Theranostics 2018; 8(9):2313-2328. doi:10.7150/thno.22027 This issue Cite
Research Paper
1. Department of Gastroenterology and Oncology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
2. Division of Human Health & Medical Science, Graduate School of Kuroshio Science, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
3. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
✉ Corresponding author: Tetsuji Takayama, Department of Gastroenterology and Oncology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 3-18-15, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan. Tel: +81-88-633-7124; Fax: +81-88-633-9235; E-mail: takayama@tokushima-u.ac.jp
It is difficult to distinguish gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) from other types of submucosal tumors under conventional gastrointestinal endoscopy. We aimed to detect GISTs by molecular fluorescence imaging using a near-infrared (NIR) photosensitizer (IR700)-conjugated anti-c-KIT antibody and to treat GISTs by photoimmunotherapy with NIR irradiation as a non-invasive theranostic procedure. We also investigated the therapeutic mechanisms.
Methods: Human GIST cell lines GIST-T1 and GIST-882M were incubated with IR700-conjugated anti-c-KIT antibody, IR700-12A8, and observed by confocal laser microscopy. Mice with GIST-T1 xenografts or rats with orthotopic xenografts were injected with IR700-12A8 or AF488-conjugated antibody, and observed under IVIS or autofluorescence imaging (AFI) endoscopy. GIST cells were treated with IR700-12A8 and NIR light in vitro and vivo, and cell viability, histology and apoptosis were evaluated.
Results: Strong red fluorescence of IR700-12A8 was observed on the cell membrane of GIST cells and was gradually internalized into the cytoplasm. Tumor-specific accumulation of IR700-12A8 was observed in GIST-T1 xenografts in mice. Under AFI endoscopy, a strong fluorescence signal was observed in orthotopic GIST xenografts in rats through the normal mucosa covering the tumor. The percentage of dead cells significantly increased in a light-dose-dependent manner and both acute necrotic and late apoptotic cell death was observed with annexin/PI staining. Cleaved PARP expression was significantly increased after IR700-12A8-mediated NIR irradiation, which was almost completely reversed by NaN3. All xenograft tumors (7/7) immediately regressed and 4/7 tumors completely disappeared after IR700-12A8-mediated NIR irradiation. Histologic assessment and TUNEL staining revealed apoptosis in the tumors.
Conclusion: NIR fluorescence imaging using IR700-12A8 and subsequent NIR irradiation could be a very effective theranostic technology for GIST, the underlying mechanism of which appears to involve acute necrosis and supposedly late apoptosis induced by singlet oxygen.
Keywords: gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), c-KIT, fluorescence endoscopy, near-infrared photoimmunotherapy