Design, Synthesis, and Anticancer Activity of Triptycene-Peptide Hybrids that Induce Paraptotic Cell Death in Cancer Cells

Bioconjug Chem. 2022 Apr 20;33(4):691-717. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00076. Epub 2022 Apr 11.

Abstract

We report on the design and synthesis of triptycene-peptide hybrids (TPHs), 5, syn-6, and anti-6, which are conjugates of a triptycene core unit with two or three cationic KKKGG peptides (K: lysine and G: glycine) through a C8 alkyl chain. It was discovered that syn-6 and anti-6 induce paraptosis, a type of programmed cell death (PCD), in Jurkat cells (leukemia T-lymphocytes). Mechanistic studies indicate that these TPHs induce the transfer of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to mitochondria, a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), tethering of the ER and mitochondria, and cytoplasmic vacuolization in the paraptosis processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anthracenes
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Peptides / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anthracenes
  • Peptides
  • triptycene