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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Direct Detection of Isolevuglandins in Tissues Using a D11 scFv-Alkaline Phosphatase Fusion Protein and Immunofluorescence
Published on: July 5, 2021
Alkaline phosphatase-triggered assembly of etoposide enhances its anticancer effect
Sonia Kiran1, Zijuan Hai, Zhanling Ding
1CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China. gliang@ustc.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Etoposide is a cancer-targeting drug but an overdose of etoposide leads to immunosuppression in patients. Therefore, the development of a new strategy to enhance its anticancer effect, while in the meantime alleviating its adverse effects, is important but challenging. In this work, with the assistance of a hydrogelator precursor Nap-Phe-Phe-Tyr(H2PO3)-OH (1P), etoposide phosphate (EP) was subjected to alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-triggered assembly, which obviously enhanced its anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo. In vitro tests indicated that the assembly of EP with 1P resulted in a slow release of etoposide and long-term inhibitory effects on HeLa cells. In vivo experiments indicated that, compared with those of EP-treated mice, the tumor growth of EP + 1P-treated mice was further inhibited while their body weight loss was alleviated. We envision that our hydrogelator-assisted assembly strategy could be applied to enhance the therapeutic effects of more drugs, while in the meantime alleviating their adverse effects in the future.
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