[131I]meta-iodobenzylguanidine and topotecan combination treatment of tumors expressing the noradrenaline transporter.

OBJECTIVE

Both [(131)I]meta-iodobenzylguanidine ([(131)I]MIBG) and the topoisomerase I inhibitor topotecan are effective as single-agent treatments of neuroblastoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of [(131)I]MIBG in combination with topotecan in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

The cell lines used were SK-N-BE(2c) (human neuroblastoma) and UVW/NAT (glioma cell line transfected with the noradrenaline transporter gene). Three different treatment schedules were assessed: topotecan given before (schedule 1), after (schedule 2), or simultaneously (schedule 3) with [(131)I]MIBG. DNA strand breakage was evaluated by comet assay, and cytotoxicity was determined by clonogenic survival. Efficacy was also measured by growth delay of tumor xenografts in nude mice.

RESULTS

Combination schedules 2 and 3 caused more cytotoxicity than schedule 1. Similarly, significant DNA damage was observed following treatment schedules 2 and 3 (P < 0.005) but not schedule 1. The mean number of days for a doubling in volume of SK-N-BE(2c) tumors and a 10-fold increase in volume of UVW/NAT tumors were 10.4 and 18.6 (untreated), 19.7 and 25.3 (topotecan alone), 22.8 and 31.9 ([(131)I]MIBG alone), 26.3 and 37.1 (combination schedule 1), 34.3 and 49.7 (combination schedule 2), and 53.2 and >71 (combination schedule 3), respectively. The highest rate of cure of both xenografts was observed following treatment with combination schedule 3.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of topotecan and [(131)I]MIBG compared with either treatment alone gave rise to greater than additive DNA damage, clonogenic cell kill, and tumor growth delay. These effects were dependent on the scheduling of the two agents.