Related Experiment Video For CD44
Updated: Sep 25, 2025
Non-Invasive PET/MR Imaging in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: August 31, 2022
Multi-modal imaging for uptake of peptide ligand specific for CD44 by hepatocellular carcinoma
Xiaoli Wu1, Xiaoqing Meng1, Tse-Shao Chang2
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Background:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising steadily in incidence, and more effective methods are needed for early cancer detection and image-guided surgery.
Methods:
We used a structural model to optimize the peptide sequence. Specific binding was validated in vitro with knockdown, competition, and co-localization assays. Multi-modal imaging was performed to validate specific binding in vivo in orthotopically-implanted human xenograft tumors.
Results:
Binding properties of WKGWSYLWTQQA were characterized by an apparent dissociation constant of kd = 43 nM, and an apparent association time constant of k = 0.26 min-1. The target-to-background ratio was significantly higher for the target versus control for both modalities. Ex-vivo evaluation using human HCC specimens supported the ability of the peptide to distinguish HCC from other liver pathologies.
Conclusions:
We have identified a peptide specific for CD44 with properties that are promising for clinical translation to image HCC in vivo.
