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R M Sharkey

Publications and source records attributed to R M Sharkey.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Preclinical evaluation of an "instant" 99mTc-labeling kit for antibody imaging.

This communication presents information on the quality and stability of a new conjugate of 99mTc to an anticancer antibody fragment and results of animal imaging and distribution studies. Clinical studies have proved that this labeled antibody can image tumors within 2 hours of i.v. injection. It is produced using an "instant kit," merely requiring addition of [99mTc]pertechnetate to a lyophilized vial containing the fragment and a pertechnetate-reducing agent. Within 5 min of addition of pertechnetate to the vial containing the fragment, [99mTc]pertechnetate is reduced and quantitatively bound to an intrinsic high-affinity receptor present in the Fab'. The Fab'-bound 99mTc is completely stable to challenge with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and human serum albumin. Minimal oxidation and release of 99mTc bound to the fragment were observed when the labeled fragment was incubated for 24 h at 37 degrees C. Animal biodistribution studies were consistent with the known metabolic elimination of a radiolabeled Fab' fragment by the kidney. Tumor localization studies in athymic nude mice bearing xenografts of human colonic carcinoma (GW-39) predicted the positive results later demonstrated in clinical studies.

Animals↗

Comparison of tumor targeting in nude mice by murine monoclonal antibodies directed against different human colorectal cancer antigens.

Tumor targeting of five radioiodinated murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against human colorectal cancer were studied in nude mice bearing the GW-39 human colonic tumor xenograft. All of the MAbs are of the IgG1 isotype. Two of the MAbs (NP-4 and MN-14) are directed against a Class III carcinoembryonic antigen-specific epitope, but they differ 10-fold in their affinity. The other three MAbs recognize mucins found in colonic cancer. Mu-9 recognizes a peptide determinant similar to that described previously for a polyclonal goat anti-colon-specific antigen p. G9 identifies an organ-specific, tumor-associated carbohydrate epitope. The tumor targeting of these MAbs was compared to that of B72.3, another anti-mucin MAb. The tumor uptake of all the MAbs were similar on days 1, 3, and 7, with an average maximum accretion of between 30 and 40%/g tumor occurring by day 3. This tumor uptake was maintained for 14 days with the anti-mucin MAbs, whereas the percentage of injected dose/g in the tumor for 2 anti-carcinoembryonic antigen MAbs decreased 2-fold by day 14. Although no statistical difference could be found between the percentage of injected dose/g in the tumor for NP-4 and MN-14 (carcinoembryonic antigen MAbs), in a paired-labeled study using 131I-MN-14 and 125I-NP-4, MN-14 uptake in the tumor was consistently 1.3 times higher than that of NP-4 on all days tested. F(ab')2 fragments showed lower tumor uptake (maximum uptake for NP-4 and Mu-9 was 11% on day 1), but the faster clearance resulted in a 4- to 40-fold increase in tumor/blood ratios on day 3 in comparison to the whole IgGs. Fab' fragments had the lowest tumor uptake of the 3 forms of immunoglobulin, with a maximum of only 5%/g 6 h after injection. However, tumor/blood ratios on day 1 for the Fab' fragments were improved 3-fold over that of F(ab')2. All of these MAbs, except Mu-9, identify epitopes that can be detected in plasma, but none of the MAbs complexed appreciably when mixed in vitro with plasma containing antigen at antigen/MAb ratios anticipated to be encountered most frequently in imaging or therapy applications in humans. However, complexation of the MAbs will occur if antigen in the plasma is markedly elevated. These studies suggest that if used clinically, tumor targeting of colorectal cancer with any of these MAb IgG may be similar if these antigens are present at relatively similar concentrations in tumor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Use of whole-body autoradiography in cancer targeting with radiolabeled antibodies.

Methods of single-tracer whole-body autoradiography (WBAR) have been developed in our laboratory which allow imaging and measurement of the zonal distribution of radioiodinated antibodies and their fragments within GW-39 colon carcinoma xenografts varying in size from large, cystic masses with necrotic cores to micrometastases. The whole-animal distribution of 90Y-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody NP-2 was evaluated by WBAR in nude mice bearing s.c. implants of GW-39 colon cancer and revealed antitumor uptake specifically as well as significant accumulation of 90Y in the bones. Dual-tracer qualitative WBAR methods have also been applied in order to examine the biodistribution of labeled immunoglobulins in the GW-39 animal tumor model as a function of the underlying rapid cell proliferation index ([3H]-thymidine assay) in the same tumor. In addition, extension of the WBAR method was made to permit imaging of the biodistribution of 10B compounds in mice bearing Harding-Passey melanoma implants by using a track-etch procedure to produce alpha-particle WBAR. Further applications of single and multiple radionuclide WBAR are offered and discussed as an effective means of assessing the degree of penetration of immunoglobulins in tumors in which vascular patterns, local glucose metabolism, protein synthesis, and rapid cell proliferation indices may be characterized.

Animals↗

Clinical studies of cancer radioimmunodetection with carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody fragments labeled with 123I or 99mTc.

Seventy-three patients with diverse cancers containing carcinoembryonic antigen received 123I-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody F(ab')2 fragment [38 patients], 99mTc-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen monoclonal antibody Fab' fragment [23 patients], or both reagents at different times [6 patients] for evaluation of antibody targeting and imaging [radioimmunodetection (RAID)], using planar and single-photon emission computed tomography. The results indicated that antibody fragments are preferred for early tumor imaging (within 24 h). Rapid targeting and clearance from blood and normal organs of the antibody fragments (blood median t1/2 elimination of 26.5 and 13.2 h for the F(ab')2 and Fab' fragments respectively) permitted the use of short-lived radionuclides, such as 123I (13.3 h) and 99mTc (6 h), and confirmed that selective antibody accretion in tumors occurred very soon after administration, such as between 2 and 5 h. Scan interpretations at 24 h for the 123I-labeled F(ab')2 and at 2-5 h for the 99mTc-labeled Fab' revealed overall sensitivities, on a tumor site basis, of 95.9 and 94.9%, respectively. On a site basis, the overall accuracies were 94.2 and 93.8% for the 123I and 99mTc immunoconjugates, respectively. In the 6 patients studied with both radioimmunoconjugates, a high concordance in detection was found. Both imaging agents also revealed a high number of putatively new tumor sites not disclosed by other radiological methods at the time of the RAID studies, of which 40.0 and 20.5% were subsequently confirmed as tumor for the 123I and 99mTc agents, respectively, within an 11-month follow-up period. This represented 24 proven occult tumor sites in 19 patients given the 123I-immunoconjugate and 16 proven occult tumor sites in 9 patients receiving the 99mTc agent. The new lesions were found up to 17 and 7 months earlier for 123I-RAID and 99mTc-RAID, respectively, than with other detection methods. The smallest tumors identified were below 0.5 cm, especially with the 99mTc immunoconjugate and single-photon emission computed tomography imaging. The findings of this study confirm previous evidence that RAID is a safe and a potentially useful new method of cancer detection. Despite the excellent results with the 123I-F(ab')2 antibody fragment, its poor availability and high cost limit its clinical use. Therefore, the 99mTc agent, which is made by an instant, 1-step, 1-vial, direct labeling method, appears to be the method of choice for rapid and accurate detection of cancer by RAID.

Adolescent↗

Biological considerations for radioimmunotherapy.

We have examined three methods that may be useful for improving the therapeutic efficacy of antibody-targeted radionuclides. The principal limitation of radioimmunotherapy is myelotoxicity and thrombocytopenia. These are due mainly to the length of time the radioantibody remains in the blood. The clearance time of a radiolabeled immunoglobulin G (IgG) may be decreased by using fragments prepared from the IgG. Using murine monoclonal antibodies against human colonic cancer in an animal model with a transplantable human colonic tumor, we have shown that fractionated doses of 131I-labeled F(ab')2 fragments can provide similar tumoricidal activity as a single injection of IgG, but toxicity to the normal tissues is reduced significantly at this tumoricidal level. Thus, it is expected that improved tumoricidal activity may be achieved by further escalating the dose of F(ab')2 that is administered at each injection. An anti-antibody (second antibody) may also be used to remove an anti-tumor antibody rapidly from the blood. By allowing intact IgG to be used instead of fragments, a higher percentage of the radiolabeled anti-tumor antibodies may be concentrated in the tumor to provide higher tumor doses, yet toxicity to the normal tissues may be controlled by the removal of the radiolabeled antibody from the blood. We have shown that the injection of a second antibody 48 h after 131I-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody is given can reduce toxicity at least 2-fold without affecting the tumoricidal activity of the radioantibody. A third method for reducing the myelotoxicity of radioantibody treatment involves the use of cytokines to increase the production of white blood cells. For example, interleukin 1 may be given prior to, or sometime after, radioantibody treatment to increase the number of circulating white blood cells and thereby reduce myelotoxicity. Thus, modification of some of the biological factors limiting radioimmunotherapy may provide for improvements in cancer treatment with radiolabeled antibodies.

Animals↗

Use of hematopoietic growth factors to control myelosuppression caused by radioimmunotherapy.

Therapeutically efficacious doses of 131I-antibody result in a loss in circulating white blood cells; the granulocyte population is suppressed by 80-85% and the agranulocytes by 60-65% following 2 mCi of 131I-antibody in hamsters. The administration of 100,000 units of human recombinant interleukin 1 24 h prior to radioantibody can prevent the loss in WBC from 1 mCi of radioantibody and reduce the loss from 2 mCi of antibody. Recombinant murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is also a potent stimulator of myelopoiesis and may also be useful as a method of reducing radioantibody-induced myelosuppression. The tumor uptake of radioantibody in animals treated with recombinant interleukin 1 is reduced by 30% 1 day after injection of radioantibody but returns to levels seen in animals not treated with the cytokine at 96 and 168 h. Therapeutic efficacy is not compromised by doses of interleukin 1 used to prevent myelosuppression. Therefore, the use of cytokines will permit the use of higher doses of radioantibody for greater tumor therapy with less myelotoxicity than in the absence of cytokine treatments.

Animals↗

Biological and clinical perspectives of cancer imaging and therapy with radiolabeled antibodies.

Cancer and other diseases that elaborate increased quantities of antigenic substances can be targeted with suitable antibodies labeled with radionuclides. Factors influencing this targeting include the nature, pharmacology, and physiology of the antibodies, the composition and physiology of the tissue targets, the character and linkage of the radionuclide to the antibody, the choice of radionuclide, and the method of administration of the radioimmunoconjugate. The current state of cancer imaging with gamma-emitting radiolabeled antibodies, using the more optimal Fab' antibody fragments conjugated with 99mTc and imaging by single-photon emission computed tomography, permits high detection rates (90% range) of tumors at or below 0.5 cm, thus disclosing lesions missed by conventional radiographic methods. In radioimmunotherapy, severe limitations are due to low antibody accretion in tumors (resulting in low target rad doses), inadequate conjugation of radiometals to antibodies, high red marrow toxicity, and human anti-antibody responses when foreign immunoglobulins are administered. However, radiosensitive tumors, such as lymphomas, have shown impressive clinical responses.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Evaluation of a remote radioiodination system for radioimmunotherapy.

This report describes a remote radioiodination system which is inexpensive, easy to assemble, disposable, and capable of radioiodinating curie levels of activity safely. In addition to the safety afforded by this system, an immobilized oxidant and anion exchange resin are used to generate electrophilic iodine and remove free iodine, respectively. Reducing agents are not used and, therefore, when radioiodinating F(ab')2 fragments, degradation does not occur. In contrast, chloramine-T, sodium metabisulfite (CT/SMB) iodinations of F(ab')2 fragments resulted in products with up to 40% Fab' fragments. Radiolabeling yields (65.8% +/- 8.1%) and antibody immunoreactivity (68.8% +/- 8.0%) were not statistically different (p less than 0.001) from those obtained in remote CT/SMB iodinations. The system is currently being used to radioiodinate both IgG and F(ab')2 monoclonal antibodies with up to 450 mCi 131I for clinical radioimmunotherapy trials.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Metabolism of indium-111-labeled murine monoclonal antibody in tumor and normal tissue of the athymic mouse.

We have studied the fate of radiometal metabolism in vivo by analyzing the molecular form of radiolabeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in tissues. Athymic mice bearing colonic tumor xenografts were injected i.v. with 111In-isothiocyanate-benzyl-DTPA-(SCN-Bz-DTPA) IgG or 111In-(SCN-Bz-DTPA) F(ab')2, and then killed daily for up to four days. Liver, kidney, and tumor were extracted and the supernatants, plasma and urine samples were analyzed by HPLC, ITLC, HPIEC and SDS-PAGE. By HPLC, the activity in normal tissue and tumor was associated principally with two major components. The first was native MAb and the second was a low molecular weight component (LMWF). On Day 1, the native-sized IgG was the predominant form (greater than 65%), but progressively decreased to less than 20% by Day 4. For the F(ab')2, even by Day 1 approximately 90% of the activity was associated with the LMWF. This LMWF was resolved further by HPIEC and SDS-PAGE into several metabolites that appear to be 111In-SCN-Bz-DTPA and 111In-SCN-Bz-DTPA bound to peptide fragments.

Animals↗

Influence of animal host and tumor implantation site on radio-antibody uptake in the GW-39 human colonic cancer xenograft.

The magnitude and kinetics of tumor uptake of a monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the GW-39 human colorectal cancer xenograft differ according to the animal used (nude mouse or hamster) and the site of implantation of the tumor within the animal (cheek pouch, leg muscle, subcutaneous or liver). Several physiological factors have been evaluated in an attempt to explain these differences in radio-antibody accumulation. The following observations have been made: (1) The animal host with the slower blood clearance of radio-antibody and the higher non-tumor tissue uptake has the higher tumor uptake; (2) the xenografts with a higher blood-flow rate, vascular volume and/or vascular permeability have a higher specific radio-antibody targeting; (3) the smaller, more viable tumors take up more radio-antibody per gram than the larger tumors; and (4) tumors with higher specific antigen content accrete more radio-antibody. These results are discussed in terms of the feasibility of clinical tumor imaging and therapy with radiolabelled antibodies.

Animals↗

Comparison of therapeutic efficacy and host toxicity of two different 131I-labelled antibodies and their fragments in the GW-39 colonic cancer xenograft model.

The in vivo uptake, therapeutic potential, and host toxicity were evaluated for both the intact IgG and F(ab')2 fragment of 2 murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against either carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), called NP-4, or colon-specific antigen-p (CSAp), called Mu-9, in the GW-39 human colorectal carcinoma grown in the hamster cheek pouch. Mu-9 IgG and F(ab')2 were retained longer by the tumor than was the NP-4 IgG or F(ab')2, respectively. Localization of the two antibodies by micro-autoradiography revealed two distinct patterns. Mu-9 was seen densely around whole acini of tumor cells, whereas NP-4 was found around each individual cell, albeit less densely. The anti-tumor effects of 131I-labelled Mu-9 and NP-4 IgG were equal, but the therapeutic effectiveness of Mu-9 F(ab')2 was significantly higher than NP-4 F(ab')2, as measured by change in tumor size. A dose-dependent increase in host toxicity, as measured by change in body weight and change in peripheral white blood cells (p-WBCs), was observed with 0.5 to 3.0 mCi doses of 131I-IgG regardless of the MAb used. A 10-22% loss in body weight lasting 3-7 weeks and a 50-80% loss in pWBCs lasting 6-8 weeks were observed in these animals. In contrast, 3 x 2 mCi doses of 131I-NP-4 or Mu-9 F(ab')2 given at 3-day intervals, a schedule which was equally therapeutic to a single 2-mCi dose of 131I-IgG, resulted in only a 9% loss in body weight and a 50% loss in pWBCs that lasted only 1 week. This was followed by a complete recovery over the next 2-3 weeks. These data suggest that multiple doses of F(ab')2 can be as tumoricidal as a single dose of an intact MAb IgG, but significantly less toxic to the host.

Animals↗

Reduction by anti-antibody administration of the radiotoxicity associated with 131I-labeled antibody to carcinoembryonic antigen in cancer radioimmunotherapy.

Radiolabeled antibodies have been shown to have a therapeutic potential in tumor-bearing animal models. However, treatment with radiolabeled antibodies results in toxic effects to normal tissues, as monitored by losses in body weight and in peripheral wbcs. We have investigated the use of an anti-antibody, or second antibody (SA), as a means of reducing this toxicity. SA rapidly forms a complex with circulating radiolabeled antibody, causing an increase in the clearance rate of the radiolabeled antibody from the blood. Toxicity was significantly reduced in animals given the SA in comparison to the toxicity seen in animals given only the radiolabeled primary antibody (PA). The earlier the SA was administered, the lower was the toxicity. The therapeutic efficacy of radiolabeled antibody was not influenced by the administration of the SA given 48 hours after the PA. Thus, the controlled removal of circulating radiolabeled antibody by an anti-antibody can reduce the toxicity associated with radiolabeled antibody therapy without influencing the antitumor effect.

Animals↗

Sacral scintigraphy for bone marrow dosimetry in radioimmunotherapy.

Myelosuppression has been identified as the dose-limiting toxicity in radioimmunotherapy studies. Accurate bone marrow dosimetry is, therefore, necessary to evaluate bone marrow toxicity which may result from systemic cancer treatment with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies. Dose to the red marrow was determined in 20 patient studies with 131I labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen, anti-alpha-feto-protein, or anti-human chorionic gonadotropin monoclonal antibody for diagnosis or treatment of diverse metastatic carcinomas, using a new technique involving sacral scintigraphy and a previously reported blood-based methodology. For the sacral technique, anterior and posterior gamma camera images of the pelvis were obtained at multiple times. Regions of interest were drawn around the sacrum in order to quantitate activity uptake as a function of time using the conjugate view counting method. Cumulated activity in red marrow was determined by curve integration and division by 0.099, since it has been estimated that 9.9% of the total red marrow is contained in the sacrum of the adult. Red marrow doses were then obtained by multiplying the cumulated activities by the appropriate S factor. These doses were compared to red marrow doses obtained from serial whole blood samples taken from these patients. Cumulated activity in the red marrow was determined from the blood with the assumption that the activity concentration in the blood and red marrow were equal. The mean red marrow dose per injected activity was 2.0 +/- 0.9 rad/mCi using the sacral data and 2.7 +/- 1.3 rad/mCi using the blood data (P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Imaging of colorectal carcinoma with radiolabeled antibodies.

Colorectal cancer has been the tumor type most frequently studied with radiolabeled antibodies. Among the various antibodies, a majority of patients with colorectal cancer have received xenogeneic polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies against carcino-embryonic antigen. This review summarizes the current status of colorectal cancer imaging with radiolabeled antibodies, ie, radioimmunodetection (RAID), and examines the published studies involving carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) antibodies and 17-1A, 19-9, and B72.3, and other monoclonal antibodies. In order to better address the issue of the current and future clinical usefulness of this emerging technology, particular attention is given to the protocols, methods, and results of the published studies. Despite differences in study parameters, antibodies and forms, labels, administration routes and doses, and scanning instruments and methods, it has been found that (1) almost no adverse reactions have been evident; (2) antibody fragments are preferred over whole immunoglobulin G reagents because they achieve higher tumor-to-background ratios earlier, thus reducing or precluding the need for dual-isotope subtraction methods or long delays before imaging; (3) use of antibody fragments, including the monovalent Fab' form, permits imaging with short-lived radionuclides of excellent photon properties, such as 123I and 99mTc; (4) circulating antigens against which the imaging antibody is directed can complex with the injected antibody, but such complexes have not prevented successful RAID; (5) patients with high serum titers of the appropriate antigen target usually have higher rates of positive RAID; (6) patients who are seronegative for the tumor antigen being studied can have positive RAID findings, which can represent the detection of occult lesions; (7) single photon emission computed tomography appears to provide better image resolution than planar scanning; (8) regardless of the sensitivity reported in any particular study, almost all investigators have observed the disclosure of occult neoplasms by RAID; and (9) RAID, a more functional test of usually high specificity, can complement other radiological methods, such as computed tomography scans, which are limited to structural information.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗