Therapeutic In Vivo Synthetic Chemistry: Synthesis of Bioactive Polymers In Animals

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19154
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 37:Biomolecular chemistry and related fields
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Katsunori 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 開拓研究本部, 主任研究員 (00403098)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 生体内合成 / 抗がん活性分子 / 人工金属触媒 / アルブミン / 糖鎖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The presented work focuses on the development of albumin-based artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) designed for biological applications. The key foundation of this study is based on the observation that ruthenium metal catalysts bound inside the albumin hydrophobic binding pocket can be resistant to inactivation from biological thiols (i.e. glutathione). For the first bioapplication, investigations were conducted to develop an anticancer prodrug therapy. To elicit cancer-targeting, ArMs were functionalized with N-glycan targeting moieties, which then showed preferential accumulation to varying cancer cells lines (i.e. HeLa, A549, SW620). Subsequent work then showed the successful activation of an umbelliprenin prodrug via ring-closing metathesis. Overall, the work presented in this study highlights the biocompatibility, versatility, and potential applications of albumin-based ArMs.

Free Research Field

ケミカルバイオロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本課題で実現した糖鎖付加人工金属触媒は、ルテニウム触媒にかかわらずあらゆる金属触媒反応に展開可能であると考えられる。金属触媒が狙った疾患のところで自在に利用できれば、これまで副作用や安定性の問題で使用できなかった薬理活性分子や創薬候補分子、あるいは診断分子を「現地合成」できる可能性が生まれる。報告者が提唱する「生体内合成化学治療」は、新しい分子を開発するのではなく、既存の分子を有機合成化学の視点で改めて見直す“分子ルネッサンス”であり、創薬や治療を改革すると考えられる。