Synthesis and Biological Evaluation (in Vitro and in Vivo) of Cyclic Arginine–Glycine–Aspartate (RGD) Peptidomimetic–Paclitaxel Conjugates Targeting Integrin α_Vβ₃

Abstract

A small library of integrin ligand–paclitaxel conjugates 10–13 was synthesized with the aim of using the tumor-homing cyclo[DKP-RGD] peptidomimetics for site-directed delivery of the cytotoxic drug. All the paclitaxel–RGD constructs 10–13 inhibited biotinylated vitronectin binding to the purified αVβ3 integrin receptor at low nanomolar concentration and showed in vitro cytotoxic activity against a panel of human tumor cell lines similar to that of paclitaxel. Among the cell lines, the cisplatin-resistant IGROV-1/Pt1 cells expressed high levels of integrin αVβ3, making them attractive to be tested in in vivo models. cyclo[DKP-f3-RGD]-PTX 11 displayed sufficient stability in physiological solution and in both human and murine plasma to be a good candidate for in vivo testing. In tumor-targeting experiments against the IGROV-1/Pt1 human ovarian carcinoma xenotransplanted in nude mice, compound 11 exhibited a superior activity compared with paclitaxel, despite the lower (about half) molar dosage used.