Radiolabelled metal transport protein as imaging agent

Abstract

A 99mc Tc labeled metal transport protein, products and uses thereof in imaging and especially detecting the presence of high energy/iron uptake tissues such as a tumour within a mammalian body are provided.

1 . A method of detecting the presence of diseased tissue with high iron uptake within a mammalian body, comprising: 
 a) mixing lactoferrin with an effective amount of pertechnetate in the presence of a reducing agent and an aqueous solution to produce a  99m Tc labeled transferrin complex;    b) introducing the complex of step (a) into a mammalian body; and    c) observing images of  99m Tc within the mammalian body over a selected period of time to identify high iron uptake in tissues in the mammalian body, thereby detecting the presence of diseased tissue with high iron uptake within the mammalian body.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the diseased tissue is a tumor  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the tumor is a brain tumor.  
     
     
         4 . A method of detecting diseased tissue with high iron uptake in a subject, comprising: 
 a) introducing a  99m Tc labeled lactoferrin complex into the subject; and    b) observing images of  99m Tc in the subject, thereby detecting diseased tissue with high iron uptake in the subject.    
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the diseased tissue is a tumor.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the tumor is a brain tumor.  
     
     
         7 . A method of treating a tumor in a subject, comprising: 
 a) labeling lactoferrin with a radionuclide in an aqueous formulation; and    b) introducing an effective amount of the formulation of step (a) into the subject, thereby treating a tumor in the subject.    
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the tumor is a brain tumor.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the radionuclide is selected from the group consisting of  57 Co,  67 Cu,  67 Ga,  90 Y,  97 Ru, 169Yb,  186 Re,  188 Re,  203 Pb,  153 Sm and  212 Bi, or any combination thereof.