A SERS protocol as a potential tool to access 6-mercaptopurine release accelerated by glutathione-S-transferase

Analyst. 2015 Nov 21;140(22):7578-85. doi: 10.1039/c5an01588j.

Abstract

The developed method for monitoring GST, an important drug metabolic enzyme, could greatly facilitate researches on relative biological fields. In this work, we have developed a SERS technique to monitor the absorbance behaviour of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and its glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-accelerated glutathione (GSH)-triggered release behaviour on the surface of gold nanoflowers (GNFs), using the GNFs as excellent SERS substrates. The SERS signal was used as an indicator of absorbance or release of 6-MP on the gold surface. We found that GST can accelerate GSH-triggered release behaviour of 6-MP from the gold surface. We speculated that GST catalyzes nucleophilic GSH to competitively bind with the electrophilic substance 6-MP. Experimental results have proved that the presented SERS protocol can be utilized as an effective tool for accessing the release of anticancer drugs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage*
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / chemistry
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / metabolism
  • Delayed-Action Preparations / chemistry*
  • Drug Liberation
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Glutathione Transferase / metabolism*
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Mercaptopurine / administration & dosage*
  • Mercaptopurine / chemistry
  • Mercaptopurine / metabolism
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Delayed-Action Preparations
  • Gold
  • Mercaptopurine
  • Glutathione Transferase
  • Glutathione