Development of palladium-based multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzymes

Jing Huang; Yufei Li; Pik Kwan Lo; Kenward Vong

doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2026.118603

Development of palladium-based multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzymes

Jing Huang
, Yufei Li
, Pik Kwan Lo
, Kenward Vong

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal Article › peer-review

Abstract

By instilling artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) with cancer targeting properties, these biocatalysts can be used in prodrug therapies to chemoselectively activate prodrugs within the local tumor environment. In this study, another example of a multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzyme was developed using a palladium-embedded HaloTag-PduU-ACG lectin fusion protein (HtPA-Pd). By combining the targeting ArM with a proc-masked doxorubicin prodrug, this anticancer prodrug therapy was subsequently shown in assays to be biologically active against hypersialylated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	118603
Number of pages	1
Journal	Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry
Volume	136
Early online date	20 Feb 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2026.118603
Publication status	Published - 1 May 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Artificial metalloenzyme
Bioorthogonal chemistry
Cancer targeting
Palladium catalysis
Prodrug therapy

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10.1016/j.bmc.2026.118603

Cite this

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title = "Development of palladium-based multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzymes",

abstract = "By instilling artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) with cancer targeting properties, these biocatalysts can be used in prodrug therapies to chemoselectively activate prodrugs within the local tumor environment. In this study, another example of a multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzyme was developed using a palladium-embedded HaloTag-PduU-ACG lectin fusion protein (HtPA-Pd). By combining the targeting ArM with a proc-masked doxorubicin prodrug, this anticancer prodrug therapy was subsequently shown in assays to be biologically active against hypersialylated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.",

keywords = "Artificial metalloenzyme, Bioorthogonal chemistry, Cancer targeting, Palladium catalysis, Prodrug therapy",

author = "Jing Huang and Yufei Li and Lo, \{Pik Kwan\} and Kenward Vong",

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T1 - Development of palladium-based multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzymes

AU - Huang, Jing

AU - Li, Yufei

AU - Lo, Pik Kwan

AU - Vong, Kenward

PY - 2026/5/1

Y1 - 2026/5/1

N2 - By instilling artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) with cancer targeting properties, these biocatalysts can be used in prodrug therapies to chemoselectively activate prodrugs within the local tumor environment. In this study, another example of a multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzyme was developed using a palladium-embedded HaloTag-PduU-ACG lectin fusion protein (HtPA-Pd). By combining the targeting ArM with a proc-masked doxorubicin prodrug, this anticancer prodrug therapy was subsequently shown in assays to be biologically active against hypersialylated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

AB - By instilling artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) with cancer targeting properties, these biocatalysts can be used in prodrug therapies to chemoselectively activate prodrugs within the local tumor environment. In this study, another example of a multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzyme was developed using a palladium-embedded HaloTag-PduU-ACG lectin fusion protein (HtPA-Pd). By combining the targeting ArM with a proc-masked doxorubicin prodrug, this anticancer prodrug therapy was subsequently shown in assays to be biologically active against hypersialylated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

KW - Artificial metalloenzyme

KW - Bioorthogonal chemistry

KW - Cancer targeting

KW - Palladium catalysis

KW - Prodrug therapy

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105033513103

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001708466300001

UR - https://openalex.org/works/w7135225287

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DO - 10.1016/j.bmc.2026.118603

M3 - Journal Article

C2 - 41747325

AN - SCOPUS:105033513103

SN - 0968-0896

VL - 136

SP - 118603

JO - Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry

JF - Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry

ER -

Development of palladium-based multivalent lectin-directed artificial metalloenzymes

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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