Artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) enrich bioorthogonal
chemistry
with new-to-nature reactions while limiting metal deactivation and
toxicity. This enables biomedical applications such as activating
therapeutics in situ. However, while combination
therapies are becoming widespread anticancer treatments, dual catalysis
by ArMs has not yet been shown. We present a heptapeptidic ArM with
a novel peptide ligand carrying a methyl salicylate palladium complex.
We observed that the peptide scaffold reduces metal toxicity while
protecting the metal from deactivation by cellular components. Importantly,
the peptide also improves catalysis, suggesting involvement in the
catalytic reaction mechanism. Our work shows how a palladium-peptide
homogeneous catalyst can simultaneously mediate two types of chemistry
to synthesize anticancer drugs in human cells. Methyl salicylate palladium
LLEYLKR peptide (2-Pd) succeeded to simultaneously produce
paclitaxel by depropargylation, and linifanib by Suzuki–Miyaura
cross-coupling in cell culture, thereby achieving combination therapy
on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells.