biostudies-literatureHajitou AMedical Research Council4471-6https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2393798biostudies-literatureUnknown105(11)Human sarcomas are rare but diverse malignant tumors derived from mesenchymal tissue. Clinical response to therapy is currently determined by the modified World Health Organization (WHO) criteria or the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), but these standards correlate poorly with sarcoma patient outcome. We introduced ligand-directed particles with elements of AAV and phage (AAVP) to enable integration of tumor targeting to molecular imaging. We report drug-response monitoring and prediction in a nude rat model of human sarcoma by AAVP imaging. As a proof-of-concept, we imaged Herpes simplex thymidine kinase in a clinic-ready setting with PET to show that one can a priori predict tumor response to a systemic cytotoxic. Given the target expression in patient-derived sarcoProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaA preclinical model for predicting drug response in soft-tissue sarcoma with targeted AAVP molecular imaging.PMC2393798G0701159Hannay JAPollock RELev DCSoghomonyan SArap WHajitou AKorchin BGelovani JGBenjamin RSAlauddin MMStaquicini FIPasqualini RfalseA preclinical model for predicting drug response in soft-tissue sarcoma with targeted AAVP molecular imaging.Human sarcomas are rare but diverse malignant tumors derived from mesenchymal tissue. Clinical response to therapy is currently determined by the modified World Health Organization (WHO) criteria or the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), but these standards correlate poorly with sarcoma patient outcome. We introduced ligand-directed particles with elements of AAV and phage (AAVP) to enable integration of tumor targeting to molecular imaging. We report drug-response monitoring and prediction in a nude rat model of human sarcoma by AAVP imaging. As a proof-of-concept, we imaged Herpes simplex thymidine kinase in a clinic-ready setting with PET to show that one can a priori predict tumor response to a systemic cytotoxic. Given the target expression in patient-derived sarco2008-01-01T00:00:00Z2008 Mar2026-03-16T16:25:43.36Z2019-03-27T00:15:11ZS-EPMC23937981833750710.1073/pnas.0712184105