Elucidation of Drug Transport Mechanism by Serum Protein and Development for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Nishi Koji

doi:10.1248/yakushi.22-00173

<p>Human serum albumin (HSA) and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) are the major drug-binding proteins in the blood and regulate the tissue transfer of bound drugs. We succeeded in clarifying the three-dimensional structure of AGP for the first time in the world from X-ray crystal structure analysis. Using a site-directed mutagenesis method by constructing yeast expression systems as well as the three-dimensional structure, we elucidated the properties of drug binding sites of AGP. We also found that structural change due to the interaction between AGP and cell membranes causes the release of bound drugs and reported an “AGP-mediated drug transport process.” Pancreatic cancer has an extremely low response rate to anticancer drugs compared to other cancers and is resistant to starvation of nutrients including fatty acids. We clarified that glutamine metabolism is involved in this tolerance. Furthermore, aiming at efficient drug delivery and effective treatment for pancreatic cancer, we focused on nitric oxide (NO) which increases pancreatic blood flow and has a cell-killing effect on tumors and surrounding stromal tissues. We successfully synthesized nitrated phenylbutyrate (NPB), which binds to HSA and has an antitumor effect in vitro and vivo. The binding of NPB to HSA is considered to be useful for delivery to tumors through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and HSA receptors.</p>

Elucidation of Drug Transport Mechanism by Serum Protein and Development for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

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