Progesterone 3-Biotin Aptamer for Breast Cancer Drug Delivery

Progesterone 3-Biotin Aptamer for Breast Cancer Drug Delivery

Progesterone (Figure 1) is a versatile steroid hormone that belongs to the group of hormones, progestogens. In humans, progesterone is involved with pregnancy, menstrual cycle, and embryogenesis. Progesterone is produced in the ovaries during ovulation, the adrenal glands, and during pregnancy, in the placenta. It is also synthesized by the central nervous system and can act as a neurosteroid. Many steroid hormones are derived from progesterone.
Progesterone is sometimes called the “hormone of pregnancy”.2 But besides its role in pregnancy, progesterone also helps with water and sodium retention in the kidneys, decreases cancer risks, increases libido, regulates apoptotic genes3, protects against atherosclerosis4, and acts as an anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and anti-anxiety agent among many other things.5 Progesterone reaches every part of the body and the cell. It can directly impact transcription in the nucleus or signal human sperm non-genomically.6 Progesterone is a small hormone and can easily pass through the cell membrane due to its hydrophobic characteristic. Such diversity in its actions allows for a variety of aptamers for or against progesterone to carry out many different functions. The ease with which progesterone travels around the body and enters the cell would allow for a more direct and efficient way of drug delivery with the help of an aptamer.
Human breast cancer tumors are often hormone-dependent. A hormone, progesterone and estrogen in the case of breast cancer, binds to its receptor and promotes tumor growth. The epidermal growth factor receptor is important in normal cell growth as well as tumor growth. Current research shows that a cancer drug, Iressa, can effectively block this receptor and inhibit the growth of tumor cells along with normal cells. An aptamer for progesterone can be found to deliver specialized cancer drugs specific to certain breast cancer cells and further inhibit metastasis and tumor growth.7

Specific aim: Select for an aptamer for progesterone that delivers specific breast cancer drugs straight to the nucleus of the cell.

Figure 1. Progesterone molecule. A steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands and plays an imperative role in pregnancy.1

1. Jackson-Michel, Shavon. "Benefits of Natural Progesterone Cream." Livestrong.com.
            Demand Media, Inc., 03 Jun 2010. Web. 8 Apr 2013.
           <http://www.livestrong.com/article/138465-benefits-natural-progesterone-cream/>.
2. Bowen, R. "Placental Hormones." Pathophysiology of the Reproductive System.
           Colorado State University, 06 Aug 2000. Web. 7 Apr 2013
3. Maruo T, Matsuo H, Samoto T, Shimomura Y, Kurachi O, Gao Z, Wang Y, Spitz
           IM, Johansson E. (2000) “Effects of progesterone on uterine leiomyoma 
          growth and apoptosis.”  Steroids. 65(10-11):585-92.
4. Lee WS, Harder JA, Yoshizumi M, Lee ME, Haber E. (1997) “Progesterone inhibits
            arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation.” Nat Med. 3(9):1005-8.
5. Taylor, Eldred B., and Ava Bell-Taylor, M.D. Are Your Hormones Making You
            Sick?. Maximum Health Education, 2000. Print.
6. Correia JN, Conner SJ, Kirkman-Brown JC. (2007) ‘Non-genomic steroid actions in
            human spermatozoa. "Persistent tickling from a laden environment.”’
            Semin Reprod Med. 25(3):208-19.
7. "Researchers unlock how progesterone increases breast cancer risk." Phys.org.
            Michigan State University, 18 Jan 2011. Web. <http://phys.org/news/
            2011-01-progesterone-breast-cancer.html>.

 Vendor: Cayman Chemicals
Product Item Number: 9000644
Website: www.caymanchem.com
Telephone Number: (800) 364-9897
Cost per unit: $56.00 per 500 ug

| By Posted

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)