摘 要: | Amarogentin is an efficacious Chinese herbal medicine and a component of the bitter apricot kernel.It is commonly used as an expectorant and supplementary anti-cancer drug.β-Glucosidase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes the glycosidic bond between aryl and saccharide groups to release glucose.Upon their interaction,β-glucosidase catalyzes amarogentin to produce considerable amounts of hydrocyanic acid,which inhibits cytochrome C oxidase,the terminal enzyme in the mitochondrial respiration chain,and suspends adenosine triphosphate synthesis,resulting in cell death.Hydrocyanic acid is a cell-cycle-stage-nonspecific agent that kills cancer cells.Thus,β-glucosidase can be coupled with a tumor-specific monoclonal antibody.β-Glucosidase can combine with cancer-cell-surface antigens and specifically convert amarogentin to an active drug that acts on cancer cells and the surrounding antibodies to achieve a kil ing effect.β-Glucosidase is injected intravenously and recognizes cancer-cel-surface antigens with the help of an antibody.The prodrug amarogentin is infused after β-glucosidase has reached the target position.Coupling of cell membrane peptides with β-glucosidase allows the enzyme to penetrate capillary endothelial cells and clear extracellular deep solid tumors to kill the cells therein.The Chinese medicine amarogentin and β-glucosidase will become an important treatment for various tumors when an appropriate monoclonal antibody is developed.
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