Rational Design, Synthesis and Binding Affinity Studies of Anthraquinone Derivatives Conjugated to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Analogues towards Selective Immunosuppression of Hormone-Dependent Cancer

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is pivotal in regulating human reproduction and fertility through its specific receptors. Among these, gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor type I (GnRHR I), which is a member of the G-protein-coupled receptor family, is expressed on the surface of both healthy and malignant cells. Its presence in cancer cells has positioned this receptor as a primary target for the development of novel anti-cancer agents. Moreover, the extensive regulatory functions of GnRH have underscored decapeptide as a prominent vehicle for targeted drug delivery, which is accomplished through the design of appropriate conjugates. On this basis, a rationally designed series of anthraquinone/mitoxantrone-GnRH conjugates (con1-con8) has been synthesized herein. Their in vitro binding affinities range from 0.06 to 3.42 nM, with six of them (con2-con7) demonstrating higher affinities for GnRH than the established drug leuprolide (0.64 nM). Among the mitoxantrone based GnRH conjugates, con3 and con7 show the highest affinities at 0.07 and 0.06 nM, respectively, while the disulfide bond present in the conjugates is found to be readily reduced by the thioredoxin (Trx) system. These findings are promising for further pharmacological evaluation of the synthesized conjugates with the prospect of performing future clinical studies.

Prevalence of prothrombotic polymorphisms in Greece

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of several polymorphisms in genes that are involved in several pathways such as hemostasis, fibrinolysis, platelet membrane receptor activity, endothelial integrity and function, lipid metabolism, and regulation of blood pressure in healthy subjects of Greek origin. Most of these polymorphisms are mainly associated with conditions such as venous thromboembolism and atherothrombosis, and their prevalence has not been studied yet in Greece. We tested 140 healthy individuals for factor V (FV)1691G/A, FV4070G/A, FII 20210G/A, factor XIII (FXIII) exon 2G/T, fibrinogen beta-455G/A, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)-675 4G/5G, human platelet antigens 1 (HPA1) a/b, apolipoprotein B (ApoB) 10708 G/A, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) E2, E3, and E4, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) D/I, 5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C/T, and MTHFR 1298A/C polymorphisms using a PCR and reverse hybridization technique that detects all of them simultaneously. The allele frequencies observed are in accordance with those reported in other Caucasian populations and almost identical to those of East Mediterranean populations. This first report from Greece may serve as a baseline for planning further investigations of these polymorphisms in association with several clinical entities and for launching guidelines for patient testing of various disease settings in this population.