Synthesis of Mitochondria-Anchored Nitroimidazoles with a Versatile NIR Fluorophore for Hypoxic Tumor-Targeting Imaging and Chemoradiotherapy

J Med Chem. 2021 Mar 25;64(6):3381-3391. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02250. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Abstract

Nitroimidazoles are one of the most common radiosensitizers investigated to combat hypoxia-induced resistance to cancer radiotherapy. However, due to poor selectivity distinguishing cancer cells from normal cells, effective doses of radiosensitization are much closer to the doses of toxicity induced by nitroimidazoles, limiting their clinical application. In this work, a tumor-targeting near-infrared (NIR) cyanine dye (IR-808) was utilized as a targeting ligand and an NIR fluorophore tracer to chemically conjugate with different structures of hypoxia-affinic nitroimidazoles. One of the NIR fluorophore-conjugated nitroimidazoles (808-NM2) was identified to preferentially accumulate in hypoxic tumor cells, sensitively outline the tumor contour, and effectively inhibit tumor growth synergistically by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. More importantly, nitroimidazoles were successfully taken into cancer cell mitochondria via 808-NM2 conjugate to exert the synergistic effect of chemoradiotherapy. Regarding the important roles of mitochondria on cancer cell survival and metastasis under hypoxia, 808-NM2 may be hopeful to fight against hypoxic tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Carbocyanines / chemistry
  • Carbocyanines / therapeutic use*
  • Chemoradiotherapy
  • Coloring Agents / chemistry
  • Coloring Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / pathology
  • Nitroimidazoles / chemistry
  • Nitroimidazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Tumor Hypoxia

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Carbocyanines
  • Coloring Agents
  • Nitroimidazoles