Affinity maturation of an ERBB2-targeted SPECT imaging peptide by in vivo phage display

The goal of this study was to improve the pharmacokinetic properties and specificity of an ERBB2-targeted peptide for SPECT imaging.

Bacteriophages (phages) displaying the ERBB2 targeting sequence, KCCYSL, flanked by additional random amino acids were used for in vivo selections in mice-bearing ERBB2-expressing MDA-MB-435 human breast xenografts. Phage-displayed peptides were evaluated for ERBB2 and cancer cell binding affinity and specificity in vitro, and one peptide was radiolabeled with (111)In-DOTA and biodistribution and SPECT imaging properties were compared to the first generation peptide, (111)In-DOTA-KCCYSL.

In vivo phage display selected two peptides, 1-D03 (MEGPSKCCYSLALSH) and 3-G03 (SGTKSKCCYSLRRSS), with higher breast carcinoma cell specificity and similar ErbB2 affinity (236 and 289 nM, respectively) to the first generation peptide. The corresponding radiolabeled probes bound with higher affinity to target cancer cells than (111)In-DOTA-KCCYSL; however, only (111)In-DOTA-1-D03 demonstrated higher specificity for MDA-MB-435 cells. Biodistribution analysis demonstrated that although (111)In-DOTA-1-D03 had slightly reduced tumor uptake (0.661 % ID/g) in comparison to (111)In-DOTA-KCCYSL (0.78 %/ID/g), its dramatic improvement in blood clearance led to a significantly higher tumor/blood ratio (6.02:1). Non-specific uptake was also reduced in most organs including heart, lung, muscle, bone, and kidneys. SPECT imaging revealed tumor-specific uptake of (111)In-DOTA-1-D03, which was confirmed by blocking with unlabeled 1-D03 peptide.

This is the first evidence that SPECT imaging peptides with improved tumor specificity and pharmacokinetics can be obtained by in vivo phage display affinity maturation. The combination of ERBB2-specific binding, rapid clearance, and tumor specificity may make 1-D03 a viable candidate for clinical imaging studies.