Chemically optimized antimyosin Fab conjugates with chelating polymers: importance of the nature of the protein-polymer single site covalent bond for biodistribution and infarction localization.

Murine antimyosin Fab fragment was conjugated with 111In-labeled N-terminal-modified DTPA-polylysine using three bifunctional reagents: N-hydroxysuccinimide esters of 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionic acid (SPDP conjugate), 4-(maleimidomethyl)cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (SMCC conjugate) and bromoacetic acid (BrAc conjugate) for potential localization of experimental myocardial infarction. Using various antibody preparations and a rabbit acute myocardial infarction model the following parameters were observed: (1) an in vitro antigen binding activity of SPDP conjugate = SMCC conjugate > BrAc conjugate, (2) a blood clearance rate of SPDP conjugate > BrAc conjugate > SMCC conjugate, (3) a liver and splenic accumulation of SPDP conjugate > BrAc conjugate > SMCC conjugate, and (4) the infarcted tissue activity showed an accumulation of SMCC conjugate > SPDP conjugate > BrAc conjugate. This study exemplifies the importance of rational chemical design of antimyosin Fab-chelating polymer conjugate for improved target tissue localization in vivo.