Tc-Radiolabeled Silica Nanocarriers for Targeted Detection and Treatment of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

Introduction: The overexpression of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) is usually associated with aggressive and infiltrating breast cancer (BC) phenotype, and metastases. Functionalized silica-based nanocarriers (SiNPs) can be labeled for in vivo imaging applications and loaded with chemotherapy drugs, making possible the simultaneous noninvasive diagnosis and treatment (theranostic) for HER2-positive BC.

Methods: Firstly, FITC-filled SiNPs, were engineered with two different amounts of Hc-TZ (trastuzumab half-chain) per single nanoparticle (1:2 and 1:8, SiNPs to Hc-TZ ratio), which was Tc-radiolabeled at histidine residues for ex vivo and in vivo biodistribution evaluations.

Glycine -methylation in NGR-Tagged Nanocarriers Prevents Isoaspartate formation and Integrin Binding without Impairing CD13 Recognition and Tumor Homing.

NGR (asparagine-glycine-arginine) is a tumor vasculature-homing peptide motif widely used for the functionalization of drugs, nanomaterials and imaging compounds for cancer treatment and diagnosis. Unfortunately, this motif has a strong propensity to undergo rapid deamidation. This reaction, which converts NGR into DGR, is associated with receptor switching from CD13 to integrins, with potentially important manufacturing, pharmacological and toxicological implications.

Development of Tc-radiolabeled nanosilica for targeted detection of HER2-positive breast cancer.

The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is normally associated with a highly aggressive and infiltrating phenotype in breast cancer lesions with propensity to spread into metastases. In clinic, the detection of HER2 in primary tumors and in their metastases is currently based on invasive methods. Recently, nuclear molecular imaging techniques, including positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), allowed the detection of HER2 lesions in vivo.

Automated production of copper radioisotopes and preparation of high specific activity [(64)Cu]Cu-ATSM for PET studies.

(60)Cu and (64)Cu are useful radioisotopes for positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals and may be used for the preparation of promising agents for diagnosis and radiotherapy. In this study, the production and purification of (60/64)Cu starting from (60/64)Ni using a new automated system, namely Alceo, is described. A dynamic process for electrodeposition and dissolution of (60/64)Ni/(60/64)Cu was developed.