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Introduction The present study describes the design and development of a new heterodimeric RGD-bombesin (BBN) agonist peptide ligand for dual receptor targeting of the form 64Cu-NO2A-RGD-Glu-6-Ahx-BBN(7-14)NH2 in which Cu-64=a positron emitting radiometal; NO2A=1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-diacetic acid; Glu=glutamic acid; 6-Ahx=6-aminohexanoic acid; RGD=the amino acid sequence [Arg-Gly-Asp], a nonregulatory peptide that has been used extensively to target αvβ3 receptors up-regulated on tumor cells and neovasculature; and BBN(7-14)NH2=Gln-Trp-Ala-Val-Gly-His-Leu-Met-NH2, an agonist analogue of bombesin peptide for specific targeting of the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPr). Methods RGD-Glu-6-Ahx-BBN(7-14)NH2 was manually coupled with NOTA (1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid), and the resulting conjugate was labeled with 64Cu to yield 64Cu-NO2A-RGD-Glu-6-Ahx-BBN(7-14)NH2. Purification was achieved via reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and characterization confirmed by electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry. Results Competitive displacement binding assays displayed single-digit nanomolar IC50 values showing very high binding affinities toward the GRPr for the new heterodimeric peptide analogues. In vivo biodistribution studies showed high uptake and retention of tumor-associated radioactivity in PC-3 tumor-bearing rodent models with little accumulation and retention in nontarget tissues. The radiolabeled conjugate also exhibited rapid urinary excretion and high tumor-to-background ratios. Micro-positron emission tomography (microPET) molecular imaging investigations produced high-quality, high-contrast images in PC-3 tumor-bearing mice 15 h postinjection. Conclusions Based on microPET imaging experiments that show high-quality, high-contrast images with virtually no residual gastrointestinal radioactivity, this new heterodimeric RGD-BBN conjugate can be considered as a promising PET tracer candidate for the diagnosis of GRPr-positive tumors in human patients.

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Introduction-Human breast cancer, from which the T-47D cell line was derived, is known to overexpress the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) in some cases. Bombesin (BBN), an agonist for the GRPR, has been appended with a radionuclide capable of positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging and therapy. 64 Cu-NO2A-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH 2 (NO2A=1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-diacetate) has produced high-quality microPET images of GRPR-positive breast cancer xenografted tumors in mice.Methods-The imaging probe was synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis followed by manual conjugation of the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (NOTA) bifunctional chelator and radiolabeling in aqueous solution. The radiolabeled conjugate was subjected to in vitro and in vivo studies to determine its specificity for the GRPR and its pharmacokinetic profile. A T-47D tumor-bearing mouse was imaged with microPET/CT and microMRI imaging.Results-The 64 Cu-NO2A-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH 2 targeting vector was determined to specifically localize in GRPR-positive tissue. Accumulation was observed in the tumor in sufficient quantities to allow for identification of tumors in microPET imaging procedures. For example, uptake and retention in T-47D xenografts at 1, 4 and 24 h were determined to be 2.27±0.08, 1.35±0.14 and 0.28 ±0.07 % ID/g, respectively. Conclusions-The 64 Cu-NO2A-8-Aoc-BBN(7-14)NH 2 produced high-quality microPET images. The pharmacokinetic profile justifies investigation of this bioconjugate as a potentially useful diagnostic/therapeutic agent. Additionally, the bioconjugate would serve as a good starting point for modification and optimization of similar agents to maximize tumor uptake and minimize nontarget accumulation. NIH Public Access

Auger-emitting radionuclides such as (99m)Tc have been the focus of recent studies aiming at finding more selective therapeutic approaches. To explore the potential usefulness of (99m)Tc as an Auger emitter, we have synthesized and biologically evaluated novel multifunctional structures comprising (1) a pyrazolyl-diamine framework bearing a set of donor atoms to stabilize the [M(CO)(3)](+) (M is Re, (99m)Tc) core; (2) a DNA intercalating moiety of the acridine orange type to ensure close proximity of the radionuclide to DNA and to follow the internalization and subcellular trafficking of the compounds by confocal fluorescence microscopy; and (3) a bombesin (BBN) analogue of the type X-BBN[7-14] (where X is SGS, GGG) to provide specificity towards cells expressing the gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPr). Of the evaluated (99m)Tc complexes, Tc ( 3 ) containing the GGG-BBN[7-14] peptide showed the highest cellular internalization in GRPr-positive PC3 human prostate tumor cells, presenting a remarkably high nuclear uptake in the same cell line. Live-cell confocal imaging microscopy studies with the congener Re complex, Re ( 3 ), showed a considerable accumulation of fluorescence in the nucleus, with kinetics of uptake similar to that exhibited by Tc ( 3 ). Together, these data show that the acridine orange intercalator and the metal fragment are colocalized in the nucleus, which indicates that they remain connected despite the lysosomal degradation of Tc ( 3 )/Re ( 3 ). These compounds are the first examples of (99m)Tc bioconjugates that combine specific cell targeting with nuclear internalization, a crucial issue to explore use of (99m)Tc in Auger therapy.

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The new cluster [Cu4L2(N3)]Cl.16H2O has been synthesized and characterized; it features a unique mu4-1,1,3,3 bridging mode for azide, whose capacity to mediate magnetic coupling has been examined through bulk magnetic measurements and numeric fitting procedures.