# Towards a ‘clicked’ PSMA targeting gene delivery bioconjugate-polyplex for prostate cancer

## TL;DR

Researchers developed a targeted gene delivery system using a PSMA-binding bioconjugate-polyplex for prostate cancer cells.

## Contribution

A novel PSMA-targeting bioconjugate-polyplex was created using 'click' chemistry for gene delivery to prostate cancer cells.

## Key findings

- The bioconjugate-polyplex successfully delivered a GFP gene to PSMA-overexpressing prostate cancer cells.
- The system shows potential for future gene therapy applications in prostate cancer treatment.

## Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK with over 50 000 new cases diagnosed each year and although therapeutic advances in surgery, anti-androgens, radio- and chemotherapy have increased survival rates, there still remains a need for new treatments to combat the most aggressive forms of the disease. Gene therapy offers promise as an alternative approach but is reliant on selective targeting to the cancer cell surface. Herein we describe the novel construction of a prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) binding bioconjugate-polyplex, based on a glutamate–urea peptide scaffold using ‘click’ chemistry, which we demonstrate is capable of targeted delivery of a GFP gene to PSMA overexpressing prostate cancer cells, and therefore may have potential future application as part of a prostate cancer gene delivery therapy.

We describe the construction of a prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) binding bioconjugate-polyplex, using ‘click’ chemistry, which we demonstrate is capable of targeted delivery of a GFP gene to PSMA overexpressing prostate cancer cells.