Targeting of gelatinase activity with a radiolabeled cyclic HWGF peptide.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of proteinases that play an important role in cancer as well as in numerous diseases. In this article, we describe the labeling of a phage display selected cyclic decapeptide containing the HWGF (histidine-tryptophane-glycine-phenylalanine) sequence to target MMP-2 and MMP-9. To evaluate the ability of this labeled peptide to monitor non invasively MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity, in vitro studies, biodistribution, competition studies and plasma metabolites analyses in Lewis Lung cancer tumor bearing mice were performed.