Introduction of a fatty acid chain modification to prolong circulatory half-life of a radioligand towards glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor
IF 3.6 4区 医学Q1 RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING
Amina Khalil , Sona Hakhverdyan , Pierre Cheung , Martin Bossart , Michael Wagner , Olof Eriksson , Irina Velikyan
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The aim of this study was to evaluate a novel peptide (GIP1234), based on previously reported ligand DOTA-GIP-C803, modified with a fatty acid moiety to prolong its blood circulation. It would allow higher target tissue exposure and consequently improved peptide uptake as well as <em>in vivo</em> PET imaging and quantification of GIPR occupancy by novel drugs of interest.</p></div><div><h3>Method</h3><p>A 40 amino acid residue peptide (GIP1234) was synthesized based on DOTA-GIP-C803, in turn based on the sequences of endogenous GIP and Exendin-4 with specific amino acid modifications to obtain GIPR selectivity. A palmitoyl fatty acid chain was furthermore added at Lys14 <em>via</em> a glutamic acid linker to prolong its blood circulation time by the interaction with albumin. GIP1234 was conjugated with a DOTA chelator at the C-terminal cysteine residue to achieve <sup>68</sup>Ga radiolabeling. The resulting PET probe, [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was evaluated for receptor binding specificity and selectivity using HEK293 cells transfected with human GIPR, GLP1R, or GCGR. Blocking experiments with tirzepatide (2 μM) were conducted using huGIPR HEK293 cells to investigate binding specificity. <em>Ex vivo</em> and <em>in vivo</em> organ distribution of [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was studied in rats and a pig in comparison to [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-C803-GIP. Binding of [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 to albumin was assessed <em>in situ</em> using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The stability was tested in formulation buffer and rat blood plasma.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>[<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was synthesized with non-decay corrected radiochemical yield of 88 ± 3.7 % and radiochemical purity of 97.8 ± 0.8 %. The molar activity for the radiotracer was 8.1 ± 1.1 MBq/nmol. [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was stable and maintained affinity to huGIPR HEK293 cells (dissociation constant (K<sub>d</sub>) = 40 ± 12.5 nM). The binding of [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 to huGCGR and huGLP1R cells was insignificant. Pre-incubation of huGIPR HEK293 cell sections with tirzepatide resulted in the decrease of [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 binding by close to 90 %. [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 displayed slow blood clearance in pigs with SUV = 3.5 after 60 min. Blood retention of the tracer in rat was 2-fold higher than that of [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-C803-GIP. [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 also demonstrated strong liver uptake in both pig and rat combined with decreased renal excretion. The concentration dependent binding of [<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 to albumin was confirmed <em>in situ</em> by PAGE.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>[<sup>68</sup>Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 demonstrated nanomolar affinity and selectivity for huGIPR <em>in vitro</em>. Addition of a fatty acid moiety prolonged blood circulation time and tissue exposure in both rat and pig <em>in vivo</em>. However, the liver uptake was also increased which may make PET imaging of abdominal tissues such as pancreas challenging. The investigation of the influence of fatty acid moiety on the biological performance of the peptide ligand paved the way for further rational design of GIPR ligand analogues with improved characteristics.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":19363,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear medicine and biology","volume":"128 ","pages":"Article 108876"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969805124000027/pdfft?md5=783badf7748ed93be5ab92627c462a53&pid=1-s2.0-S0969805124000027-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Nuclear medicine and biology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969805124000027","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
The beneficial role of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) in weight control and maintaining glucose levels has led to the development of several multi-agonistic peptide drug candidates, targeting GIPR and glucagon like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) and/or the glucagon receptor (GCGR). The in vivo quantification of target occupancy by these drugs would accelerate the development of new drug candidates. The aim of this study was to evaluate a novel peptide (GIP1234), based on previously reported ligand DOTA-GIP-C803, modified with a fatty acid moiety to prolong its blood circulation. It would allow higher target tissue exposure and consequently improved peptide uptake as well as in vivo PET imaging and quantification of GIPR occupancy by novel drugs of interest.
Method
A 40 amino acid residue peptide (GIP1234) was synthesized based on DOTA-GIP-C803, in turn based on the sequences of endogenous GIP and Exendin-4 with specific amino acid modifications to obtain GIPR selectivity. A palmitoyl fatty acid chain was furthermore added at Lys14 via a glutamic acid linker to prolong its blood circulation time by the interaction with albumin. GIP1234 was conjugated with a DOTA chelator at the C-terminal cysteine residue to achieve 68Ga radiolabeling. The resulting PET probe, [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was evaluated for receptor binding specificity and selectivity using HEK293 cells transfected with human GIPR, GLP1R, or GCGR. Blocking experiments with tirzepatide (2 μM) were conducted using huGIPR HEK293 cells to investigate binding specificity. Ex vivo and in vivo organ distribution of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was studied in rats and a pig in comparison to [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-C803-GIP. Binding of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 to albumin was assessed in situ using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The stability was tested in formulation buffer and rat blood plasma.
Results
[68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was synthesized with non-decay corrected radiochemical yield of 88 ± 3.7 % and radiochemical purity of 97.8 ± 0.8 %. The molar activity for the radiotracer was 8.1 ± 1.1 MBq/nmol. [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 was stable and maintained affinity to huGIPR HEK293 cells (dissociation constant (Kd) = 40 ± 12.5 nM). The binding of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 to huGCGR and huGLP1R cells was insignificant. Pre-incubation of huGIPR HEK293 cell sections with tirzepatide resulted in the decrease of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 binding by close to 90 %. [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 displayed slow blood clearance in pigs with SUV = 3.5 after 60 min. Blood retention of the tracer in rat was 2-fold higher than that of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-C803-GIP. [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 also demonstrated strong liver uptake in both pig and rat combined with decreased renal excretion. The concentration dependent binding of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 to albumin was confirmed in situ by PAGE.
Conclusion
[68Ga]Ga-DOTA-GIP1234 demonstrated nanomolar affinity and selectivity for huGIPR in vitro. Addition of a fatty acid moiety prolonged blood circulation time and tissue exposure in both rat and pig in vivo. However, the liver uptake was also increased which may make PET imaging of abdominal tissues such as pancreas challenging. The investigation of the influence of fatty acid moiety on the biological performance of the peptide ligand paved the way for further rational design of GIPR ligand analogues with improved characteristics.
期刊介绍:
Nuclear Medicine and Biology publishes original research addressing all aspects of radiopharmaceutical science: synthesis, in vitro and ex vivo studies, in vivo biodistribution by dissection or imaging, radiopharmacology, radiopharmacy, and translational clinical studies of new targeted radiotracers. The importance of the target to an unmet clinical need should be the first consideration. If the synthesis of a new radiopharmaceutical is submitted without in vitro or in vivo data, then the uniqueness of the chemistry must be emphasized.
These multidisciplinary studies should validate the mechanism of localization whether the probe is based on binding to a receptor, enzyme, tumor antigen, or another well-defined target. The studies should be aimed at evaluating how the chemical and radiopharmaceutical properties affect pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, or therapeutic efficacy. Ideally, the study would address the sensitivity of the probe to changes in disease or treatment, although studies validating mechanism alone are acceptable. Radiopharmacy practice, addressing the issues of preparation, automation, quality control, dispensing, and regulations applicable to qualification and administration of radiopharmaceuticals to humans, is an important aspect of the developmental process, but only if the study has a significant impact on the field.
Contributions on the subject of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals also are appropriate provided that the specificity of labeled compound localization and therapeutic effect have been addressed.