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/sup 67/Ga-labeled antibodies for immunoscintigraphy and evaluation of tumor targeting of drug-antibody conjugates in mice

Journal Article · · Cancer Res.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5207209

To assess the in vivo behavior of cytotoxic agents linked to antibodies, deferoxamine, known to form stable chelates with /sup 67/Ga, was conjugated with monoclonal antibodies using three different methods. One method used a homocoupling reagent, glutaraldehyde, whereas two other methods used heterocoupling reagents, N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate and succinimidyl-6-maleimidohexanoate, linking deferoxamine to antibodies through alkylamine, disulfide, and thioether bonds, respectively. Antibodies were efficiently labeled with /sup 67/Ga through chelation with deferoxamine without losing antigen-binding capability. /sup 67/Ga-labeled antibodies clearly visualized transplanted tumors in nude mice. However, the biodistribution of radioactivity was markedly different with the coupling methods used for the conjugation of deferoxamine and antibodies. High nonspecific uptake in the liver and spleen was observed with /sup 67/Ga-labeled antibodies prepared by the glutaraldehyde method. /sup 67/Ga-labeled antibodies linked by thioether bonds demonstrated in vivo stability and the highest tumor:liver ratio, whereas /sup 67/Ga-labeled antibodies conjugated with disulfide bonds were rapidly cleared from the circulation. These results indicate that antibody conjugates linked by thioether bonds are a better choice for drug targeting and that /sup 67/Ga-labeled antitumor monoclonal antibodies are useful not only for the immunoscintigraphy but also for the quantitative assessment and visualization of the biodistribution of drug-antibody conjugates.

Research Organization:
Kyoto Univ. (Japan)
OSTI ID:
5207209
Journal Information:
Cancer Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Cancer Res.; (United States) Vol. 48:5; ISSN CNREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English