On-Demand Activation of a Bioorthogonal Prodrug of SN-38 with Fast Reaction Kinetics and High Releasing Efficiency In Vivo

J Med Chem. 2022 Jan 13;65(1):333-342. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01493. Epub 2021 Dec 29.

Abstract

Although a myriad of bioorthogonal prodrugs have been developed, very few of them present both fast reaction kinetics and complete cleavage. Herein, we report a new bioorthogonal prodrug strategy with both fast reaction kinetics (k2: ∼103 M-1 s-1) and complete cleavage (>90% within minutes) using the bioorthogonal reaction pair of N-oxide and boron reagent. Distinctively, an innovative 1,6-elimination-based self-immolative linker is masked by N-oxide, which can be bioorthogonally demasked by a boron reagent for the release of both amino and hydroxy-containing payload in live cells. Such a strategy was applied to prepare a bioorthogonal prodrug for a camptothecin derivative, SN-38, resulting in 10-fold weakened cytotoxicity against A549 cells, 300-fold enhanced water solubility, and "on-demand" activation upon a click reaction both in vitro and in vivo. This novel bioorthogonal prodrug strategy presents significant advances over the existing ones and may find wide applications in drug delivery in the future.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Boron Compounds / chemistry*
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Drug Liberation*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Irinotecan / chemistry
  • Irinotecan / pharmacology*
  • Kinetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Boron Compounds
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
  • Irinotecan