Study on tumor affinity of technetium-99m-labeled radiopharmaceuticals. (1) 99mTc-pertechnetate, 99mTc-human serum albumin, and 99mTc-trasylol]

This paper describes biologic distributions, sequential images and macroautoradiograms of 99mTcO4 (pertechnetate), 99mTc-Sn-HSA (human serum albumin) and 99mTc-Sn-TSL (trasylol) in tumor-bearing mice as the first report on tumor affinity of 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceutical. (1) Maximum tumor concentration (% administered dose/g of tissue weight) of 99mTcO4, 99mTc-HSA and 99mTc-TSL in Ehrlich's tumor-bearing mice resulted in 2.03+/-0.57 at 1 hr, 4.02+/-0.19 at 3 hr and 1.97+/-0.31 at 1 hr respectively. (2) However, tumor to blood concentration ratio of 99mTc-HSA was lowest among them. (3) The corrected tumor accumulation (% 100g dose/g of tissue wt.=% dose/% body weight) of 99mTc-TSL to Ehrlich's tumor in mouse was not different from that of Yoshida's sarcoma in rat, on the contrary to our expectation that the tumor concentration of 99mTc-TSL in them might be different due to differency of the tissue fibrinolytic activity between the respective tumors. (4) Sequential images of the implanted tumor in mouse was best positively delineated with 99mTc-HSA. (5) Macroautoradiograms of Ehrlich's tumor with 99mTcO4, 99mTc-HSA and 99mTc-TSL demonstrated the following findings: all of them were not only accumulated markedly into the tumor cells which were shown as basophilic tissue with H?matoxylin-Eosin staining but also accumulated around the tumor tissue and on the interstitial tissue which were stained as eosinophilic tissue with the above same staining.     

Detection of varicocele by using 99mTc-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid human serum albumin (99mTc-DTPA human serum albumin)

In order to detect the varicocele, scrotal scintigraphies by using 99mTc-HSA-D were performed in 14 patients with male infertile or palpable mass in left scrotum on physical examinations. Abnormal pooling of 99mTc-HSA-D, indicative of varicocele lesion, could be found in left scrotum in 9 cases, confirmed surgically or clinically. Compared with 99mTc-HSA, 99mTc-HSA-D was superior in high uptake ratio of varicocele to soft tissue and in nonvisualization of bladder. Thus, 99mTc-HSA-D scrotal scintigraphy seemed to be of a great use to detect the varicocele.     

Labelling of human serum albumin millimicrospheres (hamm) with99mTc

Human serum albumin microspheres were labelled with^99mTc as a single step kit with radiochemical yields higher than 95%. With respect to the organ distribution in mice, the per cent of injected dose in liver was 78%.     

Amperometric titration of albumin in blood serum by copper(II)

Determination of the albumin content of blood surum by amperometric titration with copper(lI) in ammoniacal buffer of pH 9 2 yields values in essential Agreement with, but in general somewhat lower than, those obtained by precipitation in 28% sodium sulfite solution. While the amperometric titration method gives reproducible results of the right order of magnitude, comparison of results with a large number of electrophoretically analyzed samples would be desirable.     

Macromolecular contrast agents for optical imaging of tumors: comparison of indotricarbocyanine-labeled human serum albumin and transferrin

Macromolecules accumulate in solid tumors and can thus be used as carriers for the delivery of attached contrast agents to tumors. We report the synthesis and use of serum protein-dye conjugates consisting of transferrin (Tf) or human serum albumin (HSA) and an indotricarbocyanine (ITCC) derivative as contrast agents for the optical imaging of tumors. The compounds were characterized with respect to their photophysical properties and tested in vitro for their ability to bind to tumor cells and in vivo for their potential to delineate experimental tumors. In contrast to HAS-ITTC, Tf-ITCC showed receptor-mediated uptake by HT29 human colon cancer cells in vitro. After intravenous injection into HT29 tumor-bearing nude mice both compounds induced increased fluorescence contrast of tumors in vivo. After 24 h the contrast between tumor and normal tissue was significantly higher for Tf-ITCC than for HAS-ITCC. Dye-induced fluorescence was found to be predominantly located in perinecrotic areas of the tumor. Furthermore, Tf-ITCC produced fluorescence of viable tumor cells, whereas HAS-ITCC fluorescence was recorded along connective tissue. We conclude that ITCC-labeled Tf and HSA can serve as macromolecular contrast agents for the optical imaging of tumors, with Tf-ITCC showing higher efficiency.     

Preparation of113mIn and99mTc-microaggregated human serum albumin for liver scanning

Higher than 90% of^113mIn radioactivity was bound to microaggregates. The liver uptake in mice was (80%) with low lung uptake (1.3%). With respect to^99mTc-microaggregated albumin, the radiochemical yield was higher than 95%. The liver uptake in mice was about (80%) with low lung uptake (1.7%). The stability of the microaggregates was followed for two months.     

Comparison of human serum albumin macroaggregates (MAA) to be labelled with99mTc for lung scanning with three commercial kits

Kits containing macroaggregated albumin were prepared and compared with three commercial kits with respect to particle size distribution, radiochemical yield and biodistribution. Our preparation was comparable to the commercial products.     

Binding of oxovanadium(V) anion to bovine serum albumin,human serum albumin and bovine pancreatic trypsin

The binding of vanadium(V) to bovine serum albumin (BSA), human serum albumin (HSA), and bovine pancreatic trypsin in the absence and presence of urea has been studied at different pH values and temperatures by spectrophotometric and equilibrium dialysis methods. The binding data were found to be pH and temperature dependent. The binding data at pH 5.57, studied by the absorbance method, were found approximately identical with those obtained from the equilibrium dialysis method at this pH. The enthalpy change at pH 5.57 for vanadium(V)-protein was −368.4 cal Mole⁻¹ for BSA, −328.8 cal Mole⁻¹ for HSA and −1372 cal Mole⁻¹ for trypsin respectively. The association constants and the number of binding sites were calculated from Scatchard plots and found to be at maximum at lower pH and at lower temperature. The free energy of the combining sites was lowest at higher pH and highest at low pH. Therefore, a lower temperature and a lower pH offered more sites in the protein molecule for interaction with vanadium(V) ions. Statistical effects seem to be more significant at lower vanadium(V) ion concentrations, and electrostatic effects more significant at higher concentrations.     

Interactions between U(VI) and bovine serum albumin

Interest in bio-toxicology of uranium resulting from its radioactive heavy metal property has been growing enormously in recent years. The interactions between uranium(VI) [U(VI)] and bovine serum albumin (BSA) at physiological pH were studied by spectroscopic methods. Fuorescence results revealed the formation of BSA–U(VI) complex, the binding constants as well as the number of binding sites were determined. In particular, the effects of U(VI) binding on the secondary structures of BSA were examined by means of Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy equipped with attenuated total reflection (FT-IR/ATR). It was found that the α-helix component of BSA decreased gradually with increasing concentration of U(VI). In contrast, the β-sheets, turns, and random coil structures all increased correspondingly. Our work would shed light on the possible interaction mechanism between U(VI) and proteins in aqueous solutions.     

Binding of human serum albumin to N-(p-ethoxy-phenyl)-N'-(1-naphthyl)thiourea and synchronous fluorescence determination of human serum albumin.

The binding of N-(p-ethoxy-phenyl)-N'-(1-naphthyl)thiourea (EPNT) to human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated under simulative physiological conditions by fluorescence spectra in combination with UV absorption spectroscopy and a molecular modeling method. A strong fluorescence quenching reaction of EPNT to HSA was observed, and the quenching mechanism was suggested to be static quenching according to the Stern-Volmer equation. The binding constants (K) at different temperatures as well as thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy change (DeltaH) and entropy change (DeltaS), were calculated according to relevant fluorescent data and the vant' Hoff equation. This indicated that a hydrophobic interaction was a predominant intermolecular force for stabilizing the complex, which is in agreement with the results of molecule modeling study. The effects of energy transfer and other ions on the binding constant were considered. In addition, synchronous fluorescence technology was successfully applied to the determination of HSA added into the EPNT solution.     

99mTc(CO)3-labeled pamidronate and alendronate for bone imaging

Bone scintigraphy with (99m)Technetium-methylenediphosphonate ((99m)Tc-MDP) or (99m)Technetium-hydroxymethylenediphosphonate ((99m)Tc-HMDP) presents several limitations, namely low specificity, uncertainty in the radiopharmaceutical's molecular structure and long acquisition time after injection. Aiming to find bone-seeking radiotracers based on the core fac-[(99m)Tc(CO)(3)](+) with improved chemical and biological properties, we synthesized new conjugates (pz-PAM and pz-ALN), comprising a pyrazolyl-diamine chelating unit (pz: N,N,N donor atom set) for metal stabilization and a pendant pamidronate (PAM) or alendronate (ALN) moiety for bone targeting. The reaction of the conjugates with fac-[(99m)Tc(CO)(3)](+) yielded (> 95%) the stable complexes fac-[(99m)Tc(CO)(3)(pz-PAM)](-) (2a) and fac-[(99m)Tc(CO)(3)(pz-ALN)](-) (3a), which have been characterized by comparing their HPLC gamma-traces with the UV-vis traces of the Re surrogates 2 and 3, respectively. 2a and 3a bind strongly onto hydroxyapatite. The biodistribution studies in Balb-c mice have shown that 2a and 3a presented an high bone uptake (2a 18.3 ± 0.6% I.D./g, 3a 17.3 ± 6.1% I.D./g, at 1 h post injection), similar to (99m)Tc-MDP (17.1 ± 2.4% I.D./g, at 1 h post injection), with comparable clearance from most tissues and increased total excretion (2a 66% I.D., 3a 67% I.D. and (99m)Tc-MDP 49% I.D., at 1 h post injection). The bone-to-blood (2a 86.2, 3a 74.7) and the bone-to-muscle ratios (2a 77.7, 3a 79.0) are higher than the ones found for (99m)Tc-MDP (70.9, 47.9), at 4 h post injection. Planar whole-body gamma camera images of the rats injected with the (99m)Tc(CO)(3)-labeled pamidronate (2a) and alendronate (3a) confirmed the overall adequate biological profile of the new radiotracers for bone imaging.     

Fluorescent investigation of the interactions between N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N'-(1-naphthyl) thiourea and serum albumin: synchronous fluorescence determination of serum albumin

The interactions between N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N′-(1-naphthyl) thiourea and serum albumin were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and UV absorption spectrum under physiological conditions. The results of spectroscopic measurements suggested that N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N′-(1-naphthyl) thiourea should have a strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of both bovine serum albumin and human serum albumin through static quenching procedure, and the hydrophobic interaction was the predominant intermolecular force stabilizing the complex. Thermodynamic parameter enthalpy changes (ΔH) and entropy changes (ΔS) were calculated according to the Vant’Hoff equation. The binding distances between N-(p-chlorophenyl)-N′-(1-naphthyl) thiourea and the proteins were evaluated on the basis of the theory of Föster energy transfer. In addition, the effects of other ions on the binding constants of complexes were also discussed. Synchronous fluorescence technology was successfully applied to the determination of serum albumins added to the CPNT solution.     

New99mTc-diiodine substituted IDA derivative (DIIODIDA) for hepatobiliary imaging

A new diiodine substituted IDA derivative, 2,4-diiodine-6-methyl IDA (DIIODIDA) was synthesized and labeled with^99mTc. It was established that^99mTc-DIIODIDA had high radiochemical purity. Biodistribution and influence of bilirubin on^99mTc-DIIODIDA biokinetics has been studied in rats and compared to the corresponding results for^99mTc-SOLCOIODIDA. Related to^99mTc-SOLCOIODIDA,^99mTc-DIIODIDA has much better biliary exretion (55.18 versus 43.63%). No change of^99mTc-DIIODIDA biokinetics, under influence of bilirubin was noticed. Biliary excretion of^99mTc-SOLCOIODIDA has been reduced for about 60%. The protein binding of^99mTc-DIIODIDA and^99mTc-SOLCOIODIDA were also determined, using in vitro method of precipitation. These results showed that^99mTc-DIIODIDA hepatobiliary imaging agent is superior to the presently used^99mTc-monoiodine IDA derivatives.