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Increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is associated with worse prognosis in different cancer types. The wild-type protective antigen (PA-WT) of the binary anthrax lethal toxin was modified to form a pore in cell membranes only when cleaved by MMPs (to form PA-L1). Anthrax lethal factor (LF) is then able to translocate through these pores. Here, we used a <sup>111</sup>In-radiolabeled form of LF with the PA/LF system for noninvasive in vivo imaging of MMP activity in tumor tissue by SPECT. <b>Methods:</b> MMP-mediated activation of PA-L1 was correlated to anthrax receptor expression and MMP activity in a panel of cancer cells (HT1080, MDA-MB-231, B8484, and MCF7). Uptake of <sup>111</sup>In-radiolabeled PA-L1, <sup>111</sup>In-PA-WT<sup>K563C</sup>, or <sup>111</sup>In-LF<sup>E687A</sup> (a catalytically inactive LF mutant) in tumor and normal tissues was measured using SPECT/CT imaging in vivo. <b>Results:</b> Activation of PA-L1 in vitro correlated with anthrax receptor expression and MMP activity (HT1080 > MDA-MB-231 > B8484 > MCF7). PA-L1-mediated delivery of <sup>111</sup>In-LF<sup>E687A</sup> was demonstrated and was corroborated using confocal microscopy with fluorescently labeled LF<sup>E687A</sup> Uptake was blocked by the broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor GM6001. In vivo imaging showed selective accumulation of <sup>111</sup>In-PA-L1 in MDA-MB-231 tumor xenografts (5.7 ± 0.9 percentage injected dose [%ID]/g) at 3 h after intravenous administration. <sup>111</sup>In-LF<sup>E687A</sup> was selectively delivered to MMP-positive MDA-MB-231 tumor tissue by MMP-activatable PA-L1 (5.98 ± 0.62 %ID/g) but not by furin-cleavable PA-WT (1.05 ± 0.21 %ID/g) or a noncleavable PA variant control, PA-U7 (2.74 ± 0.24 %ID/g). <b>Conclusion:</b> Taken together, our results indicate that radiolabeled forms of mutated anthrax lethal toxin hold promise for noninvasive imaging of MMP activity in tumor tissue.

Original publication

DOI

10.2967/jnumed.119.226423

Type

Journal article

Journal

Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine

Publication Date

10/2019

Volume

60

Pages

1474 - 1482

Addresses

Department of Oncology, CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Keywords

Cell Line, Tumor, Animals, Humans, Mice, Neoplasms, Indium Radioisotopes, Matrix Metalloproteinases, Bacterial Toxins, Antigens, Bacterial, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon, Neoplasm Transplantation, Biological Transport, Kinetics, Mutation, Matrix Metalloproteinase 2, Matrix Metalloproteinase 14, MCF-7 Cells