Neutron-capture therapy of human cancer: in vitro results on the preparation of boron-labeled antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen.

Two samples of 2-phenyl-1,2-dicarba-closo-[1-3H]dodecaborane(12) were prepared by treating 1-lithio-2-phenyl-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane(12) with 3H2O (0.1 and 5.0 Ci/ml, respectively). These tritiated phenylcarborane samples were subsequently converted to corresponding samples of p-[1,2-dicarba-closo-[1-3H]dodecaboran(12)-2-yl]benzenediazonium ion ([3H]DBD) suitable for azo-coupling reactions. Reaction of the two tritiated diazonium ion samples with 2-napthol resulted in the formation of an azo dye (epsilon = 1.98 X 10(4) M-1 cm-1 at 485 nm). Experiments relating absorbance to 3H activity proved the two [3H]DBD sources to have 3.81 X 10(11) and 2.45 X 10(13) cpm of 3H per mol of tritiated carborane substituent. Purified antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen were coupled to the [3H]DBD and, after extensive dialysis, the average number of carborane moieties per antibody molecule was determined by measuring the 3H activity associated with a known protein concentration. Further examination of these tritiated carborane-labeled antibodies by affinity chromatography proved that boron labeling did not destroy their immunoreactivity. Correlations of azo-coupling conditions (reactant ratios, pH) with immunoreactivity and antibody protein recovery are presented.