DOTA alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogues for imaging metastatic melanoma lesions.

Abstract

Scintigraphic imaging of metastatic melanoma lesions requires highly tumor-specific radiopharmaceuticals. Because both melanotic and amelanotic melanomas overexpress melanocortin-1 receptors (MC1R), radiolabeled analogues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) are potential candidates for melanoma diagnosis. Here, we report the in vivo performance of a newly designed octapeptide analogue, [betaAla(3), Nle(4), Asp(5), D-Phe(7), Lys(10)]-alpha-MSH(3-10) (MSH(OCT)), which was conjugated through its N-terminal amino group to the metal chelator 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) to enable incorporation of radiometals (e.g., indium-111) into the peptide. DOTA-MSH(OCT) displayed high in vitro MC1R affinity (IC(50) 9.21 nM). In vivo [(111)In]DOTA-MSH(OCT) exhibited a favorable biodistribution profile after injection in B16-F1 tumorbearing mice. The radiopeptide was rapidly cleared from blood through the kidneys and, most importantly, accumulated preferentially in the melanoma lesions. Lung and liver melanoma metastases could be clearly imaged on tissue section autoradiographs 4 h after injection of [(111)In]DOTA-MSH(OCT). A comparative study of [(111)In]DOTA-MSH(OCT) with [(111)In]DOTA-[Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]-alpha-MSH ([(111)In]-DOTA-NDP-MSH) demonstrated the superiority of the DOTA-MSH(OCT) peptide, particularly for the amount of radioactivity taken up by nonmalignant organs, including bone, the most radiosensitive tissue. These results demonstrate that [(111)In]DOTA-MSH(OCT) is a promising melanoma imaging agent.

• Authors: Sylvie Froidevaux, Martine Calame-Christe, Lazar Sumanovski, Heidi Tanner, Alex N Eberle
• Journal: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Ann N Y Acad Sci) Vol. 994 Pg. 378-83 (Jun 2003) ISSN: 0077-8923 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12851339 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Chelating Agents
• Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane- 1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid
• alpha-MSH

Topics

• Animals
• Chelating Agents (chemistry, metabolism)
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring (chemistry, metabolism)
• Melanoma, Experimental (metabolism, pathology)
• Mice
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Radiopharmaceuticals (chemistry, metabolism)
• Tissue Distribution
• alpha-MSH (analogs & derivatives, metabolism)