Correction: Boron-containing delocalised lipophilic cations for the selective targeting of cancer cells.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C6MD00383D.].

Boron-containing delocalised lipophilic cations for the selective targeting of cancer cells.

To limit the incidence of relapse, cancer treatments must not promote the emergence of drug resistance in tumour and cancer stem cells. Under the proviso that a therapeutic amount of boron is selectively delivered to cancer cells, Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) may represent one approach that meets this requirement. To this end, we report the synthesis and pharmacology of several chemical entities, based on boron-rich carborane moieties that are functionalised with Delocalized Lipophilic Cations (DLCs), which selectively target the mitochondria of tumour cells.

Pharmacological Development of Target-Specific Delocalized Lipophilic Cation-Functionalized Carboranes for Cancer Therapy.

Purpose: Tumor cell heterogeneity and microenvironment represent major hindering factors in the clinical setting toward achieving the desired selectivity and specificity to malignant tissues for molecularly targeted cancer therapeutics. In this study, the cellular and molecular evaluation of several delocalized lipophilic cation (DLC)-functionalized carborane compounds as innovative anticancer agents is presented.

Methods: The anticancer potential assessment of the DLC-carboranes was performed in established normal (MRC-5, Vero), cancer (U-87 MG, HSC-3) and primary glioblastoma cancer stem (EGFR(pos), EGFR(neg)) cultures.

Towards boron neutron capture therapy: the formulation and preliminary in vitro evaluation of liposomal vehicles for the therapeutic delivery of the dequalinium salt of bis-nido-carborane.

Liposomes of phosphatidylcholine or of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine that incorporate bis-nido-carborane dequalinium salt are stable in physiologically relevant media and have in vitro toxicity profiles that appear to be compatible with potential therapeutic applications. These features render the structures suitable candidate boron-delivery vehicles for evaluation in the boron neutron capture therapy of cancer.