Carcinoembryonic antigen as a specific glycoprotein ligand of rBC2LCN lectin on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells.

The rBC2LCN lectin, known as a stem cell marker probe that binds to an H type 3 fucosylated trisaccharide motif, was recently revealed to also bind to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. A lectin-drug conjugate was generated by fusing rBC2LCN with a cytocidal toxin, and it showed a strong anticancer effect in in vitro and in vivo PDAC models. However, it is unclear which molecules are carrier proteins of rBC2LCN on PDAC cells.

Novel Pancreatic Cancer Therapy Targeting Cell Surface Glycans by Liposomes Modified with rBC2LCN Lectin.

Introduction: Since the outermost layer of cancer cells is covered with various glycans, targeting these groups may serve as an effective strategy in cancer therapy. We previously reported that fucosylated glycans are specifically expressed on pancreatic cancer cells, and that a protein specifically binding to these glycans, namely rBC2LCN lectin, is a potential guiding drug carrier. In the present study, a novel type of glycan-targeting nanoparticle was developed by modifying the surface of doxorubicin-containing liposomes with rBC2LCN lectin.

Characterization of the Human Intestinal Drug Transport with Ussing Chamber System Incorporating Freshly Isolated Human Jejunum.

Intestinal permeability is a critical factor for orally administered drugs. It can be facilitated by uptake transporters or limited by efflux transporters and metabolic enzymes in the intestine. The present study aimed to characterize the Ussing chamber system incorporating human intestinal tissue as an in vitro model for investigating the impact of intestinal uptake/efflux transporters on the intestinal absorption of substrate drugs in humans.

Lectin drug conjugate therapy for colorectal cancer.

Drug resistance represents an obstacle in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment because of its association with poor prognosis. rBC2LCN is a lectin isolated from Burkholderia that binds cell surface glycans that have fucose moieties. Because fucosylation is enhanced in many types of cancers, this lectin could be an efficient drug carrier if CRC cells specifically present such glycans.