Selective imaging of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 using 89Zr-labeled single-chain VEGF mutants

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) acts via 2 vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, that play important and distinct roles in tumor biology. We reasoned that selective imaging of these receptors could provide unique information for diagnostics and for monitoring and optimizing responses to anticancer therapy, including antiangiogenic therapy. Herein, we report the development of 2 first-in-class 89Zr-labeled PET tracers that enable the selective imaging of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2. Methods: Functionally active mutants of scVEGF (an engineered single-chain version of pan-receptor VEGF-A with an N-Terminal cysteine-containing tag for site-specific conjugation), named scVR1 and scVR2 with enhanced affinity to, respectively, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, were constructed. Parental scVEGF and its receptor-specific mutants were site-specifically derivatized with the 89Zr chelator desferroxamine B via a 3.4-kDa PEG linker. 89Zr labeling of the desferroxamine B conjugates furnished scV/Zr, scVR1/Zr, and scVR2/Zr tracers with high radiochemical yield (.87%), high specific activity ($9.8 MBq/ nmol), and purity (.99%). Tracers were tested in an orthotopic breast cancer model using 4T1luc-bearing syngeneic BALB/c mice. For testing tracer specificity, tracers were coinjected with an excess of cold proteins of the same or opposite receptor specificity or pan-receptor scVEGF. PET imaging, biodistribution, and dosimetry studies in mice, as well as immunohistochemical analysis of harvested tumors, were performed. Results: All tracers rapidly accumulated in orthotopic 4T1luc tumors, allowing for the successful PET imaging of the tumors as early as 2 h after injection. Blocking experiments with an excess of pan-receptor or receptorspecific cold proteins indicated that more than 80% of tracer tumor uptake is VEGFR-mediated, whereas uptake in all major organs is not affected by blocking within the margin of error. Critically, blocking experiments indicated that VEGFR-mediated tumor uptake of scVR1/Zr and scVR2/Zr was mediated exclusively by the corresponding receptor, VEGFR-1 or VEGFR-2, respectively. In contrast, uptake of pan-receptor scV/Zr was mediated by both VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 at an approximately 2:1 ratio. Conclusion: First-in-class selective PET tracers for imaging VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 were constructed and successfully validated in an orthotopic murine tumor model.