Preclinical evaluation of monoclonal antibody 14C5 for targeting pancreatic cancer

Liesbet Vervoort1, Ingrid Burvenich, Steven Staelens

  • 1Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium. liesbet.vervoort@ugent.be

Insights

This study shows that the radiolabeled antibody 14C5 effectively targets integrin alpha(v)beta(5) in pancreatic cancer. This antibody demonstrates promising potential for both diagnosing and treating pancreatic tumors.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Radiochemistry

Background:

  • Pancreatic cancer remains a significant health challenge with limited effective treatments.
  • Targeted therapies using radiolabeled antibodies offer a promising strategy for cancer treatment.
  • Integrin alpha(v)beta(5) is explored as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate integrin alpha(v)beta(5) as a target for pancreatic cancer diagnosis and therapy.
  • To assess the efficacy of the radiolabeled murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) 14C5 targeting integrin alpha(v)beta(5).

Main Methods:

  • Human pancreatic tumor biopsy specimens were analyzed for integrin alpha(v)beta(5) expression.
  • The pancreatic tumor cell line Capan-1 was used for in vitro and in vivo studies.
  • mAb 14C5 was radiolabeled with iodine-125/131 and indium-111.
  • Cellular radioimmunoassays assessed internalization, retention, and metabolism.
  • Biodistribution and tumor-targeting characteristics were evaluated in Capan-1 xenografts.

Main Results:

  • All examined pancreatic tumor sections showed positive integrin alpha(v)beta(5) expression, particularly in the stroma.
  • Saturation binding experiments confirmed high affinity of mAb 14C5.
  • (111)In-labeled p-SCN-Bz-DOTA-14C5 exhibited superior intracellular retention compared to other radiolabeling methods.
  • In vivo studies showed maximum radioisotope tumor uptake at 48-72 hours, with (111)In-p-SCN-Bz-DOTA-14C5 achieving significantly higher uptake.
  • Gamma imaging demonstrated clear pancreatic tumor localization with minimal uptake in normal tissues.

Conclusions:

  • Integrin alpha(v)beta(5) is a viable target for pancreatic cancer.
  • Radiolabeled mAb 14C5, particularly when labeled with (111)In-p-SCN-Bz-DOTA, shows significant promise for pancreatic cancer diagnosis and therapy.
  • mAb 14C5 offers a potential new avenue for targeted treatment of pancreatic cancer.

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