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For the mass production of astatine-211, a promising radiopharmaceutical for cancer treatment, the National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology has proposed the innovative “Liquid Bismuth Target System.” The target window in this system must be made from a material that resists the highly corrosive liquid bismuth environment. To meet this requirement, a promising target window material was selected in corrosion experiments performed in stagnant liquid bismuth. Based on knowledge of corrosion in liquid lead–bismuth eutectic gained during the development of fast reactors and accelerator-driven subcritical systems, FeCrMo–alloy, FeCrAl–alloy, and austenitic stainless steel (as a reference) were selected as the specimen materials. Experiments were carried out under saturated dissolved oxygen and low oxygen conditions, and the corrosion behaviors of the specimens were evaluated, mainly by scanning electron microscopy. The FeCrAl–alloy exhibited the most excellent corrosion resistance, followed by FeCrMo–alloy. Both materials are suitable candidates for the target window. Although austenitic stainless steel was less corrosion resistant than the former two materials, it is a likely applicable for the target window under appropriately limited operation conditions (such as irradiation current and exposure time) of the liquid bismuth target system.

The high in vivo stability of 2,2-dihydroxymethyl-3-[18F]fluoropropyl-2-nitroimidazole ([18F]DiFA) prompted us to evaluate neopentyl as a scaffold to prepare a radiotheranostic system with radioiodine and astatine. Three DiFA analogues with one, two, or without a hydroxyl group were synthesized. While all 125I-labeled compounds remained stable against nucleophilic substitution, only a 125I-labeled neopentyl glycol was stable against cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated metabolism and showed high stability against in vivo deiodination. 211At-labeled neopentyl glycol also remained stable against both nucleophilic substitution and CYP-mediated metabolism. 211At-labeled neopentyl glycol showed the biodistribution profiles similar to those of its radioiodinated counterpart in contrast to the 125I/211At-labeled benzoate pair. The urine analyses confirmed that 211At-labeled neopentyl glycol was excreted in the urine as a glucuronide conjugate with the absence of free [211At]At-. These findings indicate that neopentyl glycol would constitute a promising scaffold to prepare a radiotheranostic system with radioiodine and 211At.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), expressed in prostate cancer cells, is being investigated extensively worldwide as a target for imaging and therapy of prostate cancer. Various radioiodinated PSMA imaging probes have been developed, and their structure has a peptidomimetic urea-based skeleton as a pharmacophore. For direct radioiodination of molecules containing these peptidomimetic structures, prior studies performed radioiododestannylation or electrophilic radioiodination of tyrosine residues. However, although these radiolabeling methods are frequently used, there are some issues with precursor toxicity and by-product production. Therefore, it is required to investigate a radiolabeling method that can be used for the radiosynthesis of radioiodinated PSMA imaging probes with urea-based peptidomimetic structures. We recently reported that copper-mediated radioiodination via a boronic precursor is an effective method for directly labeling a peptide. This radiohalogenation method was expected to be an effective method for radiosynthesis of PSMA imaging probes with a peptidomimetic structure. In this study, to confirm that this labeling method applies to the synthesis of the PSMA imaging probe, we synthesized PSMA imaging probes labeled with

Preparing compounds containing the radioisotope

This study demonstrated the availability of an anion-exchange spin column method for the isolation of astatine-211 (211At) from bismuth (Bi). 211At was isolated in medium-to-excellent recovery efficiencies when loading 211At with 8M HCl (75.3–79.1%), and 8M HNO3 (35.9–54.3%). The processing time of the optimized protocol was about 40 minutes. A neutralized eluent afforded an 211At-labeled phenylalanine derivative even in the absence of oxidant (radiochemical yield: 75.4%). These results indicate the anion-exchange spin column is useful for the isolation of 211At and the following synthesis of astatinated compounds, which is the first to isolate 211At with an anion-exchange method.

Radioactive metals are applied in biochemistry, medical diagnosis such as positron emission tomography (PET), and cancer therapy. However, the activity of radioisotopes exponentially decreases with time; therefore, rapid and reliable probe preparation methods are strongly recommended. In the present study, electrodialytic radioactive metal ion handling is studied for counter ion conversion and in-line probe synthesis. Presently, counter ion conversion and probe synthesis are achieved by evaporative dryness and solution mixing, respectively. Evaporative dryness is time-consuming and is a possible process that can lead to loss of radioactive metal ions. Mixing of solutions for synthesis makes dilution and undesirable effects of counter ion on the synthesis. An optimized electrodialytic flow device can transfer a radioisotope

211At was produced in the 209Bi(4He, 2n)211At reaction. The yield was separated from the irradiated bismuth target by a simple method, based on dry distillation. The optimized conditions of the method were studied by monitoring the astatine radioactivity with gamma-ray spectrometers. The no-carrier-added 211At solutions were prepared with eluents, namely distilled water, ethanol, methanol, or chloroform. Generally, the recovery yields obtained with the utilization of 1.6 mL of the eluent were 26–75%. The prepared 211At solutions were subjected to thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography to identify the chemical species present.

Short-lived radioactive metals are important tracers in clinical diagnosis. Radioactive metals for clinical use are produced from suitable target metals in cyclotrons. The trace amount of radioactive metal produced is contained in a relatively large amount of target metal. A rapid and effective method is required to isolate the radioactive metal. In the present study, selective complex formation followed by cation-exchange adsorption was performed in a continuous flow-based system. Ethylenediamine

Background We recently reported a new absorbed dose conversion method, RAP (RAtio of Pharmacokinetics), for 211At-meta-astatobenzylguanidine (211At-MABG) using a single biodistribution measurement, the percent injected dose/g. However, there were some mathematical ambiguities in determining the optimal timing of a single measurement of the percent injected dose/g. Thus, we aimed to mathematically reconstruct the RAP method and to examine the optimal timing of a single measurement. Methods We derived a new formalism of the RAP dose conversion method at time t. In addition, we acquired a formula to determine the optimal timing of a single measurement of the percent injected dose/g, assuming the one-compartment model for biological clearance. Results We investigated the new formalism’s performance using a representative RAP coefficient with radioactive decay weighting. Dose conversions by representative RAP coefficients predicted the true [211At]MABG absorbed doses with an error of 10% or less. The inverses of the representative RAP coefficients plotted at 4 h post-injection, which was the optimal timing reported in the previous work, were very close to the new inverses of the RAP coefficients 4 h post-injection. Next, the behavior of the optimal timing was analyzed by radiolabeled compounds with physical half-lives of 7.2 h and 10 d on various biological clearance half-lives. Behavior maps of optimal timing showed a tendency to converge to a constant value as the biological clearance half-life of a target increased. The areas of optimal timing for both compounds within a 5% or 10% prediction error were distributed around the optimal timing when the biological clearance half-life of a target was equal to that of the reference. Finally, an example of RAP dose conversion was demonstrated for [211At]MABG. Conclusions The RAP dose conversion method renovated by the new formalism was able to estimate the [211At]MABG absorbed dose using a similar pharmacokinetics, such as [131I]MIBG. The present formalism revealed optimizing imaging time points on absorbed dose conversion between two radiopharmaceuticals. Further analysis and clinical data will be needed to elucidate the validity of a behavior map of the optimal timing of a single measurement for targeted alpha-nuclide therapy.

Simple Summary To enhance the therapeutic effect of 2-211At-astato-α-methyl-L-phenylalanine (2-211At-AAMP), a radiopharmaceutical for targeted alpha therapy, we evaluated the effect of probenecid loading on its biodistribution and therapeutic effect in mice. Probenecid preloading significantly delayed the clearance of 2-211At-AAMP from the blood, increasing its accumulation in tumors. Consequently, the therapeutic effect of 2-211At-AAMP markedly improved. These results indicate that 2-211At-AAMP with probenecid loading is useful for the treatment of various types of cancers. Abstract L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) might be a useful target for tumor therapy since it is highly expressed in various types of cancers. We previously developed an astatine-211 (211At)-labeled amino acid derivative, 2-211At-astato-α-methyl-L-phenylalanine (2-211At-AAMP), and demonstrated its therapeutic potential for LAT1-positive cancers. However, the therapeutic effect of 2-211At-AAMP was insufficient, probably due to its low tumor retention. The preloading of probenecid, an organic anion transporter inhibitor, can delay the clearance of some amino acid tracers from the blood and consequently increase their accumulation in tumors. In this study, we evaluated the effect of probenecid preloading on the biodistribution and therapeutic effect of 2-211At-AAMP in mice. In biodistribution studies, the blood radioactivity of 2-211At-AAMP significantly increased with probenecid preloading. Consequently, the accumulation of 2-211At-AAMP in tumors was significantly higher with probenecid than without probenecid loading. In a therapeutic study, tumor growth was suppressed by 2-211At-AAMP with probenecid, and the tumor volume was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the untreated control group from day 2 to day 30 (end of the follow-up period) after treatment. These results indicate that probenecid loading could improve the therapeutic effect of 2-211At-AAMP by increasing its accumulation in tumors.

The high

Backgrounds Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been established as a valid therapeutic target of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the clinical benefit of cetuximab as an EGFR-targeting drug is still controversial, partially due to the lack of effective means to identify suitable patients. This study aimed to investigate the potential of radiolabeled cetuximab as a non-invasive tool to predict cetuximab accumulation in NSCLC tumor xenografts with varying EGFR expression levels. Methods The NSCLC tumors in model mice were subjected to in vivo biodistribution study and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging 48 h after injection of either 111In- or 64Cu-labeled cetuximab. The EGFR expression levels of NSCLC tumors were determined by ex vivo immunoblotting. Results We found that tumors with high EGFR expression had significantly higher [111In]In-DOTA-cetuximab accumulation than tumors with moderate to low EGFR expression (P 111In]In-DOTA-cetuximab tumor uptake and EGFR expression level (r = 0.893), and between [64Cu]Cu-DOTA-cetuximab tumor uptake with EGFR expression level (r = 0.915). PET imaging with [64Cu]Cu-DOTA-cetuximab allowed clear visualization of tumors. Conclusion Our findings suggest that this immuno-PET imaging can be clinically translated as a tool to predict cetuximab accumulation in NSCLC cancer patients prior to cetuximab therapy.

The α-emitter 211At-labeled meta-astatobenzylguanidine (211At-MABG) has a strong antitumor effect on pheochromocytoma xenograft tumors and holds great promise as a new therapeutic option for malignant pheochromocytoma. To evaluate the acute radiation-related toxicity of 211At-MABG, we conducted biodistribution and dosimetry studies of 211At-MABG in ICR mice to estimate the doses absorbed by organs. We determined the maximum tolerated doses (MTD) of 211At-MABG on the basis of body weight loss and assessed the acute radiation-related toxicity induced by MTD administration on the basis of organ weights, histologic features, hematologic indices, and biochemical indices. The biodistribution and dosimetry studies of α-emitting 211At-MABG revealed high doses absorbed by most organs except the brain in ICR mice. The administration of 1.1, 2.2, and 3.3 MBq of 211At-MABG induced transient body weight loss, and 4.4 MBq of 211At-MABG induced unrecoverable body weight loss; thus, the MTD was 3.3 MBq for ICR mice. Although by day 5 the administration of 3.3 MBq had induced some radiation-related toxicity symptoms—such as body weight loss and leucopenia, which are generally observed in radiation therapy including β−-emitting radiopharmaceuticals—the mice had recovered by day 28. We observed no unexpected severe toxicity in ICR mice despite the high absorbed doses in most organs, especially the thyroid, heart, stomach, and adrenal glands. Our findings suggest that therapeutic treatments with appropriate doses of 211At-MABG estimated by dosimetry in each patient could be tolerated, although lower doses may initially be necessary to ensure patient safety in the first-in-human study.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 18F-labeled α-methyl-substituted amino acids exerts significant influence on differential diagnosis of malignant tumors and tumor-like lesions. Exclusive uptake via L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), a tumor-specific transporter, accounts for their excellent tumor specificity and low background accumulation. However, further refinement and optimization in their tumor accumulation and pharmacokinetics are sorely needed. To address these issues, we newly designed 18F-labeled α-methyl-phenylalanine (18F-FAMP) regioisomers (2-, 3-, or 4-18F-FAMP) and stereoisomers (L- or D-form), and we comprehensively evaluated their potential as tumor-imaging agents. 18F-FAMPs were prepared from α-methyl phenylalanine by electrophilic radiofluorination and purified by reversed-phase HPLC. In biodistribution studies on normal mice, L-2-18F-FAMP and the three D-18F-FAMPs showed faster blood clearance and lower renal accumulation than L-3-18F-FAMP or L-4-18F-FAMP. In LS180 human colorectal cancer cell line xenograft mice, L-2-18F-FAMP exhibited significantly higher tumor accumulation than the D-18F-FAMPs or a clinically relevant tracer, L-3-18F-α-methyl-tyrosine (18F-FAMT) (p < 0.05). The renal accumulation levels of L-2-18F-FAMP were significantly lower than that of 18F-FAMT (p < 0.01). LAT-1 specificity of L-2-18F-FAMP was validated in the cellular uptake studies. The PET imaging with L-2-18F-FAMP clearly visualized the tumor as early as 1 h after injection, and the high tumor accumulation level was retained for 3 h. These findings suggest that L-2-18F-FAMP constitutes a potential PET tracer for tumor-specific imaging.

The 211At-labeled compound, 4-[211At]astato-L-phenylalanine, is one of the most promising amino acid derivatives for use in targeted alpha therapy (TAT) for various cancers. Electrophilic demetallation of a stannyl precursor is the most widely used approach for labeling biomolecules with 211At. However, the low acid-resistance of the stannyl precursor necessitates the use of an N- and C-terminus-protected precursor, which results in a low overall radiochemical yield (RCY) due to the multiple synthetic steps involved. In this study, a deprotected organosilyl compound, 4-triethylsilyl-L-phenylalanine, was employed for the direct synthesis of astatinated phenylalanines. 211At was separately recovered from the irradiated 209Bi target using chloroform (CHCl3) and N-chlorosuccinimide-methanol (NCS-MeOH) solution. The RCYs of 4-[211At]astato-L-phenylalanine obtained from the triethylsilyl precursor with the use of 211At, isolated in CHCl3 and NCS-MeOH solution, were 75% and 64% respectively. In both cases, the retention time of the 4-[211At]astato-L-phenylalanine was found to be about 20 min, which showed reasonable correlation with the retention time of non-radioactive 4-halo-L-phenylalanines (4-chloro-, 4-bromo-, and 4-iodo-L-phenylalanine). The one-step reaction examined in this study involved mild reaction conditions (70 °C) and a short time (10 min) compared to the other currently reported procedures for astatination. Electrophilic desilylation was found to be very effective for the labeling of aromatic amino acids with 211At.

Targeted α-particle therapy is a promising option for patients with malignant pheochromocytoma. Recent observations regarding meta-211At-astato-benzylguanidine (211At-MABG) in a pheochromocytoma mouse model showed a strong anti-tumor effect, though the molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, we present the first comprehensive RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data for pheochromocytoma cells based on in vitro 211At-MABG administration experiments. Key genes and pathways in the tumor α-particle radiation response are also examined to obtain potential response biomarkers. Methods: We evaluated genome-wide transcriptional alterations in the rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 at 3, 6, and 12 h after 211At-MABG treatment; a control experiment using 60Co γ-ray irradiation was carried out to highlight 211At-MABG-specific gene expression. For comparisons, 10% and 80% iso-survival doses (0.8 and 0.1 kBq/mL for 211At-MABG and 10 and 1 Gy for 60Co γ-rays) were used. Results: Enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and analysis of the gene expression profiles of cell cycle checkpoints revealed similar modes of cell death via the p53-p21 signaling pathway after 211At-MABG treatment and γ-ray irradiation. The top list of ranked DEGs demonstrated the expression of key genes on the decrease in the survival following 211At-MABG exposure, and four potential genes (Mien1, Otub1, Vdac1 and Vegfa genes) of 211At-MABG therapy. Western blot analysis indicated increased expression of TSPO in 211At-MABG-treated cells, suggesting its potential as a PET imaging probe. Conclusion: Comprehensive RNA-seq revealed contrasting cellular responses to γ-ray and α-particle therapy, leading to the identification of four potential candidate genes that may serve as molecular imaging and 211At-MABG therapy targets.

Targeted α-radionuclide therapy has attracted attention as a promising therapy for refractory cancers. However, the application is limited to certain types of cancer. Since L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is highly expressed in various human cancers, we prepared an LAT1-selective α-radionuclide-labeled amino acid analog, 2-[2-[2-[2-[This is the first report of an LAT1-targeting radiopharmaceutical for α-radionuclide therapy; this agent would be applicable for the treatment of various types of cancer.

Introduction Targeted α-radionuclide therapy has attracted attention as a promising therapy for refractory cancers. However, the application is limited to certain types of cancer. Since L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is highly expressed in various human cancers, we prepared an LAT1-selective α-radionuclide-labeled amino acid analog, 2-[211At]astato-α-methyl-L-phenylalanine (2-[211At]AAMP), and evaluated its potential as a therapeutic agent. Methods 2-[211At]AAMP was prepared from the stannyl precursor. Stability of 2-[211At]AAMP was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro studies using an LAT1-expressing human ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV3, were performed to evaluate cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of 2-[211At]AAMP. Biodistribution and therapeutic studies in SKOV3-bearing mice were performed after intravenous injection of 2-[211At]AAMP. Results 2-[211At]AAMP was stable in murine plasma in vitro and excreted intact into urine. Cellular uptake of 2-[211At]AAMP was inhibited by treatment with an LAT1-selective inhibitor. After 24 h incubation, 2-[211At]AAMP suppressed clonogenic growth at 10 kBq/ml, and induced cell death and DNA double-strand breaks at 25 kBq/ml. When injected into mice, 2-[211At]AAMP exhibited peak accumulation in the tumor at 30 min postinjection, and radioactivity levels in the tumor were retained up to 60 min. The majority of the radioactivity was rapidly eliminated from the body into urine in an intact form immediately after injection. 2-[211At]AAMP significantly improved the survival of mice (P Conclusion 2-[211At]AAMP showed α-radiation-dependent cellular growth inhibition after it was taken up via LAT1. In addition, 2-[211At]AAMP had a beneficial effect on survival in vivo. These findings suggest that 2-[211At]AAMP would be useful for the treatment of LAT1-positive cancer. Advances in knowledge and implications for patient care This is the first report of an LAT1-targeting radiopharmaceutical for α-radionuclide therapy; this agent would be applicable for the treatment of various types of cancer.

We aimed to estimate in vivoWe used the framework of the Monte Carlo method to create 3200 virtual experimental data sets of activity concentrations (kBq/g) to get the statistical information. Time activity concentration curves were produced using the fitting method of a genetic algorithm. The basic method was that absorbed doses ofVirtual experiments showed thatThe present RAP dose conversion method could estimate

Purpose Therapeutic options for patients with malignant pheochromocytoma are currently limited, and therefore new treatment approaches are being sought. Targeted radionuclide therapy provides tumor-specific systemic treatments. The β-emitting radiopharmaceutical meta-131I-iodo-benzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) provides limited survival benefits and has adverse effects. A new generation of radionuclides for therapy using α-particles including meta-211At-astato-benzylguanidine (211At-MABG) are expected to have strong therapeutic effects with minimal side effects. However, this possibility has not been evaluated in an animal model of pheochromocytoma. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the α-emitter 211At-MABG in a pheochromocytoma model. Methods We evaluated tumor volume-reducing effects of 211At-MABG using rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 tumor-bearing mice. PC12 tumor-bearing mice received intravenous injections of 211At-MABG (0.28, 0.56, 1.11, 1.85, 3.70 and 5.55 MBq; five mice per group). Tumor volumes were evaluated for 8 weeks after 211At-MABG administration. The control group of ten mice received phosphate-buffered saline. Results The 211At-MABG-treated mice showed significantly lower relative tumor growth during the first 38 days than the control mice. The relative tumor volumes on day 21 were 509.2% ± 169.1% in the control mice and 9.6% ± 5.5% in the mice receiving 0.56 MBq (p

(1) Background: Deferoxamine B (DFO) is the most widely used chelator for labeling of zirconium-89 (89Zr) to monoclonal antibody (mAb). Despite the remarkable developments of the clinical 89Zr-immuno-PET, chemical species and stability constants of the Zr-DFO complexes remain controversial. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate their stability constants by identifying species of Zr-DFO complexes and demonstrate that the stability constants can estimate radiochemical yield (RCY) and chelator-to-antibody ratio (CAR). (2) Methods: Zr-DFO species were determined by UV and ESI-MS spectroscopy. Stability constants and speciation of the Zr-DFO complex were redetermined by potentiometric titration. Complexation inhibition of Zr-DFO by residual impurities was investigated by competition titration. (3) Results: Unknown species, ZrHqDFO2, were successfully detected by nano-ESI-Q-MS analysis. We revealed that a dominant specie under radiolabeling condition (pH 7) was ZrHDFO, and its stability constant (logβ111) was 49.1 ± 0.3. Competition titration revealed that residual oxalate inhibits Zr-DFO complex formation. RCYs in different oxalate concentration (0.1 and 0.04 mol/L) were estimated to be 86% and &gt, 99%, which was in good agreement with reported results (87%, 97%). (4) Conclusion: This study succeeded in obtaining accurate stability constants of Zr-DFO complexes and estimating RCY and CAR from accurate stability constants established in this study.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with

The 211At-labeled compound, 4-[211At]astato-l-phenylalanine, is one of the most promising amino acid derivatives for use in targeted alpha therapy (TAT) for various cancers. Electrophilic demetallation of a stannyl precursor is the most widely used approach for labeling biomolecules with 211At. However, the low acid-resistance of the stannyl precursor necessitates the use of an N- and C-terminus-protected precursor, which results in a low overall radiochemical yield (RCY) due to the multiple synthetic steps involved. In this study, a deprotected organosilyl compound, 4-triethylsilyl-l-phenylalanine, was employed for the direct synthesis of astatinated phenylalanines. 211At was separately recovered from the irradiated 209Bi target using chloroform (CHCl3) and N-chlorosuccinimide-methanol (NCS-MeOH) solution. The RCYs of 4-[211At]astato-l-phenylalanine obtained from the triethylsilyl precursor with the use of 211At, isolated in CHCl3 and NCS-MeOH solution, were 75% and 64% respectively. In both cases, the retention time of the 4-[211At]astato-l-phenylalanine was found to be about 20 min, which showed reasonable correlation with the retention time of non-radioactive 4-halo-l-phenylalanines (4-chloro-, 4-bromo-, and 4-iodo-l-phenylalanine). The one-step reaction examined in this study involved mild reaction conditions (70 °C) and a short time (10 min) compared to the other currently reported procedures for astatination. Electrophilic desilylation was found to be very effective for the labeling of aromatic amino acids with 211At.

System l amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is highly expressed in various types of human cancer, and contributes to cancer growth and survival. Recently, we have shown that LAT1 expression is closely related to the growth and aggressiveness of esophageal cancer, and is an independent marker of poor prognosis. However, it remains unclear whether LAT1 inhibition could suppress esophageal cancer growth. In this study, we investigated the tumor-suppressive effects of the inhibition of LAT1. Both LAT1 and CD98, which covalently associates to LAT1 on the membrane, were expressed in human esophageal cancer cell lines KYSE30 and KYSE150. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of LAT1 was much higher than other subtypes of LAT. A selective inhibitor of LAT, 2-aminobicyclo-(2,2,1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), suppressed cellular uptake of l-14 C-leucine and cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. It also suppressed phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin, 4E-BP1, and p70S6K protein, and induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. These results suggest that suppression of both mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and cell cycle progression is involved in BCH-induced growth inhibition. In tumor-bearing mice, daily treatment with BCH significantly delayed tumor growth and decreased glucose metabolism, indicating that LAT1 inhibition potentially suppresses esophageal cancer growth in vivo. Thus, our results suggest that LAT1 inhibition could be a promising molecular target for the esophageal cancer therapy.

Targeted α-particle therapy is a promising option for patients with malignant pheochromocytoma. Recent observations regarding meta-211At-astato-benzylguanidine (211At-MABG) in a pheochromocytoma mouse model showed a strong anti-tumor effect, though the molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, we present the first comprehensive RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data for pheochromocytoma cells based on in vitro 211At-MABG administration experiments. Key genes and pathways in the tumor α-particle radiation response are also examined to obtain potential response biomarkers. Methods: We evaluated genome-wide transcriptional alterations in the rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 at 3, 6, and 12 h after 211At-MABG treatment; a control experiment using 60Co γ-ray irradiation was carried out to highlight 211At-MABG-specific gene expression. For comparisons, 10% and 80% iso-survival doses (0.8 and 0.1 kBq/mL for 211At-MABG and 10 and 1 Gy for 60Co γ-rays) were used. Results: Enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and analysis of the gene expression profiles of cell cycle checkpoints revealed similar modes of cell death via the p53-p21 signaling pathway after 211At-MABG treatment and γ-ray irradiation. The top list of ranked DEGs demonstrated the expression of key genes on the decrease in the survival following 211At-MABG exposure, and four potential genes (Mien1, Otub1, Vdac1 and Vegfa genes) of 211At-MABG therapy. Western blot analysis indicated increased expression of TSPO in 211At-MABG-treated cells, suggesting its potential as a PET imaging probe. Conclusion: Comprehensive RNA-seq revealed contrasting cellular responses to γ-ray and α-particle therapy, leading to the identification of four potential candidate genes that may serve as molecular imaging and 211At-MABG therapy targets.

More than a hundred years have passed since W. C. Rontgen found X-ray in 1895. During this period, radiation is used for not only diagnosis and treatment of disease but also elucidation of principal of life through research on human and living things. In Japan, cancer is the leading cause of the death of the people, and radiation plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In this chapter, I will outline the situation of radiation use which is indispensable for research and development of the medical field and medical science which supports it, including diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Astatine-211 is a promising radionuclide for targeted radiotherapy. It is required to image the distribution of targeted radiotherapeutic agents in a patient's body for optimization of treatment strategies. We proposed to image 211At with high-energy photons to overcome some problems in conventional planar or single-photon emission computed tomography imaging. We performed an imaging experiment of a point-like 211At source using a Compton camera, and demonstrated the capability of imaging 211At with the high-energy photons for the first time.

UNLABELLED Radiolabeled amino acids are superior PET tracers for the imaging of malignant tumors, and amino acids labeled with (76)Br, an attractive positron emitter because of its relatively long half-life (16.2 h), could potentially be a widely usable tumor imaging tracer. In this study, in consideration of its stability and tumor specificity, we designed two (76)Br-labeled amino acid derivatives, 2-(76)Br-bromo-α-methyl-l-phenylalanine (2-(76)Br-BAMP) and 4-(76)Br-bromo-α-methyl-l-phenylalanine (4-(76)Br-BAMP), and investigated their potential as tumor imaging agents. METHODS Both (76)Br- and (77)Br-labeled amino acid derivatives were prepared. We performed in vitro and in vivo stability studies and cellular uptake studies using the LS180 colon adenocarcinoma cell line. Biodistribution studies in normal mice and in LS180 tumor-bearing mice were performed, and the tumors were imaged with a small-animal PET scanner. RESULTS Both (77)Br-BAMPs were stable in the plasma and in the murine body. Although both (77)Br-BAMPs were taken up by LS180 cells and the uptake was inhibited by L-type amino acid transporter 1 inhibitors, 2-(77)Br-BAMP exhibited higher uptake than 4-(77)Br-BAMP. In the biodistribution studies, 2-(77)Br-BAMP showed more rapid blood clearance and lower renal accumulation than 4-(77)Br-BAMP. More than 90% of the injected radioactivity was excreted in the urine by 6 h after the injection of 2-(77)Br-BAMP. High tumor accumulation of 2-(77)Br-BAMP was observed in tumor-bearing mice, and PET imaging with 2-(76)Br-BAMP enabled clear visualization of the tumors. CONCLUSION 2-(77)Br-BAMP exhibited preferred pharmacokinetics and high LS180 tumor accumulation, and 2-(76)Br-BAMP enabled clear visualization of the tumors by PET imaging. These findings suggest that 2-(76)Br-BAMP could constitute a potential new PET tracer for tumor imaging and may eventually enable the wider use of amino acid tracers.

Production cross sections of astatine isotopes 207−211At in the 29–57 MeV 7Li + natPb reaction have been measured by α- and γ-ray spectrometry. Excitation functions of production cross sections have been compared with a statistical calculation to study the reaction mechanism of the 7Li + natPb reaction. Production reactions of 207−211At in the 7Li + natPb have been derived. Considerably small experimental cross sections of 210At and 209At compared with the statistical calculation were clearly observed at incident energies higher than 44 MeV, indicating that the effects of breakup reaction play a role. A chemical separation of astatine from an irradiated lead target has been studied with a dry-distillation method. A complementary way to produce astatine isotopes has been developed.

Radionuclide therapy with low-energy auger electron emitters may provide high antitumor efficacy while keeping the toxicity to normal organs low. Here we evaluated the usefulness of an auger electron emitter and compared it with that of a beta emitter for tumor treatment in in vitro models and conducted a dosimetry simulation using radioiodine-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) as a model compound. We evaluated the cellular uptake of 125I-MIBG and the therapeutic effects of 125I- and 131I-MIBG in 2D and 3D PC-12 cell culture models. We used a Monte Carlo simulation code (PHITS) to calculate the absorbed radiation dose of 125I or 131I in computer simulation models for 2D and 3D cell cultures. In the dosimetry calculation for the 3D model, several distribution patterns of radionuclide were applied. A higher cumulative dose was observed in the 3D model due to the prolonged retention of MIBG compared to the 2D model. However, 125I-MIBG showed a greater therapeutic effect in the 2D model compared to the 3D model (respective EC50 values in the 2D and 3D models: 86.9 and 303.9 MBq/cell), whereas 131I-MIBG showed the opposite result (respective EC50 values in the 2D and 3D models: 49.4 and 30.2 MBq/cell). The therapeutic effect of 125I-MIBG was lower than that of 131I-MIBG in both models, but the radionuclide-derived difference was smaller in the 2D model. The dosimetry simulation with PHITS revealed the influence of the radiation quality, the crossfire effect, radionuclide distribution, and tumor shape on the absorbed dose. Application of the heterogeneous distribution series dramatically changed the radiation dose distribution of 125I-MIBG, and mitigated the difference between the estimated and measured therapeutic effects of 125I-MIBG. The therapeutic effect of 125I-MIBG was comparable to that of 131I-MIBG in the 2D model, but the efficacy was inferior to that of 131I-MIBG in the 3D model, since the crossfire effect is negligible and the homogeneous distribution of radionuclides was insufficient. Thus, auger electrons would be suitable for treating small-sized tumors. The design of radiopharmaceuticals with auger electron emitters requires particularly careful consideration of achieving a homogeneous distribution of the compound in the tumor.

α-Radiation effect on the solvent extraction of 241Am using the solution of N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyldiglycolamide was investigated by means of the external and internal irradiation systems. In contrast to the internal irradiation system using an actinide radionuclide as an α-particles emitter, the external irradiation with 4He2+ ions provided by an accelerator can be carried out in a reasonable timescale and without contamination with radionuclides. No significant decrease in distribution ratio was observed even after irradiation over 200 kGy in both systems. It was also confirmed that the external irradiation system could be a useful alternative to the internal irradiation.

No-carrier-added 177Lu produced via the 176Yb(n, γ)177Yb → 177Lu process was separated from the macroscopic amounts of the Yb target using reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography. To produce a highly purified 177Lu solution capable of labeling antibodies, the metallic impurities were removed using cation, chelating ion, and anion exchange columns. After the elimination of metallic impurities, the concentrations of Ca, Fe, and Zn were reduced from 87, 340, and 77 ppb to 13, 18, and 9 ppb, respectively. Consequently, the labeling yield of the 177Lu-labeled antibody increased from

Background: Amino-acid transporters are necessary for the tumour cell growth and survival, and have a crucial role in the development and invasiveness of cancer cells. But, it remains unclear about the prognostic significance of L-type amino-acid transporter 1 (LAT1), system ASC amino-acid transporter-2 (ASCT2), and xCT expression in patients with tongue cancer. We conducted the clinicopathological study to investigate the protein expression of these amino-acid transporters in tongue cancer. Methods: Eighty-five patients with surgically resected tongue cancer were evaluated. Tumour sections were stained by immunohistochemistry for LAT1, ASCT2, xCT, 4F2hc/CD98hc (4F2hc), Ki-67, and microvessel density (MVD) determined by CD34, and p53. Results: L-type amino-acid transporter 1 and 4F2hc were highly expressed in 61% (52 out of 85) and 45% (38 out of 47), respectively. ASC amino-acid transporter-2 and xCT were positively expressed in 59% (50 out of 85) and 21% (18 out of 85), respectively. The expression of both LAT1 and ASCT2 was significantly associated with disease staging, lymph-node metastasis, lymphatic permeation, 4F2hc expression and cell proliferation (Ki-67). xCT expression indicated a significant association with advanced stage and tumour factor. By univariate analysis, disease staging, lymphatic permeation, vascular invasion, LAT1, ASCT2, 4F2hc, and Ki-67 had a significant relationship with overall survival. Multivariate analysis confirmed that LAT1 was an independent prognostic factor for predicting poor prognosis. Conclusions: L-type amino-acid transporter 1 and ASCT2 can serve as a significant prognostic factor for predicting worse outcome after surgical treatment and may have an important role in the development and aggressiveness of tongue cancer.

Purpose: 18F-FAMT as an amino-acid tracer for positron emission tomography (PET) is useful for detecting human neoplasms. 18F-FAMT is accumulated in tumour cells solely via L-type amino-acid transporter 1 (LAT1). This study was conducted to investigate the biological significance of 18F-FAMT uptake in patients with oesophageal cancer. Methods: From April 2008 to December 2011, 42 patients with oesophageal cancer underwent both 18F-FAMT PET/CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT before surgical treatment. The immunohistochemical analysis of LAT1, CD98, Ki-67, CD34, p53, p-Akt and p-mTOR was performed on the primary lesions. In vitro experiments were performed to examine the mechanism of 18F-FAMT uptake. Results: High uptake of 18F-FAMT was significantly associated with advanced stage, lymph node metastasis and the expression of LAT1, CD98, Ki-67 and CD34. LAT1 expression yielded a statistically significant correlation with CD98 expression, cell proliferation, angiogenesis and glucose metabolism. In vitro experiments revealed that 18F-FAMT was specifically transported by LAT1. Conclusions: The uptake of 18F-FAMT within tumour cells is determined by the LAT1 expression and correlated with cell proliferation and angiogenesis in oesophageal cancer. The present experiments also confirmed the presence of LAT1 as an underlying mechanism of 18F-FAMT accumulation.

Glutathione is a tripeptide involved in various aspects of plant metabolism. This study investigated the effects of the reduced form of glutathione (GSH) applied to specific organs (source leaves, sink leaves, and roots) on cadmium (Cd) distribution and behaviour in the roots of oilseed rape plants (Brassica napus) cultured hydroponically. The translocation ratio of Cd from roots to shoots was significantly lower in plants that had root treatment of GSH than in control plants. GSH applied to roots reduced the Cd concentration in the symplast sap of root cells and inhibited root-to-shoot Cd translocation via xylem vessels significantly. GSH applied to roots also activated Cd efflux from root cells to the hydroponic solution. Inhibition of root-to-shoot translocation of Cd was visualized, and the activation of Cd efflux from root cells was also shown by using a positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS). This study investigated a similar inhibitory effect on root-to-shoot translocation of Cd by the oxidized form of glutathione, GSSG. Inhibition of Cd accumulation by GSH was abolished by a low-temperature treatment. Root cells of plants exposed to GSH in the root zone had less Cd available for xylem loading by actively excluding Cd from the roots. Consequently, root-to-shoot translocation of Cd was suppressed and Cd accumulation in the shoot decreased.

Whole-plant imaging for studying the complete carbon kinetics involved in photosynthesis and subsequent photoassimilate translocation and unloading was achieved using a positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS) in combination with 11CO2 gas tracer. In an experiment with a soybean (Glycine max cultivar Jack) plant, it was confirmed that the dynamic PETIS image data obtained followed the conservation law for total carbon. Thus, the proposed PETIS technique is a feasible noninvasive and quantitative solution to study the carbon dynamics over an entire plant in environmental and agricultural studies.

Introduction 3-[ 18 F]fluoro-α-methyl-l-tyrosine ([ 18 F]FAMT) is a useful amino acid tracer for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of malignant tumors. FAMT analogs labeled with 76 Br, a positron emitter with a long half-life ( t 1/2 =16.1 h), could potentially be widely used as amino acid tracers for tumor imaging. In this study, 3-[ 76 Br]bromo-α-methyl-l-tyrosine ([ 76 Br]BAMT) was designed, and its usefulness was evaluated as a novel PET tracer for imaging malignant tumors. Methods In this study, both [ 76 Br]BAMT and [ 77 Br]BAMT were prepared. The in vitro and in vivo stability of [ 77 Br]BAMT was evaluated by HPLC analysis. Cellular uptake and retention of [ 77 Br]BAMT and [ 18 F]FAMT were evaluated using LS180 colon adenocarcinoma cells. Biodistribution studies were performed in normal mice and in LS180 tumor-bearing mice, and the tumors were imaged with a small-animal PET scanner. Results [ 77 Br]BAMT was stable in vitro but was catabolized after administration in mice. Cellular accumulation and retention of [ 77 Br]BAMT were significantly higher than those of [ 18 F]FAMT. In biodistribution studies, the tumor accumulation of [ 77 Br]BAMT was higher than that of [ 18 F]FAMT. However, some level of debromination was seen, which caused more retention of radioactivity in the blood and organs than was seen with [ 18 F]FAMT. PET imaging with [ 76 Br]BAMT enabled clear visualization of the tumor, and the whole-body image using [ 76 Br]BAMT was similar to that using [ 18 F]FAMT. Conclusions [ 77 Br]BAMT showed high levels of tumor accumulation, and [ 76 Br]BAMT enabled clear visualization of the tumor by PET imaging. Although an improvement in stability is still needed, 76 Br-labeled FAMT analogs could potentially serve as PET tracers for the imaging of malignant tumors.

Carbon kinetics into the fruit is an agricultural issue on the growth and development of the sink organs to be harvested. Particularly, photoassimilate translocation and distribution are important topics for understanding the mechanism. In the present work, carbon-11 (11C) labeled photoassimilate translocation into fruits of tomato has been imaged using carbon-11-labeled carbon dioxide and the positron emission tomography (PET). Dynamice PET data of gradual increasing of 11C activity and its distribution is acquired quantitatively in intact plant body. This indicates that the 3-D photoassimilate translocation into the fruits is imaged successfully and carbon kinetics is analyzable to understand the plant physiology and nutrition.