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The usefulness of 2-nitroimidazole-sodium borocaptate-10B conjugates as 10B-carriers in boron neutron capture therapy.

Masunaga S, Nagasawa H, Hiraoka M, Sakurai Y, Uto Y, Hori H, Nagata K, Suzuki M, Maruhashi A, Kinashi Y, Ono K

Radiation Oncology Research Laboratory, Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, 2-1010, Asashiro-nishi, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494, Japan. smasuna@rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp

We evaluated the usefulness of five new (10)B-compounds (TX-2016, TX-2017, TX-2018, TX-2041, and TX-2042) as (10)B-carriers in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). They are 2-nitroimidazole-sodium borocaptate-(10)B (BSH) conjugates, that is, hybrid compounds that have both hypoxic tumor cell sensitizing unit under gamma-ray irradiation, 2-nitroimidazoles, and thermal neutron-sensitizing unit, BSH. (10)B distribution analyses in tumors and blood indicated that TX-2041 has the most favorable characteristics for localizing a sufficient amount of (10)B into tumors and keeping the (10)B concentration high during neutron beam irradiation. In addition, TX-2041 showed a significantly higher radio-sensitization effect with reactor thermal neutron beams than BSH on both total (=proliferating (P) + quiescent (Q)) and hypoxia-rich Q cell populations in solid tumors. Further, TX-2041 clearly demonstrated a radio-sensitization effect with gamma-rays on both cell populations, which could never be achieved by BSH. (10)B-carriers with a hypoxic tumor cell-sensitizing effect on tumors with gamma-rays as well as the potential to selectively localize and keep (10)B in tumors, such as TX-2041, are promising for use in actual BNCT.

Published 13 August 2004 in Appl Radiat Isot, 61(5): 953-8.
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