1
|
Wang T, Li M, Wei R, Wang X, Lin Z, Chen J, Wu X. Small Molecule-Drug Conjugates Emerge as a New Promising Approach for Cancer Treatment. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:1038-1055. [PMID: 38344996 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c01049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a new promising class of anti- cancer agents. However, limitations such as higher costs and unavoidable immunogenicity due to their relatively large structures cannot be ignored. Therefore, the development of lightweight drugs such as small molecule-drug conjugates (SMDCs) based on the ADC design idea has become a new option for targeted therapy. SMDCs are derived from the coupling of small-molecule targeting ligands with cytotoxic drugs. They are composed of three parts: small-molecule targeting ligands, cytotoxic molecules, and linkers. Compared with ADCs, SMDCs can be more rapidly and evenly dispersed into tumor tissues, with low cost and no immunogenicity. In this article, we will give a comprehensive review of different types of SMDCs currently under clinical trials to provide ideas and inspirations for the development of clinically applicable SMDCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiansi Wang
- Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qiuyang Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
- Shanghai Wei Er Lab, Shanghai 201799, China
| | - Meichai Li
- Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qiuyang Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
- Shanghai Wei Er Lab, Shanghai 201799, China
| | - Ruting Wei
- Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qiuyang Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
- Shanghai Wei Er Lab, Shanghai 201799, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qiuyang Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
- Shanghai Wei Er Lab, Shanghai 201799, China
| | - Zhizhe Lin
- Shanghai Wei Er Lab, Shanghai 201799, China
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.4655, University Road, Jinan, Shandong 250355, China
| | - Jianming Chen
- Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qiuyang Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
- Shanghai Wei Er Lab, Shanghai 201799, China
| | - Xin Wu
- Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qiuyang Road, Fuzhou, Fujian 350122, China
- Shanghai Wei Er Lab, Shanghai 201799, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Naikoo RA, Kumar R, Sharma R, Mahajan D, Bhargava G. Highly regioselective 6- exo-dig iodo/bromo cyclizations of functionalized 5-amino propargyl pyrimidinones: an efficient synthesis of functionalized pteridines. RSC Adv 2023; 13:31891-31896. [PMID: 37915442 PMCID: PMC10616752 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra05651a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The manuscript describes the highly regioselective 6-exo-dig iodo/bromo cyclization of functionalized N-propagyl-amino-pyrimidinones under ambient conditions. The cyclization afforded functionalized pteridines in excellent yields. The optimized procedures are mild, operationally simple and working successfully with different substrates. The synthesis of functionalized pteridines is of great significance because of their potential pharmacological profile.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rayees Ahmad Naikoo
- Department of Chemical Sciences, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University Kapurthala Punjab 144603 India
| | - Rupesh Kumar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University Kapurthala Punjab 144603 India
| | - Rashmi Sharma
- Department of Chemical Sciences, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University Kapurthala Punjab 144603 India
| | - Dinesh Mahajan
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute Faridabad Haryana India
| | - Gaurav Bhargava
- Department of Chemical Sciences, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University Kapurthala Punjab 144603 India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptors in Prostate Cancer: Molecular Aspects and Biological Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249511. [PMID: 33327545 PMCID: PMC7765031 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pituitary Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone receptors (GnRH-R) mediate the activity of the hypothalamic decapeptide GnRH, thus playing a key role in the regulation of the reproductive axis. Early-stage prostate cancer (PCa) is dependent on serum androgen levels, and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), based on GnRH agonists and antagonists, represents the standard therapeutic approach for PCa patients. Unfortunately, the tumor often progresses towards the more aggressive castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) stage. GnRH receptors are also expressed in CRPC tissues, where their binding to both GnRH agonists and antagonists is associated with significant antiproliferative/proapoptotic, antimetastatic and antiangiogenic effects, mediated by the Gαi/cAMP signaling cascade. GnRH agonists and antagonists are now considered as an effective therapeutic strategy for CRPC patients with many clinical trials demonstrating that the combined use of these drugs with standard therapies (i.e., docetaxel, enzalutamide, abiraterone) significantly improves disease-free survival. In this context, GnRH-based bioconjugates (cytotoxic drugs covalently linked to a GnRH-based decapeptide) have been recently developed. The rationale of this treatment is that the GnRH peptide selectively binds to its receptors, delivering the cytotoxic drug to CRPC cells while sparing nontumor cells. Some of these compounds have already entered clinical trials.
Collapse
|
4
|
Ranđelović I, Schuster S, Kapuvári B, Fossati G, Steinkühler C, Mező G, Tóvári J. Improved In Vivo Anti-Tumor and Anti-Metastatic Effect of GnRH-III-Daunorubicin Analogs on Colorectal and Breast Carcinoma Bearing Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4763. [PMID: 31557968 PMCID: PMC6801585 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Among various homing devices, gonadotropin-releasing hormone-III (GnRH-III) peptide represents a suitable targeting moiety for drug delivery systems. The anti-tumor activity of the previously developed GnRH-III-[4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] conjugate and the novel synthesized GnRH-III-[2ΔHis,3d-Tic,4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] conjugate, containing the anti-cancer drug daunorubicin, were evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that both GnRH-III-Dau conjugates possess an efficient growth inhibitory effect on more than 20 cancer cell lines, whereby the biological activity is strongly connected to the expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors (GnRH-R). The novel conjugate showed a higher in vitro anti-proliferative activity and a higher uptake capacity. Moreover, the treatment with GnRH-III-Dau conjugates cause a significant in vivo tumor growth and metastases inhibitory effect in three different orthotopic models, including 4T1 mice and MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma, as well as HT-29 human colorectal cancer bearing BALB/s and SCID mice, while toxic side-effects were substantially reduced in comparison to the treatment with the free drug. These findings illustrate that our novel lead compound is a highly promising candidate for targeted tumor therapy in both colon cancer and metastatic breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Ranđelović
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Sabine Schuster
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Bence Kapuvári
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Gianluca Fossati
- Preclinical R&D, Italfarmaco SpA, 20092 Cinisello Balsamo (Milan), Italy.
| | | | - Gábor Mező
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, 1122 Budapest, Hungary.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Apoptotic Effects of Drug Targeting Conjugates Containing Different GnRH Analogs on Colon Carcinoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184421. [PMID: 31500399 PMCID: PMC6769516 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The wide range of cellular target reactions (e.g., antitumor) of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) variants provides the possibility to develop multifunctional GnRH conjugates. The aim of our work was to compare the cytotoxic/apoptotic activity of different GnRH-based, daunorubicin (Dau)-linked conjugates with or without butyrated Lys in position 4 (4Lys(Bu)) at a molecular level in a human colorectal carcinoma cell line. Cell viability was measured by impedimetry, cellular uptake and apoptosis were studied by flow cytometry, and the expression of apoptosis-related genes was analyzed by qRT-PCR. The modification with 4Lys(Bu) resulted in an increased cytotoxic and apoptotic effects and cellular uptake of the GnRH-I and GnRH-III conjugates. Depending on the GnRH isoform and the presence of 4Lys(Bu), the conjugates could regulate the expression of several apoptosis-related genes, especially tumor necrosis factor (TNF), tumor protein p53 (TP53) and the members of growth-factor signaling. The stronger cytotoxicity of GnRH-I and GnRH-III conjugates containing 4Lys(Bu) was associated with a stronger inhibitory effect on the expression of growth-factor signaling elements in comparison with their 4Ser counterparts, in which the upregulation of TP53 and caspases (e.g., CASP9) seemed to play a more important role. We were able to provide further evidence that targeting the GnRH receptor could serve as a successful therapeutic approach in colon cancer, and GnRH-III-[4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] proved to be the best candidate for this purpose.
Collapse
|
6
|
Cai L, Qin X, Xu Z, Song Y, Jiang H, Wu Y, Ruan H, Chen J. Comparison of Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Anticancer Drugs between Real-Time Cell Analysis and CCK-8 Method. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:12036-12042. [PMID: 31460316 PMCID: PMC6682106 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Critical cytotoxicity evaluation of pharmaceuticals is necessary for the clinical practice of chemotherapy. To quantitatively evaluate cell viability, currently there are two main types of sensitive methods including real-time cell analysis (RTCA) and CCK-8 assay, in which RTCA records electrochemical signal changes around an incubated cell, whereas CCK-8 is based on the colorimetric method. Despite the different detection principles adopted for the cytotoxicity assessment, the comparison of the two methods in terms of the application scope is lacking. In this study, comparison studies were conducted between the RTCA and CCK-8 assays using anticancer drugs including doxorubicin hydrochloride, curcumin, irinotecan (CPT-11), taxol, and oxaliplatin, which are classified into two groups of drug molecules in the absence and presence of additives. The cytotoxicity evaluation of these drugs on cancer cells revealed that the physicochemical properties of drug formulations such as optical and electrochemical properties are closely linked with the readout of cytotoxic methods. The experimental results suggested that the preselection of cytotoxic assay is critical for the quantitative measurement of cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs, which is of clinical importance for their therapeutic usage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Cai
- School
of Public Health and School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Xijiang Qin
- School
of Public Health and School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Zhihui Xu
- School
of Public Health and School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Yiyan Song
- School
of Public Health and School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Huijun Jiang
- School
of Public Health and School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Yuan Wu
- Department
of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of
Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital
of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hongjie Ruan
- Department
of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Jin Chen
- School
of Public Health and School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology,
Ministry of Education, School
of Public Health, and Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nagy K, Láng O, Láng J, Perczel-Kovách K, Gyulai-Gaál S, Kádár K, Kőhidai L, Varga G. A novel hydrogel scaffold for periodontal ligament stem cells. Interv Med Appl Sci 2018; 10:162-170. [PMID: 30713756 PMCID: PMC6343580 DOI: 10.1556/1646.10.2018.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) possess extensive regeneration potential. However, their therapeutic application demands a scaffold with appropriate properties. HydroMatrix (HydM) is a novel injectable peptide nanofiber hydrogel developed recently for cell culture. Our aim was to test whether HydM would be a suitable scaffold for proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs. PDLSCs were seeded on non-coated or HydM-coated surfaces. Both real-time impedance analysis and cell viability assay documented cell growth on HydM. PDLSCs showed healthy, fibroblast-like morphology on the hydrogel. After a 3-week-long culture in osteogenic medium, mineralization was much more intense in HydM cultures compared to control. Alkaline phosphatase activity of the cells grown on the gels reached the non-coated control levels. Our data provided evidence that PDLSCs can adhere, survive, migrate, and proliferate on HydM and this gel also supports their osteogenic differentiation. We first applied impedimetry for dental stem cells cultured on a scaffold. HydM is ideal for in vitro studies of PDLSCs. It may also serve not only as a reference material but also in the future as a promising biocompatible scaffold for preclinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina Nagy
- Department of Oral Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Láng
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Júlia Láng
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Perczel-Kovách
- Department of Oral Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Community Dentistry, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Kristóf Kádár
- Department of Oral Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Kőhidai
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Varga
- Department of Oral Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Polgár L, Lajkó E, Soós P, Láng O, Manea M, Merkely B, Mező G, Kőhidai L. Drug targeting to decrease cardiotoxicity - determination of the cytotoxic effect of GnRH-based conjugates containing doxorubicin, daunorubicin and methotrexate on human cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. Beilstein J Org Chem 2018; 14:1583-1594. [PMID: 30013686 PMCID: PMC6037002 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.14.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cardiomyopathy induced by the chemotherapeutic agents doxorubicin and daunorubicin is a major limiting factor for their application in cancer therapy. Chemotactic drug targeting potentially increases the tumor selectivity of drugs and decreases their cardiotoxicity. Increased expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors on the surface of tumor cells has been reported. Thus, the attachment of the aforementioned chemotherapeutic drugs to GnRH-based peptides may result in compounds with increased therapeutic efficacy. The objective of the present study was to examine the cytotoxic effect of anticancer drug–GnRH-conjugates against two essential cardiovascular cell types, such as cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. Sixteen different previously developed GnRH-conjugates containing doxorubicin, daunorubicin and methotrexate were investigated in this study. Their cytotoxicity was determined on primary human cardiac myocytes (HCM) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) using the xCELLigence SP system, which measures impedance changes caused by adhering cells on golden electrode arrays placed at the bottom of the wells. Slopes of impedance–time curves were calculated and for the quantitative determination of cytotoxicity, the difference to the control was analysed. Results: Doxorubicin and daunorubicin exhibited a cytotoxic effect on both cell types, at the highest concentrations tested. Doxorubicin-based conjugates (AN-152, GnRH-III(Dox-O-glut), GnRH-III(Dox-glut-GFLG) and GnRH-III(Dox=Aoa-GFLG) showed the same cytotoxic effect on cardiomyocytes. Among the daunorubicin-based conjugates, [4Lys(Ac)]-GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa), GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa-YRRL), {GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa-YRRL-C)}2 and {[4N-MeSer]-GnRH-III(Dau-C)}2 had a significant but decreased cytotoxic effect, while the other conjugates – GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa), GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa-K(Dau=Aoa)), [4Lys(Dau=Aoa)]-GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa), GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa-GFLG), {GnRH-III(Dau-C)}2 and [4N-MeSer]-GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa) – exerted no cytotoxic effect on cardiomyocytes. Mixed conjugates containing methotrexate and daunorubicin – GnRH-III(Mtx-K(Dau=Aoa)) and [4Lys(Mtx)]-GnRH-III(Dau=Aoa) – showed no cytotoxic effect on cardiomyocytes, as well. Conclusion: Based on these results, anticancer drug–GnRH-based conjugates with no cytotoxic effect on cardiomyocytes were identified. In the future, these compounds could provide a more targeted antitumor therapy with no cardiotoxic adverse effects. Moreover, impedimetric cytotoxicity analysis could be a valuable technique to determine the effect of drugs on cardiomyocytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Livia Polgár
- Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Városmajor u. 68., Budapest, 1122, Hungary.,Chemotaxis Research Group, Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, 1089, Hungary
| | - Eszter Lajkó
- Chemotaxis Research Group, Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, 1089, Hungary
| | - Pál Soós
- Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Városmajor u. 68., Budapest, 1122, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Láng
- Chemotaxis Research Group, Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, 1089, Hungary
| | - Marilena Manea
- University of Konstanz, Department of Chemistry and Zukunftskolleg, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Béla Merkely
- Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Városmajor u. 68., Budapest, 1122, Hungary
| | - Gábor Mező
- Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Pázmány P. stny 1/A Budapest, 1117, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Pázmány P. stny 1/A, Hungarian Academy of Science, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - László Kőhidai
- Chemotaxis Research Group, Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, 1089, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Vrettos EI, Mező G, Tzakos AG. On the design principles of peptide-drug conjugates for targeted drug delivery to the malignant tumor site. Beilstein J Org Chem 2018; 14:930-954. [PMID: 29765474 PMCID: PMC5942387 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.14.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death affecting nearly one in two people, and the appearance of new cases is projected to rise by >70% by 2030. To effectively combat the menace of cancer, a variety of strategies have been exploited. Among them, the development of peptide–drug conjugates (PDCs) is considered as an inextricable part of this armamentarium and is continuously explored as a viable approach to target malignant tumors. The general architecture of PDCs consists of three building blocks: the tumor-homing peptide, the cytotoxic agent and the biodegradable connecting linker. The aim of the current review is to provide a spherical perspective on the basic principles governing PDCs, as also the methodology to construct them. We aim to offer basic and integral knowledge on the rational design towards the construction of PDCs through analyzing each building block, as also to highlight the overall progress of this rapidly growing field. Therefore, we focus on several intriguing examples from the recent literature, including important PDCs that have progressed to phase III clinical trials. Last, we address possible difficulties that may emerge during the synthesis of PDCs, as also report ways to overcome them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eirinaios I Vrettos
- University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece
| | - Gábor Mező
- Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. stny. 1/A, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andreas G Tzakos
- University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Schuster S, Biri-Kovács B, Szeder B, Farkas V, Buday L, Szabó Z, Halmos G, Mező G. Synthesis and in vitro biochemical evaluation of oxime bond-linked daunorubicin-GnRH-III conjugates developed for targeted drug delivery. Beilstein J Org Chem 2018; 14:756-771. [PMID: 29719573 PMCID: PMC5905287 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.14.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gonadotropin releasing hormone-III (GnRH-III), a native isoform of the human GnRH isolated from sea lamprey, specifically binds to GnRH receptors on cancer cells enabling its application as targeting moieties for anticancer drugs. Recently, we reported on the identification of a novel daunorubicin–GnRH-III conjugate (GnRH-III–[4Lys(Bu), 8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] with efficient in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity. To get a deeper insight into the mechanism of action of our lead compound, the cellular uptake was followed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Hereby, the drug daunorubicin could be visualized in different subcellular compartments by following the localization of the drug in a time-dependent manner. Colocalization studies were carried out to prove the presence of the drug in lysosomes (early stage) and on its site of action (nuclei after 10 min). Additional flow cytometry studies demonstrated that the cellular uptake of the bioconjugate was inhibited in the presence of the competitive ligand triptorelin indicating a receptor-mediated pathway. For comparative purpose, six novel daunorubicin–GnRH-III bioconjugates have been synthesized and biochemically characterized in which 6Asp was replaced by D-Asp, D-Glu and D-Trp. In addition to the analysis of the in vitro cytostatic effect and cellular uptake, receptor binding studies with 125I-triptorelin as radiotracer and degradation of the GnRH-III conjugates in the presence of rat liver lysosomal homogenate have been performed. All derivatives showed high binding affinities to GnRH receptors and displayed in vitro cytostatic effects on HT-29 and MCF-7 cancer cells with IC50 values in a low micromolar range. Moreover, we found that the release of the active drug metabolite and the cellular uptake of the bioconjugates were strongly affected by the amino acid exchange which in turn had an impact on the antitumor activity of the bioconjugates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Schuster
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Beáta Biri-Kovács
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Szeder
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktor Farkas
- MTA-ELTE Protein Modelling Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Buday
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Szabó
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor Halmos
- Department of Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor Mező
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös L. University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lajkó E, Tuka B, Fülöp F, Krizbai I, Toldi J, Magyar K, Vécsei L, Kőhidai L. Kynurenic acid and its derivatives are able to modulate the adhesion and locomotion of brain endothelial cells. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 125:899-912. [PMID: 29332257 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1839-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The neuroprotective actions of kynurenic acid (KYNA) and its derivatives in several neurodegenerative disorders [characterized by damage to the cerebral endothelium and to the blood-brain barrier (BBB)] are well established. Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion is supposedly involved in recovery of impaired cerebral endothelium integrity (endothelial repair). The present work aimed to investigate the effects of KYNA and its synthetic derivatives on cellular behaviour (e.g. adhesion and locomotion) and on morphology of the GP8 rat brain endothelial cell line, modeling the BBB endothelium. The effects of KYNA and its derivatives on cell adhesion were measured using an impedance-based technique, the xCELLigence SP system. Holographic microscopy (Holomonitor™ M4) was used to analyse both chemokinetic responses and morphometry. The GP8 cells proved to be a suitable model cell line for investigating cell adhesion and the locomotion modulator effects of kynurenines. KYNA enhanced cell adhesion and spreading, and also decreased the migration/motility of GP8 cells at physiological concentrations (10-9 and 10-7 mol/L). The derivatives containing an amide side-chain at the C2 position (KYNA-A1 and A2) had lower adhesion inducer effects compared to KYNA. All synthetic analogues (except KYNA-A5) had a time-dependent inhibitory effect on GP8 cell adhesion at a supraphysiological concentration (10-3 mol/L). The immobilization promoting effect of KYNA and the adhesion inducer activity of its derivatives indicate that these compounds could contribute to maintaining or restoring the protective function of brain endothelium; they also suggest that cell-ECM adhesion and related cell responses (e.g. migration/motility) could be potential new targets of KYNA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Lajkó
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary
| | - Bernadett Tuka
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Fülöp
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Eötvös u. 6, Szeged, 6720, Hungary
- Stereochemistry Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös utca 6, Szeged, H-6720, Hungary
| | - István Krizbai
- Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, Szeged, 6726, Hungary
| | - József Toldi
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, Szeged, 6726, Hungary
| | - Kálmán Magyar
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary
| | - László Vécsei
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - László Kőhidai
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Murányi J, Varga A, Gurbi B, Gyulavári P, Mező G, Vántus T. In Vitro Imaging and Quantification of the Drug Targeting Efficiency of Fluorescently Labeled GnRH Analogues. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 28362408 DOI: 10.3791/55529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
GnRH analogues are effective targeting moieties and able to deliver anticancer agents selectively into malignant tumor cells which highly express GnRH receptors. However, the quantitative analysis of GnRH analogues' cellular uptake and the investigated cell types in GnRH-based drug delivery systems are currently limited. Previously introduced, selectively labeled fluorescent GnRH I, -II and -III derivatives provide great detectability, and they have suitable chemical properties for reproducible and robust experiments. We also found that the appropriate up-to-date methods with these labeled GnRH analogues could offer novel information about the GnRH-based drug delivery systems. This manuscript introduces some simple and fast experiments regarding the cellular uptake of [D-Lys6(FITC)]-GnRH-I, [D-Lys6(FITC)]-GnRH-II and [Lys8(FITC)]-GnRH-III on the EBC-1 (lung), the BxPC-3 (pancreas) and on the Detroit-562- (pharynx) malignant tumor cells. In parallel with these GnRH-FITC conjugates, the cell surface level of GnRH-I receptors was also examined on these cell lines before and after the GnRH treatment by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The cellular uptake of GnRH-FITC conjugates was quantified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. In these experiments minor differences among GnRH analogues and major differences among cell types was observed. The significant differences among cell lines are correlated with their distinct level of cell surface GnRH-I receptors. The introduced experiments contain practical methods to visualize, quantify and compare the uptake efficiency of GnRH-FITC conjugates in a time- and concentration-dependent manner on various adherent cell cultures. These results could predict the drug targeting efficiency of GnRH conjugates on the given cell culture, and offer a good basis for further experiments in the examination of GnRH-based drug delivery systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- József Murányi
- MTA-SE Pathobiochemistry Research Group, Semmelweis University; Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University;
| | - Attila Varga
- MTA-SE Pathobiochemistry Research Group, Semmelweis University
| | - Bianka Gurbi
- MTA-SE Pathobiochemistry Research Group, Semmelweis University
| | - Pál Gyulavári
- MTA-SE Pathobiochemistry Research Group, Semmelweis University
| | - Gábor Mező
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University
| | - Tibor Vántus
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Pathobiochemistry, Semmelweis University
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hegedüs R, Pauschert A, Orbán E, Szabó I, Andreu D, Marquardt A, Mező G, Manea M. Modification of daunorubicin-GnRH-III bioconjugates with oligoethylene glycol derivatives to improve solubility and bioavailability for targeted cancer chemotherapy. Biopolymers 2016; 104:167-77. [PMID: 25753049 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Daunorubicin-GnRH-III bioconjugates have recently been developed as drug delivery systems with potential applications in targeted cancer chemotherapy. In order to improve their biochemical properties, several strategies have been pursued: (1) incorporation of an enzymatic cleavable spacer between the anticancer drug and the peptide-based targeting moiety, (2) peptide modification by short chain fatty acids, or (3) attachment of two anticancer drugs to the same GnRH-III derivative. Although these modifications led to more potent bioconjugates, a decrease in their solubility was observed. Here we report on the design, synthesis and biochemical characterization of daunorubicin-GnRH-III bioconjugates with increased solubility, which could be achieved by incorporating oligoethylene glycol-based spacers in their structure. First, we have evaluated the effect of an oligoethylene glycol-based spacer on the solubility, enzymatic stability/degradation, cellular uptake, and in vitro cytostatic effect of a bioconjugate containing only one daunorubicin attached through a GFLG tetrapeptide spacer to the GnRH-III targeting moiety. Thereafter, more complex compounds containing two copies of daunorubicin, GFLG spacers as well as Lys(nBu) in position 4 of GnRH-III were synthesized and biochemically characterized. Our results indicated that all synthesized oligoethylene glycol-containing bioconjugates had higher solubility in cell culture medium than the unmodified analogs. They were degraded in the presence of rat liver lysosomal homogenate leading to the formation of small drug containing metabolites. In the case of bioconjugates containing two copies of daunorubicin, the incorporation of oligoethylene glycol-based spacers led to increased in vitro cytostatic effect on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rózsa Hegedüs
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Aline Pauschert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Erika Orbán
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ildikó Szabó
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - David Andreu
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreas Marquardt
- Proteomics Facility, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gábor Mező
- MTA-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, Eötvös L. University, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Marilena Manea
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.,Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Nederpelt I, Vergroesen R, IJzerman A, Heitman L. Persistent GnRH receptor activation in pituitary αT3-1 cells analyzed with a label-free technology. Biosens Bioelectron 2016; 79:721-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2015.12.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
15
|
Böhme D, Beck-Sickinger AG. Controlling Toxicity of Peptide-Drug Conjugates by Different Chemical Linker Structures. ChemMedChem 2015; 10:804-14. [DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201402514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
|
16
|
Böhme D, Beck-Sickinger AG. Drug delivery and release systems for targeted tumor therapy. J Pept Sci 2015; 21:186-200. [PMID: 25703117 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Most toxic agents currently used for chemotherapy show a narrow therapeutic window, because of their inability to distinguish between healthy and cancer cells. Targeted drug delivery offers the possibility to overcome this issue by selectively addressing structures on the surface of cancer cells, therefore reducing undesired side effects. In this broad field, peptide-drug conjugates linked by intracellular cleavable structures have evolved as highly promising agents. They can specifically deliver toxophores to tumor cells by targeting distinct receptors overexpressed in cancer. In this review, we focus on these compounds and describe important factors to develop a highly efficient peptide-drug conjugate. The necessary properties of tumor-targeting peptides are described, and the different options for cleavable linkers used to connect toxic agents and peptides are discussed, and synthetic considerations for the introduction of these structures are reported. Furthermore, recent examples and current developments of peptide-drug conjugates are critically evaluated with a special focus on the applied linker structures and their future use in cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Böhme
- Institute of Biochemistry, Universität Leipzig, Brüderstraße 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Montagnani Marelli M, Manea M, Moretti RM, Marzagalli M, Limonta P. Oxime bond-linked daunorubicin-GnRH-III bioconjugates exert antitumor activity in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells via the type I GnRH receptor. Int J Oncol 2014; 46:243-53. [PMID: 25351635 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2014.2730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors (GnRH-R) are expressed in different types of cancers, including castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and mediate the antiproliferative effect of GnRH analogs. Thus, these compounds are employed as targeting moieties to selectively deliver chemotherapeutic agents to cancer cells. GnRH-III, the decapeptide isolated from the sea lamprey brain, has lower potency than GnRH in stimulating gonadotropin secretion, but it exerts antiproliferative effects on many tumors expressing the GnRH-R. GnRH-III-based peptides are considered promising targeting moieties for the preparation of anticancer drug delivery systems. These studies were aimed at i) evaluating the antitumor activity of two cytotoxic oxime bond-linked daunorubicin (Dau)-GnRH-III derivative bioconjugates (Dau-GnRH-III, in which daunorubicin was coupled to the 8Lys in the native form of GnRH-III, and Dau-[4Lys(Ac)]-GnRH-III, in which daunorubicin was attached to the 8Lys of a GnRH-III derivative where 4Ser was replaced by an acetylated lysine) on CRPC cells; and ii) to elucidate the involvement of the classical GnRH-R (type I GnRH-R) in this antitumor activity. Our results demonstrated that both Dau-GnRH-III and Dau-[4Lys(Ac)]-GnRH-III were rapidly internalized into DU145 prostate cancer cells and exerted a significant cytostatic effect. Both bioconjugates increased the levels of the active form of caspase-3, indicating the involvement of apoptosis in their antitumor activity. The antiproliferative effect of both Dau-GnRH-III and Dau-[4Lys(Ac)]-GnRH-III was counteracted by the simultaneous treatment of the cells with Antide, an antagonist of the GnRH-R. Moreover, after silencing the type I GnRH-R the antitumor activity of both bioconjugates was completely abolished. These data demonstrate that in CRPC cells, daunorubicin-GnRH-III derivative bioconjugates: i) inhibit tumor cell proliferation, by triggering the apoptosis process; ii) exert their antitumor effect through the activation of the type I GnRH-R expressed on these cells. Cytotoxic-GnRH-III derivative may represent promising targeted chemotherapeutics for the treatment of CRPC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marilena Manea
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Roberta M Moretti
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Marzagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Patrizia Limonta
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Limonta P, Manea M. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors as molecular therapeutic targets in prostate cancer: Current options and emerging strategies. Cancer Treat Rev 2013; 39:647-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2012.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Accepted: 12/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
19
|
Guirado A, López Sánchez JI, Ruiz-Alcaraz AJ, García-Peñarrubia P, Bautista D, Gálvez J. First synthesis and biological evaluation of 4-amino-2-aryl-6,9-dichlorobenzo[g]pteridines as inhibitors of TNF-α and IL-6. Eur J Med Chem 2013; 66:269-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2013.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
20
|
Schreier VN, Mező G, Orbán E, Dürr C, Marquardt A, Manea M. Synthesis, enzymatic stability and in vitro cytostatic effect of Daunorubicin-GnRH-III derivative dimers. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2013; 23:2145-50. [PMID: 23434423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.01.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Revised: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Bioconjugates containing chemotherapeutic agents attached to peptide hormones, such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), are developed as drug delivery systems for targeted cancer chemotherapy. We report here the synthesis and biochemical characterization of disulfide bond-linked dimeric bioconjugates in which daunorubicin was coupled via an oxime linkage to aminooxyacetylated GnRH-III ([Glp-His-Trp-Ser-His-Asp-Trp-Lys(DauAoa-Cys)-Pro-Gly-NH2]2; where Glp is pyroglutamic acid and Aoa is aminooxyacetyl) and its derivatives modified in position four by N-Me-Ser and Lys(Ac). The in vitro stability/degradation of the bioconjugates was determined in human serum, as well as in the presence of rat liver lysosomal homogenate and digestive enzymes. All compounds were stable at least for 24h in human serum and in the presence of pepsin and trypsin, while they were degraded by lysosomal enzymes. The daunorubicin-GnRH-III derivative dimers were partly digested by α-chymotrypsin; however, they had increased stability compared to the corresponding monomers, making them potential candidates for oral administration. The in vitro cytostatic effect of the compounds was determined on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. All daunorubicin-GnRH-III derivative dimers exerted slightly increased in vitro cytostatic effect (IC50 values in low μM range) than the corresponding monomeric bioconjugates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Natalie Schreier
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Biopolymer Structure Analysis, Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ye WL, Teng ZH, Liu DZ, Cui H, Liu M, Cheng Y, Yang TH, Mei QB, Zhou SY. Synthesis of a new pH-sensitive folate-doxorubicin conjugate and its antitumor activity in vitro. J Pharm Sci 2012; 102:530-40. [PMID: 23169439 DOI: 10.1002/jps.23381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2012] [Revised: 10/11/2012] [Accepted: 11/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Folate-aminocaproic acid-doxorubicin (FA-AMA-DOX) was synthesized and characterized by H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Cytotoxicity and cellular uptake experiments were performed in KB and HepG2 cells, which express folic acid receptor, and the cell line A549, which does not express folic acid receptor. Cytotoxicity was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and cellular uptake was monitored using fluorescence microscopy. The amount of DOX released from FA-AMA-DOX was much greater at pH 5.0 than that at pH 6.5 or 7.4. The cytotoxicity of FA-AMA-DOX toward KB and HepG2 cells was greater than that of DOX or AMA-DOX at the same concentrations, and cytotoxicity could be attenuated by FA in a dose-dependent manner. On the contrary, the cytotoxicity of FA-AMA-DOX and AMA-DOX toward A549 cells was lower than that of DOX at the same concentration, and cytotoxicity could not be reduced by FA. Compared with FA-AMA, FA-AMA-DOX increased the intracellular accumulation of DOX in KB cells. These results suggested that FA-AMA-DOX have suitable attributes for the active targeting of folate-receptor-positive tumor cells and for releasing the chemotherapeutic agent, DOX, in situ; it therefore has potential as a novel cancer therapeutic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Liang Ye
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|