{"entity": "researcher", "timestamp": "2026-08-22T09:13:07.258Z", "family": "Garousi", "given": "Javad", "initials": "J", "orcid": "0000-0002-7224-6304", "affiliations": ["Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden."], "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/e103143bca5f4a5791c496ed36351132.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/e103143bca5f4a5791c496ed36351132"}}, "publications": [{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "ab67eb7a966e4796b3cb5750aa00c79b", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/ab67eb7a966e4796b3cb5750aa00c79b.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/ab67eb7a966e4796b3cb5750aa00c79b"}}, "title": "Radionuclide Molecular Imaging of EpCAM Expression in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Using the Scaffold Protein DARPin Ec1.", "authors": [{"family": "Vorobyeva", "given": "Anzhelika", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0002-4778-3909", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/99703faa11ab4c19aff2f426f61c3134.json"}}, {"family": "Bezverkhniaia", "given": "Ekaterina", "initials": "E", "orcid": "0000-0001-7699-5719", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/211d24252bc84d43aed1d7ed4c3d3238.json"}}, {"family": "Konovalova", "given": "Elena", "initials": "E"}, {"family": "Schulga", "given": "Alexey", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3425-0828", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/45b1c8e5447c41bbb93e61706377a0c7.json"}}, {"family": "Garousi", "given": "Javad", "initials": "J", "orcid": "0000-0002-7224-6304", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/e103143bca5f4a5791c496ed36351132.json"}}, {"family": "Vorontsova", "given": "Olga", "initials": "O"}, {"family": "Abouzayed", "given": "Ayman", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Orlova", "given": "Anna", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0001-6120-2683", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/1c374f429702489494c05f84f298b4b7.json"}}, {"family": "Deyev", "given": "Sergey", "initials": "S", "orcid": "0000-0002-3952-0631", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/fb88df2aaa8a46a5957370b9258e2834.json"}}, {"family": "Tolmachev", "given": "Vladimir", "initials": "V", "orcid": "0000-0002-6122-1734", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/896ae9fae8b74251afe11b4354c62794.json"}}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2020-10-14", "journal": {"title": "Molecules", "issn": "1420-3049", "volume": "25", "issue": "20", "issn-l": "1420-3049"}, "abstract": "Efficient treatment of disseminated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains an unmet clinical need. The epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is often overexpressed on the surface of TNBC cells, which makes EpCAM a potential therapeutic target. Radionuclide molecular imaging of EpCAM expression might permit selection of patients for EpCAM-targeting therapies. In this study, we evaluated a scaffold protein, designed ankyrin repeat protein (DARPin) Ec1, for imaging of EpCAM in TNBC. DARPin Ec1 was labeled with a non-residualizing [125I]I-para-iodobenzoate (PIB) label and a residualizing [99mTc]Tc(CO)3 label. Both imaging probes retained high binding specificity and affinity to EpCAM-expressing MDA-MB-468 TNBC cells after labeling. Internalization studies showed that Ec1 was retained on the surface of MDA-MB-468 cells to a high degree up to 24 h. Biodistribution in Balb/c nu/nu mice bearing MDA-MB-468 xenografts demonstrated specific uptake of both [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 and [99mTc]Tc(CO)3-Ec1 in TNBC tumors. [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 had appreciably lower uptake in normal organs compared with [99mTc]Tc(CO)3-Ec1, which resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) higher tumor-to-organ ratios. The biodistribution data were confirmed by micro-Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (microSPECT/CT) imaging. In conclusion, an indirectly radioiodinated Ec1 is the preferable probe for imaging of EpCAM in TNBC.", "doi": "10.3390/molecules25204719", "pmid": "33066684", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC7587533"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "molecules25204719"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-21T13:04:24.418Z", "modified": "2026-08-21T13:04:24.508Z"}, {"entity": "publication", "iuid": "05b37e02f1c34796981e86fefcfaf18b", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/05b37e02f1c34796981e86fefcfaf18b.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/05b37e02f1c34796981e86fefcfaf18b"}}, "title": "Feasibility of Imaging EpCAM Expression in Ovarian Cancer Using Radiolabeled DARPin Ec1.", "authors": [{"family": "Vorobyeva", "given": "Anzhelika", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0002-4778-3909", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/99703faa11ab4c19aff2f426f61c3134.json"}}, {"family": "Konovalova", "given": "Elena", "initials": "E"}, {"family": "Xu", "given": "Tianqi", "initials": "T", "orcid": "0000-0002-1826-4093", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/688f685bf3474e72bfab58e1fa2035b9.json"}}, {"family": "Schulga", "given": "Alexey", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0003-3425-0828", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/45b1c8e5447c41bbb93e61706377a0c7.json"}}, {"family": "Altai", "given": "Mohamed", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Garousi", "given": "Javad", "initials": "J", "orcid": "0000-0002-7224-6304", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/e103143bca5f4a5791c496ed36351132.json"}}, {"family": "Rinne", "given": "Sara S", "initials": "SS"}, {"family": "Orlova", "given": "Anna", "initials": "A", "orcid": "0000-0001-6120-2683", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/1c374f429702489494c05f84f298b4b7.json"}}, {"family": "Tolmachev", "given": "Vladimir", "initials": "V", "orcid": "0000-0002-6122-1734", "researcher": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/researcher/896ae9fae8b74251afe11b4354c62794.json"}}, {"family": "Deyev", "given": "Sergey", "initials": "S"}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2020-05-07", "journal": {"title": "Int J Mol Sci", "issn": "1422-0067", "volume": "21", "issue": "9", "issn-l": null}, "abstract": "Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is overexpressed in 55%-75% of ovarian carcinomas (OC). EpCAM might be used as a target for a treatment of disseminated OC. Designed ankyrin repeats protein (DARPin) Ec1 is a small (18 kDa) protein, which binds to EpCAM with subnanomolar affinity. We tested a hypothesis that Ec1 labeled with a non-residualizing label might serve as a companion imaging diagnostic for stratification of patients for EpCAM-targeting therapy. Ec1 was labeled with 125I using N-succinimidyl-para-iodobenzoate. Binding affinity, specificity, and cellular processing of [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 were evaluated using SKOV-3 and OVCAR-3 ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Biodistribution and tumor-targeting properties of [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 were studied in Balb/c nu/nu mice bearing SKOV-3 and OVCAR-3 xenografts. EpCAM-negative Ramos lymphoma xenografts served as specificity control. Binding of [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 to ovarian carcinoma cell lines was highly specific and had affinity in picomolar range. Slow internalization of [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 by OC cells confirmed utility of non-residualizing label for in vivo imaging. [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 provided 6 h after injection tumor-to-blood ratios of 30 \u00b1 11 and 48 \u00b1 12 for OVCAR-3 and SKOV-3 xenografts, respectively, and high contrast to other organs. Tumor targeting was highly specific. Saturation of tumor uptake at a high dose of Ec1 in SKOV-3 model provided a rationale for dose selection in further studies using therapeutic conjugates of Ec1 for targeted therapy. In conclusion, [125I]I-PIB-Ec1 is a promising agent for visualizing EpCAM expression in OC.", "doi": "10.3390/ijms21093310", "pmid": "32392820", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC7246691"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "ijms21093310"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-21T13:03:11.331Z", "modified": "2026-08-21T13:03:11.449Z"}]}