Abstract 2851: Cellular glutamine pool size change in response to glutaminase inhibition detected by kinetic analysis of [18F](2S,4R)4-fluoroglutamine PET
Authors: Pantel Austin R. , Lee Hsiaoju , Li Shihong , Doot Robert K. , Mach Robert H. , Mankoff David A. , Zhou Rong 
Published: July 2017

INTRODUCTION

Oncogene-dependent reliance on glutamine is a cancer vulnerability that can be exploited for therapeutic gain. Inhibitors of glutaminase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of glutamine to glutamate, have been developed and have shown antitumor effects in several tumor models. The specific and potent glutaminase inhibitor CB-839 demonstrated marked antitumor efficacy in a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line with inherently high glutaminase activity (HCC-1806), but not in an estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) cell line with inherently low glutaminase activity. An early phase 1 clinical trial of CB-839 in combination with paclitaxel has shown encouraging results in TNBC patients. Cell-line specific efficacy of glutaminase inhibitors supports the need for clinical biomarkers that can predict and evaluate therapeutic efficacy.

As a minimally metabolized glutamine analog with similar transport properties, [18F](2S,4R)4-Fluoroglutamine ([18F]4F-Gln) is an ideal radiotracer to infer glutamine pool size through estimates of tracer distribution volume (DV). In this study, we demonstrate differences in DV of [18F]4F-Gln in two xenografts with different levels of glutaminolysis (TNBC vs. ER+) using dynamic PET imaging, as well as show the effect of anti-glutaminase therapy on [18F]4F-Gln DV.

METHODS

TNBC (HCC-1806) and ER+ (MCF-7) xenografts were established in athymic nu/nu mice. Mice were scanned in a dedicated animal PET scanner at baseline and after CB-839 administration. Dynamic imaging was obtained for one hour upon injection of [18F]4F-Gln (300-350 μCi) via the tail vein. Kinetic analysis was performed with PMOD.

RESULTS

[18F]4F-Gln uptake was largely reversible with Logan plots demonstrating late linearity and k3 in a two-compartment (trapping) model was low (less than 0.01/min in most cases). Strong correlation was seen in DV estimates by Logan plot and a single-compartmental model (R2&gt;0.9), but not with estimates from a two-compartment model. MCF-7 xenografts demonstrated greater than 60% larger DV at baseline than TNBC xenografts indicative of increased cellular glutamine concentrations in MCF-7 xenografts. An increase in DV was detected in TNBC xenografts post-glutaminase inhibition (&gt;30% mean change), but not in MCF-7 xenografts.

CONCLUSION

Estimates of [18F]4F-Gln DV offer the ability to non-invasively infer tumor glutaminolysis. Low [18F]4F-Gln uptake in highly glutaminolytic tumors and an increase in [18F]4F-Gln uptake with glutaminase inhibition is concordant with changes in cellular glutamine concentration as measured by MR spectroscopy of tumor extracts. Our studies indicate promise for the use of [18F]4F-Gln as a predictive and pharmacodynamic marker for glutaminase-targeted therapy.

Supported by: Komen SAC130060, DE-SE0012476, R21-CA198563

We thank Calithera Inc. for providing CB-839 and Dr. Susan Demo for discussions.

Citation Format: Austin R. Pantel, Hsiaoju Lee, Shihong Li, Robert K. Doot, Robert H. Mach, David A. Mankoff, Rong Zhou. Cellular glutamine pool size change in response to glutaminase inhibition detected by kinetic analysis of [18F](2S,4R)4-fluoroglutamine PET [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2851. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2851