the present invention relates to conjugates with a targeting agent and an antitumor agent for solving drug - toxicity and drug - resistance , more specifically with a biomacromolecule and a bioreductive agent . the biomacromolecules according to the present invention include but are not limited to apo - transferrin , fe - transferrin , ru - transferrin , ti - transferrin , ga - transferrin , pt - transferrin , somatostatin , egf ( epidermal growth factor ), folacin acid and transcobalamin . 1 ) quinones : mitomycinc , diaziquon , streptonigrin , indoloquinone eo9 ( 3 - hydroxy - aziridinyl - 1 - methyl - 2 -( 1h - indole - 4 , 7 - indione )- propenol ), rh1 ( 2 , 5 - diaziridinyl - 3 -( hydroxymethyl )- 6 - methyl - 1 , 4 - benzoquinone ), porfiromycin . rsu1069 ( 1 [ 2 - nitro - 1 - imidazolyl ]- 3 - aziridinyl - 2 - ropanol ), rb6145 ( beatrice s , lloyd r . k . methods mol med . 2004 , 90 , 515 - 42 ), cb1954 ( 5 - aziridin - 1 - yl - 2 , 4 - dinitrobenzamide ), sn23862 ( 2 , 4 - dinitrobenzam - ide mustard ). preferably the biomacromolecules and the bioreductive agents are conjugated by a bond . suitable bond include but are not limited to : 1 . covalent bond : glutaraldehyde , glutaric anhydride , disulfide coupling , thioester bond benzoyl hydrazone , n - hydroxy - succinimide , maleimide , etc . ii . noncovalent bond : hydrogen bond , electrostatic interaction , coordination , etc . this invention relates generally to a conjugate of biomacromolecule and bioreductive agent . whatever the bond is , the conjugate must keep bioactivity and can kill cancer cells without toxicity . the peptide chain of serum transferrin folds into two globular lobes , which are similar in structure and respectively correspond to n - lobe and c - lobe . these two globular lobes are connected by a short peptide . every lobe is divided into two domains with similar sizes , and these domains are constructed by alternate α - helixes and β - sheets . the n - lobe can be divided into n1 and n2 domains , which has disulfide bonds in but not between domains . c - lobe can be divided into c1 and c2 domains , which has no disulfide bond both in and between domains . with the existence of accompanying anions , some amino acid residues ( tyr , his , asp ) in the gap of two domains could form the binding side of fe 3 + . under physiological conditions , co 3 2 − is a kind of accompanying anions , and serum transferrin would form fe - transferrin by reversible binding to 2fe 3 + . this invention is to conjugate fe - transferrin with bioreductive agent by covalent binding and noncovalent binding . having double functions of targeting and anti - tumor , the conjugates can specifically kill the tumor hypoxia cells and inhibit tumor &# 39 ; s growth and recurrence . ru 3 + has high anti - tumor effect , and is transported in blood by binding to transferrin . after injecting ru - transferrin , ru will be specifically absorbed by tumor cells . in addition , it has been found that ru - transferrin has higher antitumor effect than ru 3 + in human colonic cancer . this invention is to conjugate ru - transferrin with bioreductive agent by covalent binding and noncovalent binding . having double functions of targeting and anti - tumor , the conjugates can specifically kill the tumor hypoxia cells and inhibit tumor &# 39 ; s growth and recurrence . it is found that the binding between titanium and transferrin is similar to the binding between ion and transferrin . ti - transferrin is also transported into tumor cells by transferrin receptor . and in the acid microenvironment of tumor cells , titanium will be released from transferrin and kill the tumor cells . this invention is to conjugate ti - transferrin with bioreductive agent by covalent binding and noncovalent binding . having double functions of targeting and anti - tumor , the conjugates can specifically kill the tumor hypoxia cells and inhibit tumor &# 39 ; s growth and recurrence . gallium is non - life element . after gallium is absorbed into the blood , it could quickly combine with serum transferrin to form a stable complex with the existence of accompanying anion — hco 3 − . similar to fe - transferrin , ga - transferrin has high affinity to transferrin receptors . this invention is to conjugate ga - transferrin with bioreductive agent by covalent binding and noncovalent binding . on one hand the conjugate takes the bioreductive agents into the tumor cells to kill the tumor cells with the help of transferrin receptors , on the other hand the conjugate restrains the ingestion of iron of the tumor cells and increases the concentration of gallium in tumor cells , in the end reaches the object of targeting and better effect of drugs . platinum can also bind to transferrin , and the binding site is the same to that of iron . pt - transferrin will accumulate on the surface of tumor cells and be transported into tumor cells by the transferrin / transferrin receptors system . but the toxic effect of platinum to the hypoxia cells is not enough . based on the synergy between bioreductive agents and anti - tumor drugs , this invention is to conjugate pt - transferrin with bioreductive agent by covalent binding and noncovalent binding . the conjugates obviously enhance the targeting effects and decrease the drug dose . 1 ) the transferrin - bioreductive conjugates have double function of targeting : a . target to transferrin receptors on the surface of cancer cells ; b . target to hypoxic solid tumor . thus , the purpose of decreasing drug - toxicity is achieved . 2 ) by the endocytosis of transferrin , anti - tumor agents are transported into cells , through which the drug - resistance of tumor cells was decreased and the therapeutic effect was increased . 3 ) the transferrin - bioreductive conjugates make a significant decrease in the dose required to achieve the same anti - tumor effect , and prevent the drug - resistance . nahco 3 was added into 10 ml citric acid solution containing 20m apo - transferrin , adjust the ph to 7 . 4 , stirred in ice water , dropwise 5 ml 10m nta - fecl 3 , the mixture was stirred at 4 ° c ., dialyzed against water , then freeze - dried . after that , the fe - transferrin was prepared and the yield efficiency was 30 %. glutaricanhydride ( 51 . 3 mg ) was added to a stirred solution of mmc ( 50 mg ) in dry tetrahydrofuran ( 40 ml ), and the mixture was heated under nitrogen atmosphere at 50 ˜ 60 ° c . for 10 ˜ 20 hours . the solvent was evaporated , and the residue , after being dissolved in methanol ( 2 ml ), was chromatographed on a sephadex lh - 20 column ( 2 . 5 × 97 cm ) with methanol to give mmc having the 4 - carbosybutyryl group attached at n - 1α ( 90 %). a solution of the carboxylic acid derivative of mnc thus obtained and n - hydroxysuccinimide ( 21 . 6 mg ) was made in acetonitrite ( 3 . 4 ml ). dicyclohexylcarbodiimide ( 155 . 6 mg ) was added to this solution under cooling in an ice bath , and the mixture was stirred at 4 ° c . for 2 days . ice water ( 7 ml ) was added to the mixture , which was then filtered . the filtrate was diluted with water and extracted with chloroform . the extract was dried over sodium sulfated and subsequently evaporated . the residual material was treated with ethylacetate - n - hexane to give mmc - g - osu ( 56 %). mmc - g - osu ( 8 . 2 mg ) in n , n - dimethylformamide ( 0 . 2 ml ) was mixed with a solution of transferrin ( 100 mg ) in 0 . 1m na phosphate buffer ( ph 7 . 0 ) ( 3 ml ), and the mixture was allowed to stand at 4 ° c . over night . a very small amount of insoluble material was removed by centrifugation , and the supernatant was dialyzed at 4 ° c . to give fe - transferrin - mitomycin c conjugate ( yeile efficiency was 20 %). the amount of mmc bound to transferrin was determined spectroscopically by measuring the absorbance at uv absorption maxima at 280 and 363 nm due to the chromophores of protein and mmc , respectively . when is mole ratio of mmc - g - osu to transferrin is 43 , the percent of mmc is 9 . 49 %. conjugate cytotoxicity was assessed using an mtt assay . cells ( smmc - 7721 , l - 02 , etc .) were seeded at a density of 1 × 10 4 cells / well 24 prior to the assay . at the start of the experiment the culture medium was removed and the conjugate ( 0 - 2 mg / lnl in complete medium ) was added ( 100 ul ). after 4 h , mtt ( 20 ul ; 5 mg / ml in pbs ) was added and the plates re - incubated for a further 5 h . the formazan crystals were dissolved in dmso and the absorbance read at 550 nm using a microtitre plate reader . the results were expressed as viability (%) relative to a control containing no conjugate . results : the ic50 of conjugate and mmc to smmc - 7721 were 0 . 5 ug mmc / ml and 1 . 6 ug mmc / ml , respectively . although the concentration of mmc or conjugate was up to 8 ugmmc / ml , the viability of l - 02 was unchanged . the transcellular transport of conjugate was evaluated using caco - 2 cell monolayers . caco - 2 cells were maintained in plastic culture flasks . these stock cells were subcultivated before reaching confluence . the medium consisted of dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle &# 39 ; s medium supplemented with 10 % fetal bovine serum , 1 % nonessential amino acid , 2 mm l - glutamine and 100 iu / ml penicillin - 10 ug / ml streptomycin . the monolayer cultures were grown in an atmosphere of 5 % co2 - 95 % o2 at 37 ° c . the cells were given fresh growth medium every 2 days . when the caco - 2 cells had reached confluence , they were harvested with 0 . 25 mm trypsin and 0 . 2 % edta ( 0 . 5 - 1 min at 37 ° c . ), resuspended , and seeded into a new flask , caco - 2 cells were used between passages 45 and 60 . for the transport study , caco - 2 cells were seeded at a cell density of 8 × 10 4 cells / cm 2 on 6 - well ( 3 - mm pores , 4 . 71 - cm 2 growth area ) transwell ™. the cell monolayers were fed a fresh growth medium every 2 days and were used at 16 to 21 days for the transport experiments . teer was used to monitor the integrity of the monolayers . monolayers with teer above 350 / cm 2 ( after subtracting the back group value of the transwell ) were used in the study . results : the transcellular transport of conjugate by caco - 2 cells was 20 % of total drug , while the transport freaction of mmc was only 5 %. compared with mmc , fe - transferrin - mmc was more easily transcellular transported by caco - cell monolayers . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . 20 mg apo - transferrin was added into 9 ml 20 mm hac solution containing 150 mm nacl ( ph 3 . 5 ), dripwise 3 mol ga ( no 3 ) 3 , then adjust ph to 7 . 4 by adding nahco 3 , the mixture was dialyzed and freeze - dried . after that , the ga - transferrin was prepared and the yield efficiency was 25 %. other preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. preparation procedure is parallel to example 17 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 , the yield efficiency was 40 %. dissolve 20 mg apo - transferrin in 9 ml 20 mm acetic acid solution ( ph = 3 . 5 ) containing 150 mm nacl . add 3 mol nitrate titanium , and then add nahco 3 to adjust ph to 7 . 4 . dialyze and freeze dry , then get the ti - transferrin . the yield rate is 30 %. other preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to sample 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to sample 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 preparation procedure is parallel to example 31 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . add nahco 3 into 10 ml citric acid solution containing 20m apotransferrin , and adjust ph to 7 . 4 . then the mixture was stirred in ice water . add 5 ml 20m cis - diaminodichloroplatin platinol and continue to stirred in ice water . dialyze and freeze dry . after that , the pt - transferrin was prepared and the yield efficiency was 20 %. other preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 45 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . add nahco 3 into 10 ml citric acid solution containing 20m apotransferrin . then the mixture was stirred in ice water . add 5 ml 20m ruthenium trichloride and continue to stirred in ice water . dialyze and freeze dry . after that , the ru - transferrin was prepared and the yield efficiency was 30 %. other preparation procedure is parallel to example 1 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . preparation procedure is parallel to example 60 , and evaluation method is parallel to example 2 and 3 . dissolve 50 mg epidermal growth factor in sodium phosphate buffered solution ( ph = 7 . 5 ) which contains 5 ml 0 . 1m nacl . then add 21 . 6 mg n - hydroxysuccinimide ( hosu ) and 155 . 6 mg ddc ( dicyclohexylcarbodiimide ), and stir the mixture for 16 hours at 4 ° c . then the mixture is dialyzed at 4 ° c . add 30 mg tirapazamine , and stir for another 20 hours at 4 ° c . then the mixture is dialyzed again at 4 ° c ., freeze - dried . after that , the epidermal growth factor - tirapazamine conjugate is prepared . the yield rate is 10 %. dissolve 50 mg flolic acid in sodium phosphate buffered solution ( ph = 7 . 5 ) which contains 5 ml 0 . 1m nacl . then add 21 . 6 mg n - hydroxysuccinimide ( hosu ) and 155 . 6 mg ddc ( dicyclohexylcarbodiimide ), and stir the mixture for 16 hours at 4 ° c . then the mixture is dialyzed at 4 ° c . add 30 mg porfiromycin , and stir for another 20 hours at 4 ° c . then the mixture is dialyzed again at 4 ° c ., freeze - dried . after that , flolic acid - porfiromycin conjugate is prepared . the yield rate is 10 %. dissolve 50 mg transcobalamin in sodium phosphate buffered solution ( ph = 7 . 5 ) which contains 5 ml 0 . 1m nacl . then add 21 . 6 mg n - hydroxysuccinimide ( hosu ) and 155 . 6 mg ddc ( dicyclohexylcarbodiimide ), and stir the mixture for 16 hours at 4 ° c . then the mixture is dialyzed at 4 ° c . add 30 mg tirapazamine , and stir for another 20 hours at 4 ° c . then the mixture is dialyzed again at 4 ° c ., freeze - dried . after that , transcobalamin - tirapazamine conjugate is prepared . the yield rate is 10 %.
conjugate of biomacromolecule with bioreductive which can be useful for treating tumor is provided . the biomacromolecule is selected from apo - transferrin , fe - transferrin , ru - transferrin , ti - transferrin , ga - transferrin , pt - transferrin , somatostatin , egf , folacin acid or transcobalamin , and the bioreductive agent is selected from quinones , aromatic nitrogen oxides , fatty nitrogen oxides , heterocyclic nitro compound , transition metal compound . such conjugate can selectively target the tumor cells , and lower the toxicity of medicines and survivability of tumor cells , so that the conjugate can be used for delivery of anti - tumor compounds or treating tumors .