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Twelve biologically active derivatives of vitamin B(12) (cyanocobalamin) have been synthesized in which spacers were attached to the ribose-5'-hydroxyl group of vitamin B(12). Their potential to act as oral delivery agents for proteins, nanospheres, or immunogens using the vitamin B(12) uptake system was evaluated by determining their affinity for intrinsic factor (IF) and non-IF. The ribose-5'-hydroxyl group of vitamin B(12) was activated through the use of 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), 1,1'-carbonyldi(1,2, 4-triazole) (CDT), or di(1-benzotriazolyl) carbonate (DBTC). Subsequent addition of an aminoalkane, diaminoalkane, or alkane diacid dihydrazide gave rise to vitamin B(12) derivatives suitable for attachment to various proteins, peptides, or nanospheres to enable oral delivery utilizing the vitamin B(12) uptake system. The ribose-5'-carbamate derivatives were found to possess similar affinity for intrinsic factor as that of the e-monocarboxylic acid of vitamin B(12). The affinity for non-IF was similar to cyanocobalamin or even higher for some of the smaller derivatives. Polysciences nanoparticles derivatized with vitamin B(12) 5'-carbamate adipic dihydrazide into CaCo-2 cells showed significantly higher levels of transport of the particles, when compared to unmodified particles.

A putative role for prion protein (PrP) in apoptosis has been implicated. This function was investigated to test whether antibodies to PrP could induce apoptosis and be utilised in the treatment of cancers. Various antibodies to PrP were screened in MTT proliferation assays with HCT 116 colon cancer cells. Antibodies were shown to have varying degrees of anti-proliferative activity, with 3F4 and 6D11 essentially inactive, compared to other highly active antibodies. Surprisingly, BAR221 and F89/160.1.5 antibodies were particularly potent and afforded >40% reduction in proliferation at 50 μg/ml. In combination therapy experiments, antibodies to PrP enhanced the effect of irinotecan, 5-FU, cisplatin and doxorubicin to varying degrees. Use of PrP antibody in vitro resulted in increased apoptosis as measured by reduced Bcl-2 expression. In different colon cancer cell lines, antibody effectiveness correlated with tumour aggressiveness. Remarkably, in an in vivo nude mouse bearing human HCT 116 xenografts, tumour growth was inhibited by treatment with PrP antibody. Forty-seven days after treatment, at 9 mg/kg antibody in combination with irinotecan, tumour sizes were approximately 33% smaller compared to animals receiving irinotecan alone. The data suggest a potential pharmacological application for PrP antibodies in combination chemotherapy.

Many different cancer types have previously been found to show increased uptake of the vitamins folate, vitamin B12, and biotin; however, it is not known whether these tumor lines show increased uptake of one or more of the vitamins. The current study was designed to examine the relative uptake of the three vitamins in 10 different types of cell lines. Rhodamine-labeled hydroxypropyl-methacrylamide (HPMA) was targeted with vitamin B(12), folate, or biotin, and the uptake of the labeled polymer was compared both in in vitro cell cultures and in mice-bearing tumors from a variety of tumor cell lines. Fluorescent microscopy of cell cultures and histological examination of tumor sections showed greatly increased uptake of the fluorescently labeled polymer in many tumors when the polymer was targeted with folate, biotin, or vitamin B(12). Tumors with enhanced uptake of vitamin B(12)- or folate-targeted rhodamine-HPMA also showed increased uptake of biotin-Rho-HPMA. In contrast, tumors with increased uptake of folate-Rho-HPMA did not show increased uptake of vitamin B12 (VB(12))-HPMA and vice versa. These findings suggest that vitamin-targeted polymers may greatly increase the uptake of drug-polymer complexes in certain tumors, which may result in an increased efficacy of antitumor agents, and which may allow for easier imaging of both the primary and metastatic tumors.

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