Peptide Conjugated Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for Enhanced Tumor Targeting

Abstract

A cutting-edge non-invasive cancer treatment method called boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) allows for the removal of cancerous tumor cells with the least possible damage to healthy tissue. It involves the exposure of cancer cells with low-energy thermal neutrons, boron-10 (¹⁰B) cellular uptake causes cancer cell death by producing alpha particles and recoiling lithium-7 (⁷ Li) nuclei. Despite positive outcomes from clinical trials conducted all around the world, these substances have relatively limited tumor selectivity or low boron content per molecule. The development of new boron delivery agents with more selectivity and enhanced boron loading would advance this technique and promote its use in clinics as a primary cancer treatment. As peptide-binding cell surface receptors are typically overexpressed on cancer cells, they can be seen as interesting targets for targeted tumor therapy. The attachment of meta-carboranes to peptide conjugates that target tumor cells specifically by their overexpressed receptors may be a method to get around these problems. A state-of-the-art overview of current developments in the application of BNCT for cancer targeted therapy via peptide conjugation is the goal of this review.

Keywords: BNCT; Peptide conjugation; Tumor targeting; targeting peptides and BNCT designing.

Figure 1

Neutron irradiated cancer cells containing boron compounds leads to cell death.

Figure 2

Chemical structures of (A) boronophenylalanine (BPA) and (B) sodium borocaptate (BSH)

Figure 3

Fluorescence imaging of U87MG human glioblastoma xenograft tumors in female mice was conducted using Cy5-conjugated cRGD-MID-BSA and MID-BSA. (a) Live images were taken 24 hours post-injection, and (b) ex vivo images of various organs were captured 24 hours after injection. Reprinted (adapted) with permission from . Copyright {2024} American Chemical Society.

Figure 4

(A) Treatment of mice with SZGO: Cr-10B-NF; (B) photographic images of the tumor, after irradiation with neutron; (C) plot of size of tumor versus number of days; (D) histopathological studies of treated and control tumor. Reprinted (adapted) with permission from . Copyright {2024} American Chemical Society.