Diagnostic and theranostic targeting of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) with goed nanoparticles decorated with FAPIs and FAPI fragments.

Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a cell surface marker of Cancer- Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) in most sarcomas and in > 90% of carcinomas. Together with its negligible expression in most other tissues, this makes FAP a nearly-universal biomarker of tumors. During the past years, diagnostic and therapeutic targeting of FAP with so-called 'FAPIs' has attracted strong attention from nuclear medicine/oncology specialists. Noteworthy, all FAPIs owe their remarkable tumor homing potential to a potent and selective FAP-binding subunit: UAMC1110, reported by the applicants of this proposal. Because FAPIs require further optimization of tumor residence time, we aim to link multiple FAPIs or FAPI subunits to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). In this way, we hope to obtain FAP-targeting AuNPs with unprecedented FAP affinity and tumor residence, due to the 'multivalency effect'. The nanoparticles will be investigated as cancer theranostics in a mouse model of colorectal cancer and as diagnostics in a lateral flow assay.

Keywords:ONCOLOGY, DIAGNOSTICS, FIBROBLASTS

Disciplines:Cancer diagnosis