angiogenesis (i.e., CD105 expression) in the breast cancer experimental lung metastasis model warrants further investigation and clinical translation of dual-labeled TRC105-based agents, which can potentially enable early detection of small metastases and image-guided surgery for tumor removal.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Benzenesulfonates
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Copper Radioisotopes
  • Endoglin
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorescence
  • Heterocyclic Compounds
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Indoles
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Luciferases
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Lung Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / diagnosis*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Benzenesulfonates
  • Copper Radioisotopes
  • Endoglin
  • Eng protein, mouse
  • Heterocyclic Compounds
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring
  • IRDye 800CW
  • Indoles
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N',N''-triacetic acid
  • Luciferases
  • carotuximab