Optimization of radioimmunotherapy using human malignant melanoma multicell spheroids as a model

In vitro multicell spheroids from a human melanoma cell line and the human colon cancer cell line HT29, used as control, have been established as a model of poorly vascularized micrometastases in vivo. The antimelanoma monoclonal antibody 96.5 was radiolabeled with 131I at specific radioactivities from 1.85 to 3.96 GBq/mg. Cytotoxicity of 131I-96.5 to the spheroids, at an initial size of 300 microns in diameter, was investigated as a function of concentration of 131I-96.5 in the incubation medium, specific radioactivity, and treatment time. Spheroid growth delay and clonogenic survival of cells disaggregated from the spheroids at various times after treatment were used as end points. Therapeutic effects increased with the concentration of 131I-96.5 within the range 0.2 to 2 mg/liter (0.34 to 3.4 GBq/liter) at a fixed specific radioactivity. The effects increased with specific radioactivity at a fixed concentration of 131I-96.5. Difference in therapeutic effect was also observed between treatment times of 8 and 24 h. Radiation doses to the melanoma spheroids varied from 10 to 16 Gy. Unlabeled 96.5 at 2 mg/liter or 131I-iodide at 1.7 GBq/liter did not affect the growth of the melanoma spheroids. The HT29 spheroids, however, only suffered slight cytotoxicity at 1 or 2 mg/liter of 131I-96.5 and for a treatment time of 24 h despite comparable radiosensitivity of HT29 cells and melanoma cells to high-dose-rate radiation. Similar cytotoxicity was observed in the HT29 group treated with 131I-iodide at 1.7 GBq/liter. Present findings therefore demonstrate preferential and adequate killing of the melanoma spheroids by 131I-96.5 at 0.5 mg/liter and 3.96 GBq/mg in 8 h.