177 Lu-DOTA-EB-TATE, a Radiolabeled Analogue of Somatostatin Receptor Type 2, for the Imaging and Treatment of Thyroid Cancer
Abstract
Purpose: The goal of this study was to analyze the role of somatostatin receptor type 2 (SSTR2) as a molecular target for the imaging and treatment of thyroid cancer through analysis of SSTR2 expression and its epigenetic modulation and testing tumor uptake of different radiolabeled SSTR2 analogues.
Experimental design: We analyzed SSTR2 expression by immunostaining of 92 thyroid cancer tissue samples and quantified standard uptake values (SUVmax) of SSTR2 analogue, 68Ga-DOTA-TATE, by PET/CT imaging in 25 patients with metastatic thyroid cancer. We utilized human thyroid cancer cell lines characterized by differential SSTR2 expression (TT, BCPAP, and FTC133) and rat pancreatic cell line (AR42J) with intrinsically high SSTR2 expression for functional in vitro studies. SSTR2-high (AR42J) and SSTR2-low (FTC133) xenograft mouse models were used to test the uptake of radiolabeled SSTR2 analogues and their therapeutic efficacy in vivo.
Results: Thyroid cancer had a higher SSTR2 expression than normal thyroid. Hurthle cell thyroid cancer was characterized by the highest 68Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake [median SUVmax, 16.5 (7.9-29)] than other types of thyroid cancers. In vivo studies demonstrated that radiolabeled DOTA-EB-TATE is characterized by significantly higher tumor uptake than DOTA-TATE (P < 0.001) and DOTA-JR11 (P < 0.001). Treatment with 177Lu-DOTA-EB-TATE extended survival and reduced tumor size in a mouse model characterized by high somatostatin (SST) analogues uptake (SUVmax, 15.16 ± 4.34), but had no effects in a model with low SST analogues uptake (SUVmax, 4.8 ± 0.27).
Conclusions: A novel SST analogue, 177Lu-DOTA-EB-TATE, has the potential to be translated from bench to bedside for the targeted therapy of patients characterized by high uptake of SST analogues in metastatic lesions
See also:
- Official Web Site: The Di Bella Method;
- Comment In: Somatostatin Receptor Type 2 as an Imaging and Treatment Target for Thyroid Cancer;
- Somatostatin in oncology, the overlooked evidences - In vitro, review and in vivo publications;
- Publication, 2018 Jul: Over-Expression of GH/GHR in Breast Cancer and Oncosuppressor Role of Somatostatin as a Physiological Inhibitor (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Aug: The Entrapment of Somatostatin in a Lipid Formulation: Retarded Release and Free Radical Reactivity (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of Somatostatin and Vitamin C on the Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Cancer Cell Membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2019 Sep: Effects of somatostatin, curcumin, and quercetin on the fatty acid profile of breast cancer cell membranes (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- Publication, 2020 Sep: Two neuroendocrine G protein-coupled receptor molecules, somatostatin and melatonin: Physiology of signal transduction and therapeutic perspectives (from Di Bella's Foundation);
- The Di Bella Method (A Fixed Part - Bromocriptine and/or Cabergoline);
- Neuroblastoma: Complete objective response to biological treatment;
- Oesophageal squamocellular carcinoma: a complete and objective response;
- Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: clinical records on 17 patients treated with Di Bella's Method;
- Complete objective response to biological therapy of plurifocal breast carcinoma.






