Sequestering ATP inside Mitochondria by Nucleopeptide inducing Cancer Cell death

Abstract

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has important roles in cellular processes such as cellular respiration and metabolism. Cancer cells have higher concentration of ATP compared to normal cells. By removing ATP inside cancer cells, it can result apoptosis. Herein, we developed selective cancer treatment by sequestration and assemblies of ATP with nucleopeptide (NP). NP has nucleobase which interact with adenine and positively charged and hydrophobic peptides which have mitochondria targeting group and self-assemble in water. NP exhibits higher binding affinity with ATP by electrostatic interaction resulting in large complex and assemblies with ATP compared to ADP. To enhance selectivity towards cancer cells, NP-ADP having nanometer-sized micelles accumulates inside cancer cells leading to formation of NP-ATP with higher binding affinity. Sequestration of ATP and large assemblies of NP-ATP cause severe effects such as the metabolic process of ATP and stress by structures towards cancer cells.