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Quantitative PET of EGFR expression in xenograft-bearing mice using 64Cu-labeled cetuximab, a chimeric anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody

  • Molecular imaging
  • Published:
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Cetuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the surface of cancer cells, was approved by the FDA to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. It is currently also in advanced-stage development for the treatment of several other solid tumors. Here we report for the first time the quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of EGFR expression in xenograft-bearing mice using 64Cu-labeled cetuximab.

Methods

We conjugated cetuximab with macrocyclic chelating agent 1,4,7,10-tetraazadodecane-N,N′,N′′,N′′′-tetraacetic acid (DOTA), labeled with 64Cu, and tested the resulting 64Cu-DOTA-cetuximab in seven xenograft tumor models. The tracer uptake measured by PET was correlated with the EGFR expression quantified by western blotting. The estimated human dosimetry based on the PET data in Sprague-Dawley rats was also calculated.

Results

MicroPET imaging showed that 64Cu-DOTA-cetuximab had increasing tumor activity accumulation over time in EGFR-positive tumors but relatively low uptake in EGFR-negative tumors at all times examined (<5%ID/g). There was a good correlation (R 2 = 0.80) between the tracer uptake (measured by PET) and the EGFR expression level (measured by western blotting). Human dosimetry estimation indicated that the tracer may be safely administered to human patients for tumor diagnosis, with the dose-limiting organ being the liver.

Conclusion

The success of EGFR-positive tumor imaging using 64Cu-DOTA-cetuximab can be translated into the clinic to characterize the pharmacokinetics, to select the right population of patients for EGFR-targeted therapy, to monitor the therapeutic efficacy of anti-EGFR treatment, and to optimize the dosage of either cetuximab alone or cetuximab in combination with other therapeutic agents.

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Acknowledgements

This project was financially supported by National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) (R21 EB001785), National Cancer Institute (NCI) (R21 CA102123, P50 CA114747, U54 CA119367, and R24 CA93862), Department of Defense (DOD) (W81XWH-04-1-0697, W81XWH-06-1-0665, W81XWH-06-1-0042, and DAMD17-03-1-0143), and a Benedict Cassen Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Education and Research Foundation of the Society of Nuclear Medicine (to W.Cai).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology and Bio-X Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Rd P095, Stanford, CA, 94305-5484, USA

    Weibo Cai, Kai Chen, Lina He, Qizhen Cao & Xiaoyuan Chen

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Albert Koong

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  1. Weibo Cai
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  2. Kai Chen
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  3. Lina He
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  4. Qizhen Cao
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  5. Albert Koong
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  6. Xiaoyuan Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaoyuan Chen.

Additional information

Weibo Cai and Kai Chen contributed equally to this work.

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Cai, W., Chen, K., He, L. et al. Quantitative PET of EGFR expression in xenograft-bearing mice using 64Cu-labeled cetuximab, a chimeric anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 34, 850–858 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-006-0361-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-006-0361-6

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