title: A novel trichosanthin fusion protein with increased cytotoxicity to tumor cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the anti-tumor effects of trichosanthin after fusion with a cell penetrating peptide, heparin-binding peptide (HBP), derived from human heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fusion protein of trichosanthin-HBP was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The HBP domain had no influence on the topological inactivation activity and N-glycosidase activity of trichosanthin. Trichosanthin-HBP significantly inhibited the growth of tested cancer cells which are impervious to trichosanthin. Tumor cell apoptosis and both the mitochondrial- and death receptor-mediated apoptotic signaling pathways induced by trichosanthin-HBP were more significant than those induced by trichosanthin in HeLa cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBP is an efficient intracellular delivery vehicle for trichosanthin and makes trichosanthin-HBP become a promising agent for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Reachall Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Zhejiang, 322100, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Zhong
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Reachall Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Zhejiang, 322100, China.
authors.forename: Tao-Zhu
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Reachall Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Zhejiang, 322100, China.|Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
authors.forename: Fu-Jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, China. zhaojian@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1574-5331
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015978:Trichosanthin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D010455:Peptides; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015978:Trichosanthin
keywords: Antitumor activity; Apoptosis; Drug delivery; Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor; Trichosanthin