title: Ester bonds in prodrugs.
abstract: A recent study challenges the oft-held notion that ester bonds in prodrug molecules are cleaved rapidly and completely inside cells by endogenous, nonspecific esterases. Structure-activity relationship studies on acylated sugars reveal that regioisomeric compounds display disparate biological activity, suggesting that ester bonds can persist in a cellular context.
authors.affiliation: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA. lavisl@janelia.hhmi.org
authors.forename: Luke D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Lavis
mesh_terms: D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D004952:Esters; D011355:Prodrugs