Molecular Imaging of Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Breast Cancer
| Institution: | University of California, San Francisco | ||
| Investigator(s): |
Ella Jones , Ph.D. -
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| Award Cycle: | 2007 (Cycle 13) | Grant #: 13IB-0061 | Award: $149,600 |
| Award Type: | IDEA | ||
| Research Priorities | |||
| Imaging, Biomarkers, & Molecular Pathology>Biomarkers and novel screening approaches: unmasking the hidden signs | |||
Initial Award Abstract (2007)
Accurate staging of lymph nodes is a critical component in determining whether the tumor is likely to have metastasized, which dictates the therapeutic options for cancer patients. Currently, the most common practice of assessing lymph nodes is excision (lymphadenectomy) followed by microscopic (histological) evaluation to detect cancer cells. However, this is an invasive procedure that causes tissue damage and leads to lymphedema. Sentinel node biopsy is an improvement, such that many patients can be spared from the need for more extensive lymph node staging. Some current approaches being explored to improve lymph node imaging include: a) lymphography to evaluate the internal nodal architecture; b) cross-sectional imaging using CT and MRI to assess the primary tumor and lymph nodes along the drainage path, and c) optical fluorescence imaging. Unfortunately none of these techniques can accurately detect malignancy. Recently, PET/CT imaging showed promise, but false-positives can occur due to non-cancer inflammation and infections. Therefore, a non-invasive imaging technique is needed to not only to visualize lymph nodes, but also to characterize the metastatic status of tumor cells that might be present. In this proposal, we plan to develop a novel molecular imaging probe for assessing the metastatic status of lymph nodes in breast cancer. Cathepsin B, a lysosomal cysteine protease, is a known biomarker responsible for cancer invasion and metastasis. It is highly expressed in aggressive human breast cancer cells. Our goal is to exploit the Cathepsin B “molecular signature” and use these properties to determine the degree of tumor cell infiltration into the lymphatic system. Our strategy is to use a “dendrimer”-based probe with fluorogenic properties (i.e., detected by near-infrared light) that contains peptides that are cleaved by Cathepsin B. We plan to test this approach in mouse models of breast cancer and use newly-developed optical detection instruments to differentiate tumor vs. normal lymph nodes. The dendrimer- Cathepsin B probes should remain optically “silent” until cleaved by Cathepsin B at sites of tumor cell infiltration. My collaborator, Francis Szoka at UCSF, is a leader in the development and application of dendrimers (uniform populations of repeatedly branched, synthetic molecules, like tiny snowflakes) in the field of nanotechnology. This project aims to develop a non-invasive imaging probe to characterize lymph nodes and breast cancer metastases at molecular level. This molecular imaging probe not only will offer a non-invasive method to visualize lymph nodes, it will potentially provide quantifiable information of tumor invasion. Because the procedure will be performed without surgical intervention, common side effects, such as lymphedema, can be avoided.
Progress Report 1 (2008)
Cathepsin B is a cysteinyl-type digestive protease that exists in the lysosome organelle within the cell. In malignant tumors however, Cathepsin B is produced errantly in large quantities onto the cell surface. The overexpression of Cathepsin B facilitates the degradation of the cell basement membranes and facilitates metastasis into the lymphatic system. Therefore, the presence of Cathepsin B in the lymph node is prosnostically significant in determining the malignancy of the disease. A novel “molecular beacon” (nanotechnology) is being synthesized on our lab to take advantage of Cathepsin B's digestive activity to indicate its presence in the lymph nodes. Two components of the molecular probe have been synthesized, a dendrimeric delivery vehicle and a Cathepsin B-specific peptidic reporter. The delivery vehicle is built on a second-generation hyperbranched polymer (HBP), where its surface is linked with multiple methylated polyethylene glycol (m-PEG) chains through a highly efficient "Click" chemical reaction. The second component of the molecular beacon is a peptide sequence (propargyl-KQSVGFRFGSG) that is attached with a fluorescent dye at the lysine and a quencher at the cysteine at opposite ends. Natively, the quencher extinguishes the fluorescence of the dye, making the probe optically silent. Upon digestion by Cathepsin B, the quencher is cut away and the “molecular beacon” is turned on. Once the two main parts of the molecular probe are synthesized, they will be linked together by a spacer that is designed to move the peptidic reporter away from the nanoparticle core. This makes it easier for Cathepsin B to digest the peptide. Subsequent to the assembly of the molecular probe, evaluation of the construct will be performed with Cathepsin B along with a panel of other enzymes. In vivo evaluations will be performed once the probe has demonstrated good selectivity for Cathepsin B.
