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Noradrenaline transporter gene transfer for radiation cell kill by 131I meta-iodobenzylguanidine

Gene Therapy volume 6, pages 1147–1152 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Meta-iodobenzylguanidine conjugated to 131I-iodine is an effective agent for the targeted radiotherapy of tumors of neural crest origin which express the noradrenaline transporter (NAT). The therapeutic application of 131I MIBG is presently limited to the treatment of phaeochromocytoma, neuroblastoma, carcinoid and medullary thyroid carcinoma. To determine the feasibility of MIBG targeting for a wider range of tumor types, we employed plasmid-mediated transfer of the NAT gene into a human glioblastoma cell line (UVW) which does not express the NAT gene. This resulted in a 15-fold increase in uptake of MIBG by the host cells. A dose-dependent toxicity of 131I MIBG to the transfectants was demonstrated using three methods: (1) survival of clonogens derived from monolayer culture; (2) survival of clonogens derived from disaggregated multicellular spheroids; and (3) spheroid growth delay. 131I MIBG was twice as toxic to cells in spheroids compared with those in monolayers, consistent with a greater effect of radiation cross-fire (radiological bystander effect) from 131I β-radiation in the three-dimensional tumor spheroids. The highest concentration of 131I MIBG tested (1 MBq/ml) was nontoxic to UVW control cells or spheroids transfected with the NAT gene in reverse orientation. These findings are encouraging for the development of NAT gene transfer-mediated 131I MIBG therapy.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Professor Heinz Bonisch and Dr Michael Bruss, University of Bonn, for the kind gift of the bovine noradrenaline transporter cDNA. This project was funded in part by the Department of Health, the Neuroblastoma Society, the British Urological Foundation, The European Community and the Cancer Research Campaign. Thanks also to Professor D Kirk, Department of Urology, Gartnavel Hospital and Professor A Barrett, Beatson Oncology Centre, Western Infirmary, for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Glasgow University, CRC Beatson Laboratories, Glasgow, UK

    M Boyd, S H Cunningham, R J Mairs & T E Wheldon

  2. Department of Urology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, UK

    M M Brown

  3. Department of Child Health, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill Hospital, Glasgow, UK

    R J Mairs

  4. Department of Clinical Physics, West of Glasgow Hospitals University Trust, Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK

    T E Wheldon

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  1. M Boyd
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  5. T E Wheldon
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Boyd, M., Cunningham, S., Brown, M. et al. Noradrenaline transporter gene transfer for radiation cell kill by 131I meta-iodobenzylguanidine. Gene Ther 6, 1147–1152 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3300905

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