1. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey;2. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Letters, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey;3. Institute on Drug Abuse, Toxicology & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey;4. Sifa University Hospital, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey;5. Vocational School of Health Services, Radiotheraphy Department, Sifa University, Buca, Izmir, Turkey;6. Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research (CEAMR) and Chemistry DepartmentFaculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Abstract:
Conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or combination of these two result in side effects, which lower the quality of life of the patients. To overcome problems with these methods, altering the drug properties by conjugating them to carrier polymers has emerged. Such polymeric carriers also hold the potential to make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Herein, poly(p‐phenylene) (PPP) polymer with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains and primary amino groups (PPP‐NH2‐g‐PEG) is synthesized and conjugated with anticancer drug Doxorubicin (DOX). pH dependent drug release experiments are performed at pH 5.3 and pH 7.4, respectively. Cell viability studies on human cervix adenocarcinoma cells show that lower doses of DOX inhibit cell proliferation when conjugated with nontoxic doses of PPP‐NH2‐g‐PEG polymer. Additionally, PPP‐NH2‐g‐PEG/Cys/DOX bioconjugate significantly increases radiosensitive properties of DOX. It is possible to use lower doses of DOX when conjugated to PPP‐NH2‐g‐PEG in combination with radiotherapy.
