Cell Nucleus Directed 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic Acid Conjugates

Title: Cell Nucleus Directed 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic Acid Conjugates

Volume: 5 Issue: 4

Author(s): Alexander Sturzu, Ulrich Vogel, Alireza Gharabaghi, Alexander Beck, Hubert Kalbacher, Hartmut Echner and Stefan Heckl

Affiliation:

Keywords: 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid, NLS, cell nucleus, FITC, transmembrane transport, glioma, penetratin, polyglutamic acid

Abstract: Triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) represents the core structure of most clinically used contrast agents for computed tomography and other X-ray procedures. To construct an intracellular radiopaque contrast agent, TIBA was coupled to various different positively and negatively charged fluorescein iothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled peptides. TIBA coupled to the SV40 T Antigen nuclear localization sequence (NLS) stained 80% of human glioma cells and caused cell death. This occurred with C- or N-terminal binding of TIBA and with the correct or mutant NLS. No cell death and only small numbers of stained cells (below 3 %) were observed after incubation with NLS conjugates lacking TIBA or after incubation with TIBA-conjugates containing a negatively charged polyglutamic acid stretch. TIBA-conjugates containing the Antennapedia-derived cell-penetrating peptide penetratin were only nuclearly taken up when TIBA and FITC were coupled to lysines outside the 16-amino acid peptide sequence. The study shows that intracellular TIBA may have potential as a chemotherapeutic agent rather than a contrast agent.

Cite this article as:

Sturzu Alexander, Vogel Ulrich, Gharabaghi Alireza, Beck Alexander, Kalbacher Hubert, Echner Hartmut and Heckl Stefan, Cell Nucleus Directed 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic Acid Conjugates, Medicinal Chemistry 2009; 5 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157340609788681485