An Endoplasmic Reticulum Specific Pro-amplifier of Reactive Oxygen Species in Cancer Cells

Xu H, Schikora M, Sisa M, Daum S, Klemt I, Janko C, Alexiou C, Bila G, Bilyy R, Gong W, Schmitt M, Sellner L, Mokhir A (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Angewandte Chemie International Edition Wiley

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202100054

Abstract

The folding and export of proteins and hydrolysis of unfolded proteins are disbalanced in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of cancer cells, leading to so-called ER stress. Agents further augmenting this effect are used as anticancer drugs including clinically approved proteasome inhibitors bortezomib and carfilzomib. However, these drugs can affect normal cells, which also rely strongly on ER functions, leading, for example, to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To address this problem, we have developed ER-targeted prodrugs activated only in cancer cells in the presence of elevated ROS amounts. These compounds are conjugates of cholic acid with N-alkylaminoferrocene-based prodrugs. We confirmed their accumulation in the ER of cancer cells, their anticancer efficacy, and cancer cell specificity. These prodrugs induce ER stress, attenuate mitochondrial membrane potential, and generate mitochondrial ROS leading to cell death via necrosis. We also demonstrated that the new prodrugs are activated in vivo in Nemeth-Kellner lymphoma (NK/Ly) murine model.

Authors with CRIS profile

Honggui Xu Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II Margot Schikora Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II Miroslav Sisa Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II Steffen Daum Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II Insa Klemt Professur für Organische Chemie Christina Janko Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (HNO-Klinik) Christoph Alexiou Professur für Nanomedizin Andriy Mokhir Professur für Organische Chemie

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg DE Germany (DE) Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University / Львiвський Національний Медичний Унiверситет iм. Данила Галицького UA Ukraine (UA)

How to cite

APA:

Xu, H., Schikora, M., Sisa, M., Daum, S., Klemt, I., Janko, C.,... Mokhir, A. (2021). An Endoplasmic Reticulum Specific Pro-amplifier of Reactive Oxygen Species in Cancer Cells. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202100054

MLA:

Xu, Honggui, et al. "An Endoplasmic Reticulum Specific Pro-amplifier of Reactive Oxygen Species in Cancer Cells." Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2021).

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