Abstract: A major hurdle in the treatment of cancer is chemoresistance induced under hypoxia that is characteristic of tumor microenvironment. Triptolide, a potent inhibitor of eukaryotic transcription, possesses potent antitumor activity. However, its clinical potential has been limited by toxicity and water solubility. To address those limitations of triptolide, the present disclosure designed and synthesized glucose-triptolide conjugates (glutriptolides) and demonstrated their antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The glutriptolides disclosed herein possess improved stability in human serum, greater selectivity towards cancer over normal cells and increased potency against cancer cells. Importantly, the glutriptolides are more potent against cancer cells under hypoxic conditions in contrast to existing cytotoxic drugs. These glutriptolides also exhibit sustained antitumor activity, prolonging survival in a prostate cancer metastasis animal model.

Abstract: A major hurdle in the treatment of cancer is chemoresistance induced under hypoxia that is characteristic of tumor microenvironment. Triptolide, a potent inhibitor of eukaryotic transcription, possesses potent antitumor activity. However, its clinical potential has been limited by toxicity and water solubility. To address those limitations of triptolide, the present disclosure designed and synthesized glucose-triptolide conjugates (glutriptolides) and demonstrated their antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The glutriptolides disclosed herein possess improved stability in human serum, greater selectivity towards cancer over normal cells and increased potency against cancer cells. Importantly, the glutriptolides are more potent against cancer cells under hypoxic conditions in contrast to existing cytotoxic drugs. These glutriptolides also exhibit sustained antitumor activity, prolonging survival in a prostate cancer metastasis animal model.