Bifunctional phage-based pretargeted imaging of human prostate carcinoma

IntroductionTwo-step and three-step pretargeting systems utilizing biotinylated prostate tumor-homing bacteriophage (phage) and 111In-radiolabeled streptavidin or biotin were developed for use in cancer radioimaging. The in vivo selected prostate carcinoma-specific phage (G1) displaying up to five copies of the peptide IAGLATPGWSHWLAL was the focus of the present study.MethodsThe ability of G1 phage to extravasate and target prostate tumor cells was investigated using immunohistochemistry. G1 phages were biotinylated, streptavidin was conjugated to diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and biotin was conjugated to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA). Biodistribution studies and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT imaging of xenografted PC-3 tumors via two-step pretargeted 111In-labeled streptavidin and three-step pretargeted 111In-labeled biotin were performed in SCID mice to determine the optimal pretargeting method.ResultsThe ability of G1 phage to extravasate the vasculature and bind directly to human PC-3 prostate carcinoma tumor cells in vivo was demonstrated via immunocytochemical analysis. Comparative biodistribution studies of the two-step and three-step pretargeting strategies indicated increased PC-3 human prostate carcinoma tumor uptake in SCID mice of 4.34±0.26 %ID g−1 at 0.5 h postinjection of 111In-radiolabeled biotin (utilized in a three-step protocol) compared to 0.67±0.06 %ID g−1 at 24 h postinjection of 111In radiolabeled streptavidin (employed in a two-step protocol). In vivo SPECT/CT imaging of xenografted PC-3 tumors in SCID mice with the three-step pretargeting method was superior to that of the two-step pretargeting method, and, importantly, blocking studies demonstrated specificity of tumor uptake of 111In-labeled biotin in the three-step pretargeting scheme.ConclusionThis study demonstrates the use of multivalent bifunctional phage in a three-step pretargeting system for prostate cancer radioimaging.