Biopolymers

Biography

Biography: Vakhtang Barbakadze

Abstract

Within the field of pharmacologically active biopolymers the area  of stable polyethers seems rather  new and  attractive. Caffeic acid-derived  polyethers are  a class of natural products isolated from the  root  extracts   of  comfrey  (Symphytum   asperum)   and   bugloss (Anchusa italica). According  to 13C, 1H NMR, 2D  heteronuclear 1H/13C HSQC and  2D  DOSY experiments  the polyoxyethylene   chain  is  the backbone    of   the   polymer   molecule.    3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl   and carboxyl   groups are   regular   substituents  at  two  carbon  atoms  in the  chain.  The repeating  unit  of  this regular  polymer    is     3-(3,4- dihydroxyphenyl)-glyceric  acid residue. Thus,  the structure of natural polymer under study was found   to be  poly[oxy-1-carboxy-2-(3,4- dihydroxyphenyl)ethylene] or poly[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)glyceric acid] (PDPGA). PDPGA is endowed with intriguing pharmacological properties as anticomplementary, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, burn and wound healing and anticancer properties

We examined the efficacy of PDPGA of  S.asperum (PDGPA- SA) and S.caucasicum  (PDGPA-SC)  in androgen-dependent  (LNCaP) and independent (22Rv1  and  PC3) human prostate  cancer  (PCA)  cells. PDPGA-SA  treatment  (100  mcg/ml  for  48h)  decreases  the  live  cell number by 65, 64 and 35% and increases the cell death by 16, 8 and 12  folds    in  LNCaP,  22Rv1  and  PC3  cells,  respectively.  Similarly, PDPGA-SC  treatment  (100  mcg/ml  for  48h)  decreased   the  live  cell number by 87, 25 and 33% and increased the cell death by 19, 10 and 9 folds in LNCaP, 22Rv1 and PC3 cells, respectively

PDPGA   and   its   synthetic    monomer  exerted    anti-cancer efficacy  in vitro and  in vivo  against     human prostate cancer (PCA) cells  via    targeting   androgen    receptor,    cell    cycle    arrest    and apoptosis   without   any  toxicity, together   with   a strong  decrease   in prostate   specific antigen   level in plasma. However, our results showed that anticancer  efficacy  of   PDPGA    is more effective  compared to its synthetic  monomer. Overall, this study identifies  PDPGA as a potent agent against PCA  without any toxicity, and  supports its clinical application