Bombesin is a tetrade
capeptide neurohormone that binds to gastrin-releasing peptide re
ceptors (GRPR). GRPRshave been found in a variety of
can
cers in
cluding invasive breast and prostate tumors. The peptide MP2346(DOTA-(Pro
1,Tyr
4)-bombesin(1-14)) was designed to bind to these GRP re
ceptors. This study was undertakento evaluate radiolabeled MP2346 as a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent. MP2346 wasradiolabeled, in high radio
chemi
cal purity, with the positron-emitting nu
clides
64Cu (
t1/2 = 12.7 h,
chars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">
+ = 19.3%,
Eavg = 278 keV) and
86Y (
t1/2 = 14.7 h,
chars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle">
+ = 33%,
Eavg = 664 keV).
64Cu-MP2346 and
86Y-MP2346 werestudied
in vitro for
cellular internalization by GRPR-expressing PC-3 (human prostate adeno
car
cinoma)
cells.Both
64Cu- and
86Y-MP2346 were studied
in vivo for tissue distribution in nude mi
ce with PC-3 tumors. Biodistribution in PC3 tumor-bearing mi
ce demonstrated higher tumor uptake, but lower liver retention, in animalsinje
cted with
86Y-MP2346
compared to
64Cu-MP2346. Re
ceptor-mediated uptake was
confirmed by a signifi
cantredu
ction in uptake in the PC-3 tumor and other re
ceptor-ri
ch tissues by
coinje
ction of a blo
ckade. Small animalPET/CT imaging was
carried out in mi
ce bearing PC-3 tumors and rats bearing AR42J tumors. It was possibleto delineate PC-3 tumors
in vivo with
64Cu-MP2346, but superior
86Y-MP2346-PET images were obtained dueto lower uptake in
clearan
ce organs and lower ba
ckground a
ctivity. The
86Y analogue demonstrated ex
cellentPET image quality in models of prostate
can
cer for the delineation of the GRPR-ri
ch tumors and warrants furtherinvestigation.