Alpha-fetoprotein peptides and uses for imaging

Abstract

The invention provides diagnostic procedures wherein the presence or absence of a cell-proliferating disorder, e.g., a breast cancer, may be determined. The imaging agents of the invention include alpha-fetoprotein hydrophilic analogs which have been determined to target cancers, e.g., breast cancer, and are also anti-cell proliferating in nature. These modulators contain amino acid structures which are arranged as a hydrophilic analog of an alpha-fetoprotein. The modulator may be a peptide; a peptidomimetic; or may be in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable scaffold, such as a polycyclic hydrocarbon to which is attached the necessary amino acid structures. The imaging agents of the invention further comprise an imaging moiety that allows for the imaging of the area targeted by the imaging agent.

1 . An alpha-fetoprotein peptide comprising a targeting moiety comprising the amino acid sequence EMTPVNPG (SEQ ID NO:6), and a metal ion-binding domain. 
     
     
         2 . The alpha-fetoprotein peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said peptide further comprises a metal ion coupled to said metal ion-binding domain. 
     
     
         3 . The alpha-fetoprotein peptide of  claim 1 , wherein the biological-function domain comprises an amino acid sequence of eight to 20 amino acids. 
     
     
         4 . The alpha-fetoprotein peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said metal ion is radioactive. 
     
     
         5 . The peptide of  claim 4 , wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of technetium and rhenium. 
     
     
         6 . The peptide of  claim 4 , wherein the technetium is technetium-99m. 
     
     
         7 . The peptide of  claim 4 , wherein the rhenium is rhenium-186 or rhenium-188. 
     
     
         8 . The alpha-fetoprotein peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said targeting moiety comprises a hydrophilic analog of the sequence EMTPVNPG (SEQ ID NO:6). 
     
     
         9 . The alpha-fetoprotein peptide of  claim 5 , wherein said hydrophilic analog is selected from the group consisting of: 
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   EKTOVNOGN; 
                   (SEQ ID NO:1) 
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   QMTPVNPG 
                   (SEQ ID NO:2) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   QMTPVNPGE 
                   (SEQ ID NO:3) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   EMTOVNOG 
                   (SEQ ID NO:4) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   EMTOVNOGQ 
                   (SEQ ID NO:5) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   EMTPVNPG 
                   (SEQ ID NO:6) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   EMTPVNPGQ 
                   (SEQ ID NO:7) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   EMTOVNPGQ 
                   (SEQ ID NO:8) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   EMTPVNOGQ 
                   (SEQ ID NO:9)