title: Design of clinically useful macromolecular iron chelators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In recent years, macromolecular iron chelators have received increasing attention as human therapeutic agents. The objectives of this article are: one, to discuss the factors which should be considered when designing iron binding macromolecules as human therapeutic agents, and two, to report recent achievements in the design and synthesis of appropriate macromolecular chelators that have resulted in the production of a number of agents with therapeutic potential.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Macromolecular drugs exhibit unique pharmaceutical properties that are fundamentally different from their traditional small-molecule counterparts. By virtue of their high-molecular-weight characteristics, many are confined to extracellular compartments, for instance, the serum and the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, they have potential for topical administration. Consequently, these macromolecular drugs are free from many of the toxic effects that are associated with their low-molecular-weight analogues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The design and synthesis of macromolecular iron chelators provides a novel aspect to chelation therapy. 3-Hydroxypyridin-4-one hexadentate-based macromolecular chelators have considerable potential for the development of new treatments for iron overload and for topical treatment of infection.
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Winkelmann
authors.forename: Zhi-Yuan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050256:Antimitotic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019190:Iron Overload; D008024:Ligands; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011725:Pyridines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: C121031:3-hydroxypyridin-4-one; D050256:Antimitotic Agents; D050091:Dendrimers; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D008024:Ligands; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011108:Polymers; D011725:Pyridines