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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

fluorescent folate bis-retinoid bioconjugates, chemotherapy agents

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

The purpose of my project was to evaluate how effective a certain class of organic chemical compounds, known as fluorescent folate bis-retinoid bioconjugates, is for use as chemotherapy agents. An important part of my research involved developing techniques for the growth and maintenance of healthy cancer-cell cultures. I focused especially on the use of a new kidney cancer cell culture, because kidney cancers are hypothesized to be especially susceptible to chemotherapy with folate bioconjugates. The purpose of the folate part of the bioconjugate is to direct the drug to the cancer cells, because cancer cells tend to take in more folate than normal, healthy cells do. The part of the drug that causes cell death is the bis-retinoid compound. The compound I tested is known as A2E, and is a chemical recently discovered in the eye and which is especially prevalent in people with eye disease. A2E has been found to be toxic to cells when irradiated with UV light, and thus may be connected to development of eye disease. The purpose of my research was to determine if the A2E could be activated by UV light once it had entered the cancer cells, enabling us to target cancer cells specifically, without harming normal healthy cells.

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