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Zhao J, Li X, Ma T, Chang B, Zhang B, Fang J. Glutathione-triggered prodrugs: Design strategies, potential applications, and perspectives. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:1013-1054. [PMID: 38140851 DOI: 10.1002/med.22007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The burgeoning prodrug strategy offers a promising avenue toward improving the efficacy and specificity of cytotoxic drugs. Elevated intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH) have been regarded as a hallmark of tumor cells and characteristic feature of the tumor microenvironment. Considering the pivotal involvement of elevated GSH in the tumorigenic process, a diverse repertoire of GSH-triggered prodrugs has been developed for cancer therapy, facilitating the attenuation of deleterious side effects associated with conventional chemotherapeutic agents and/or the attainment of more efficacious therapeutic outcomes. These prodrug formulations encompass a spectrum of architectures, spanning from small molecules to polymer-based and organic-inorganic nanomaterial constructs. Although the GSH-triggered prodrugs have been gaining increasing interests, a comprehensive review of the advancements made in the field is still lacking. To fill the existing lacuna, this review undertakes a retrospective analysis of noteworthy research endeavors, based on a categorization of these molecules by their diverse recognition units (i.e., disulfides, diselenides, Michael acceptors, and sulfonamides/sulfonates). This review also focuses on explaining the distinct benefits of employing various chemical architecture strategies in the design of these prodrug agents. Furthermore, we highlight the potential for synergistic functionality by incorporating multiple-targeting conjugates, theranostic entities, and combinational treatment modalities, all of which rely on the GSH-triggering. Overall, an extensive overview of the emerging field is presented in this review, highlighting the obstacles and opportunities that lie ahead. Our overarching goal is to furnish methodological guidance for the development of more efficacious GSH-triggered prodrugs in the future. By assessing the pros and cons of current GSH-triggered prodrugs, we expect that this review will be a handful reference for prodrug design, and would provide a guidance for improving the properties of prodrugs and discovering novel trigger scaffolds for constructing GSH-triggered prodrugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xinming Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Bingbing Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Baoxin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jianguo Fang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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Cheng Y, Zhong C, Yan S, Chen C, Gao X. Structure modification: a successful tool for prodrug design. Future Med Chem 2023; 15:379-393. [PMID: 36946236 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2022-0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Prodrug strategy is critical for innovative drug development. Structural modification is the most straightforward and effective method to develop prodrugs. Improving drug defects and optimizing the physical and chemical properties of a drug, such as lipophilicity and water solubility, changing the way of administration can be achieved through specific structural modification. Designing prodrugs by linking microenvironment-responsive groups to the prototype drugs is of great help in enhancing drug targeting. In the meantime, making connections between prodrugs and suitable drug delivery systems could realize drug loading increases, greater stability, bioavailability and drug release control. In this paper, lipidic, water-soluble, pH-responsive, redox-sensitive and enzyme-activatable prodrugs are reviewed on the basis of structural modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuexuan Cheng
- College of Pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Chunhong Zhong
- College of Pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Shujing Yan
- College of Pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Chunli Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
- Engineering Research Center of Xinjiang & Central Asian Medicine Resources, Ministry of Education, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Xiaoli Gao
- College of Pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
- Engineering Research Center of Xinjiang & Central Asian Medicine Resources, Ministry of Education, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
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Rong X, Liu C, Li X, Zhu H, Wang K, Zhu B. Recent advances in chemotherapy-based organic small molecule theranostic reagents. Coord Chem Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2022.214808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Liu J, Si S, Xu J, Xue P, Li K. Construction of synergistic pH/H 2O 2-responsive prodrug for prolonging blood circulation and accelerating cellular internalization. Bioorg Chem 2021; 119:105510. [PMID: 34847429 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
We have developed a real-time and multifunctional doxifluridine-conjugate prodrug (LYX), which involved the preliminary methylfluorescein with 5-fluorouracil linker as protecting group, the targeting biotin unit, and a model therapeutic drug (doxifluridine). The shielding group (5'-DFUR) was found to be effective in prolonging circulation at physiological pH 7.4 and improving accumulation in the acidic microenvironment of the tumor. Based on this strategy, the stability and stimulus responsive properties of prodrug could enhance drug release efficiency and exhibit fewer side effects, thereby providing a unique opportunity for diagnosis and imaging additional analytes or enzymatic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye City 734000, Gansu Province, PR China.
| | - Shuang Si
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye City 734000, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Jinyi Xu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye City 734000, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Peng Xue
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye City 734000, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Kaipeng Li
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye City 734000, Gansu Province, PR China
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