Nikos Tsakalakis

Mr. Nikos Tsakalakis


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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30 August 2024 in Molecules
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
CMChristos Markatos
Christos Markatos
GBGeorgia Biniari
Georgia Biniari
OCOleg Chepurny
Oleg Chepurny
VKVlasios Karageorgos
Vlasios Karageorgos
NTNikos Tsakalakis
Nikos Tsakalakis
GLGeorge Liapakis
George Liapakis
The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor (GnRH-R) is highly expressed in ovarian cancer cells (OCC), and it is an important molecular target for cancer therapeutics. To develop a new class of drugs targeting OCC, we designed and synthesized Con-3 and Con-7 which are novel high-affinity GnRH-R agonists, covalently coupled through a disulfide bond to the DNA synthesis inhibitor mitoxantrone. We hypothesized that Con-3 and Con-7 binding to the GnRH-R of OCC would expose the conjugated mitoxantrone to the cellular thioredoxin, which reduces the disulfide bond of Con-3 and Con-7. The subsequent release of mitoxantrone leads to its intracellular accumulation, thus exerting its cytotoxic effects. To test this hypothesis, we determined the cytotoxic effects of Con-3 and Con-7 using the SKOV-3 human OCC. Treatment with Con-3 and Con-7, but not with their unconjugated GnRH counterparts, resulted in the accumulation of mitoxantrone within the SKOV-3 cells, increased their apoptosis, and reduced their proliferation, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of 0.6–0.9 µM. It is concluded that Con-3 and Con-7 act as cytotoxic “prodrugs” in which mitoxantrone is delivered in a GnRH-R-specific manner and constitute a new class of lead compounds for use as anticancer drugs targeting ovarian tumors.