Molecular SPECT/CT Profiling of Claudin18.2 Expression In Vivo: Implication for Patients with Gastric Cancer

Zolbetuximab (IMAB362), a monoclonal antibody targeting Claudin18.2 (CLDN 18.2), demonstrates a significant clinical benefit in patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancers. The noninvasive assessment of CLDN18.2 expression through molecular imaging offers a potential avenue for expedited monitoring and the stratification of patients into risk groups. This study elucidates that CLDN18.2 is expressed at a noteworthy frequency in primary gastric cancers and their metastases. The iodogen method was employed to label IMAB362 with ¹²³I/¹³¹I. The results demonstrated the efficient and reproducible synthesis of ¹²³I-IMAB362, with a specific binding affinity to CLDN18.2. Immuno-single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging revealed the rapid accumulation of ¹²³I-IMAB362 in gastric cancer xenografts at 12 h, remaining stable for 3 days in patient-derived tumor xenograft models. Additionally, tracer uptake of ¹²³I-IMAB362 in MKN45 cells surpassed that in MKN28 cells at each time point, with tumor uptake correlating significantly with CLDN18.2 expression levels. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging indicated that tumor uptake of ¹⁸F-FDG and the functional/viable tumor volume in the ¹³¹I-IMAB362 group were significantly lower than those in the ¹²³I-IMAB362 group on day 7. In conclusion, ¹²³I-IMAB362 immuno-SPECT imaging offers an effective method for direct, noninvasive, and whole-body quantitative assessment of tumor CLDN18.2 expression in vivo. This approach holds promise for accelerating the monitoring and stratification of patients with gastric cancer.