GlcNAc Conjugated Atorvastatin with Enhanced Water Solubility and Cellular Internalization

Bioconjug Chem. 2017 Aug 16;28(8):2109-2113. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00295. Epub 2017 Aug 7.

Abstract

Targeting ligands facilitate cell specific drug delivery and improve pharmaceutical properties. Herein, we designed two ligand drug conjugates by conjugating GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine) with atorvastatin. These two conjugates, termed G-AT and G-K-AT, exhibited enhanced water solubility and cellular uptake. Moreover, both G-AT and G-K-AT were able to release atorvastatin and consequently achieve significant inhibition against 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylglucosamine / chemistry*
  • Atorvastatin / chemistry*
  • Atorvastatin / metabolism*
  • Biological Transport
  • Cell Line
  • Humans
  • Solubility
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Water
  • Atorvastatin
  • Acetylglucosamine