Nucl Med Mol Imaging.  2008 Aug;42(4):307-313.

Evaluation of the Radioimmunotherapy Using I-131 Labeled Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor2 Antibody in Melanoma Xenograft Murine Model

• Kim EM
• Jeong HJ
• Park EH
• Cheong SJ
• Lee CM
• Jang K
• Kim DW
• Lim ST
• Sohn MH

Abstract

PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, fetal liver kinase 1 (Flk-1), play an important role in vascular permeability and tumor angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of 131I labeled anti-Flk-1 monoclonal antibody (DC101) on the growth of melanoma tumor, which is known to be very aggressive in vivo. Materials and
METHODS
Balb/c nude mice were injected subcutaneously with melanoma cells in the right flank. Tumors were allowed to grow up to 200-250 mm3 in volume. Gamma camera imaging and biodistribution studies were performed to identify an uptake of 131I-DC101 in various organs. Mice with tumor were randomly divided into five groups (10 mice per group) and injected intravenously; control PBS (group 1), 131I-DC101 50 microgram/mouse (group 2), non-labeled DC101 50 microgram/mouse (group 3), 131I-DC101 30 microgram/mouse (group 4) and 15 microgram/mouse (group 5) every 3 or 4 days for 20 days. Tumor volume was measured with caliper twice a week.
RESULTS
In gamma camera images, the uptake of 131I-DC101 into tumor and thyroid was increased with time. Biodistribution results showed that the radioactivity of blood and other major organ was gradually decreased with time whereas tumor uptake was increased up to 48 hr and then decreased. After 4th injection of 131I-DC101, tumor volume of group 2 and 4 was significantly smaller than that group 1. After 5th injection, the tumor volume of group 5 also significantly reduced.
CONCLUSION
These results indicated that delivery of 131I to tumor using Flk-1 antibody, DC101, effectively blocks tumor growth in aggressive melanoma xenograft model.

Keyword

radioimmunotherapy; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2; melanoma

MeSH Terms

Animals
Capillary Permeability
Gamma Cameras
Melanoma
Mice
Mice, Nude
Radioactivity
Radioimmunotherapy
Thyroid Gland
Transplantation, Heterologous
Tumor Burden
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2