Optimizing Arsenic Therapy by Selectively Targeting Leukemia Cells

Arsenic, in the simple form of arsenic trioxide, is currentlymarketedfor the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia. Due to the multifacetedmechanisms of action of arsenic, it has also shown promise in othertypes of leukemias but is hindered by its toxic effects toward normalcells. This research has aimed to determine whether tumor-homing peptidecomplexes of arsenic can be designed and developed to strategicallytarget specific cancers. The end goal is to achieve dose reductionand decreased side effects of the resultant arsenic therapeutic agent.In this article, we present the synthesis, characterization, and stabilitystudies of a new class of As-peptide complexes designed to targetleukemia. In vitro biological studies of the moststable complex show 1000 times greater toxicity toward leukemia cellsover human blood cells, indicating potential for progression to in vivo studies.