Targeted delivery of paclitaxel to tumor cells: synthesis and in vitro evaluation.

ABSTRACT: We previously reported a novel drug delivery system, drug-linker-Phe-Phe-Arg-methylketone (FFR-mk)-factor VIIa (fVIIa). The method utilizes tissue factor (TF), which is aberrantly and abundantly expressed on many cancer cells. The advantage of this delivery system is its ability to furnish a potent anticancer drug specifically to the tumor vasculature and cancer cells. In this paper, we describe the synthesis of paclitaxel (PTX)-Phe-Phe-Arg-chloromethyl ketone (FFR-ck), followed by coupling with fVIIa to form PTX-FFR-mk-fVIIa. FFRck was separately linked to the OH groups at the C2' or C7 positions of PTX (C2'- or C7-PTX-FFRck), the C2' analogue exhibiting better activity against human head and neck squamous KB 3-1 cells. The activity order against PTX-sensitive KB 3-1 cells is C2'-PTX-FFRm

SUBMITTER: Ndungu JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2866085 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature