Comparative immuno-Cerenkov luminescence and -PET imaging enables detection of PSMA tumors in mice using Cu-radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies.

Here, we describe immuno-Cerenkov luminescence imaging (immuno-CLI) with a specific monoclonal antibody-based tracer for the detection of prostate tumors, which is used in preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. As PET isotopes generate a continuous spectrum of light in the ultraviolet/visible (UV/vis) wavelength range (Cerenkov luminescence, CL) in dielectric materials and consequently inside living tissues, these isotopes can also be detected by luminescence imaging performed with optical imaging (OI) systems. Imaging tumors with tracers that are specifically binding to a tumor-associated antigen can increase diagnostic accuracy, enables monitoring of treatment efficacy, and can be advantageous compared to radiolabeled small molecules used in PET-oncology such as 2-deoxy-2-[F]-fluoro-D-glucose ([F]FDG; glucose metabolism) or [C]choline (membrane synthesis) which was used to image prostate cancer. In this study, we compared on three consecutive days immuno-CLI and -PET of the applied Cu-labeled and well described monoclonal antibody 3/F11 in prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive (C4-2, PSMA) and -negative (DU 145, PSMA) prostate tumor xenografts, inoculated in SCID mice. In vivo immuno-CLI and -PET measurements demonstrated linear correlation of both modalities, in line with ex vivo analysis performed with CLI and γ-counting. As CLI is also able to trace radioisotopes used for theranostic approaches, immuno-CLI could be an interesting, low-cost imaging alternative to immuno-PET.